Closing a chapter, continuing a connection: Managing Partner, Michael Jackson joins our alumni community
As Michael Jackson prepares to conclude his tenure as Managing Partner at the end of December, we are pleased to welcome him into the Matheson Alumni Network. After more than 34 years at Matheson, including 10 as Managing Partner, he leaves not only an impressive legacy but a firm shaped by his vision, his leadership and his commitment to the people who make Matheson what it is today.
Throughout his tenure, Michael has guided the firm in shaping its strategic direction, while championing innovation, strengthening our culture and guiding Matheson through significant periods of growth and change.
We caught up with Michael to ask him about his leadership journey and the moments that defined his time at Matheson.
Matheson's second annual alumni event
We were pleased to once again bring our alumni community together for an evening of networking and connecting with former colleagues and friends at our recent Matheson Alumni event. This year's celebrations were particularly significant as the firm marked its bicentennial anniversary.
Held in The Shelbourne Hotel, the evening provided an opportunity for a large number of our friends and colleagues to reconnect and network over stories and laughter. In what was the highlight of the evening, we were delighted to welcome, former partner William Prentice as our special guest for a fireside chat.
With only a little prompting from the event's MC, Chairperson Paddy Spicer, William brought the audience through some of his memories from his time in the firm, and gave them a flavour of how the firm has transformed itself over the years. He spoke about the history of his own family and the part that it has played in the firm over the years, beginning in 1916 when his great uncle, Ernest Prentice, left one of Dublin’s then-largest firms, TW Hardman & Sons (where Ernest had trained as an apprentice and qualified as a solicitor) to set up in partnership with Bob Matheson, through to his uncles, Cecil Prentice and David Prentice, and his sister Hilary. He spoke of his earliest memories of being in the firm’s offices with his late father, Peter Prentice (Ernest’s nephew), and entertained us all with anecdotes of former partners such as John Ross and Derek Lane, the latter of whom in particular had such an influence on him in his younger years in the firm.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for an enjoyable and inspirational evening and we look forward to welcoming you to our next event.
Alumni Dylan Gannon and Rachel Rock of Meta participate in Career First Programme
We were delighted to welcome Rachel Rock, Lead Litigation Counsel for EMEA Disputes at Meta and Dylan Gannon, Associate General Counsel as facilitators on our 2025 Career First Programme.
This year's Career programme saw a host of insightful sessions, including that of Matheson's Head of New Business, Mark Hamilton, who spoke about the importance of personal brand management. Students also attended a fascinating talk with partner, Sarah Jayne Hanna and Yvonne Cunnane (Vice President, and Head of Data Protection at Meta) regarding their careers, how to make an impact from an early stage, and building and developing relationships. This was complimented by a guided tour of Meta with alumnus Dylan Gannon and colleagues, who showcased the interesting work they do.
Hosted by partner Conor Cassidy, the final session offered students a rare behind-the-scenes look at both Conor and Rachel's career journeys. A consistent theme from the discussion was Rachel's reminder to "be yourself", a message that resonated strongly with participants and set the tone for an engaging and thoughtful close to this year's programme.
We thank Rachael, Dylan and Meta for their continued support in developing future talent. We are proud to celebrate the achievements of our alumni who continue to inspire the next generation of legal talent.
Career First students hosted at Meta offices with alumnus Dylan Gannon and colleagues
Pictured l-r: Yvonne Cunnane, Vice-President and Head of Data Protection, Meta and Matheson partner, Sarah Jayne Hanna.
Mark Hamilton talking to the Career First Cohort
Matheson's Career First Cohort, 2025 with hosts Rachel Rock, Lead Litigation Counsel for EMEA Disputes at Meta, and Matheson partner, Connor Cassidy.
Pictured L-R: Neil Culkin, Matheson Alumnus and Global Director for Real Estate Solutions at Google; Brian Doran, Matheson partner; Rachel Ward, Matheson Alumna and Senior Corporate Counsel at Microsoft
Matheson alumnus Neil Culkin spearheads Google's Disability Alliance Charity Event
Matheson was delighted to support a sensory dining experience in aid of three local charities from Google's Disability Alliance ERG (Employee Resource Group). The event was spearheaded by Matheson alumnus Neil Culkin who is Google's Global Director for Real Estate Solutions. The event delivered a curated menu from the Michelin star team behind Bastible focusing on sensory experiences unique to each of the three charities. Each course had its own story and experience. From a dining in the dark course for Fighting Blindness, a course dedicated to experiencing the adaptive eating cuffs used by people with spinal injuries to the final course which represented neurodiversity experiences. Speakers from each charity offered accounts and insights from their own personal experiences and the crucial work they do in their respective charity including Declan Meenagh (Fighting Blindness), Jack Kavanagh and Oisin Fahy (Spinal Injuries Ireland) and Louise Rooney (NIRP Ringsend). The hugely successful event raised over €95,000 for the charities. We congratulate Neil and all his colleagues at Google for their incredible contribution to such a worthy cause.
