Partner & Practice Group Leader, Capital Markets
- LL B, Trinity College, Dublin
- Admitted as a Solicitor (England & Wales) 1995
- Admitted as an Attorney & Counsellor of Law (New York State) 2000
- Admitted as a Solicitor (Republic of Ireland) 2003
Following my studies in Trinity College, I qualified as a solicitor in London and joined Clifford Chance. In 2003, I moved to New York, worked with the firm Sidley Austin Brown & Wood, in the area of Capital Markets and was admitted to the New York Bar. By the time I returned to Ireland to join Arthur Cox in December 2001, I had six years' post qualification experience. I became a Partner after just one year in Arthur Cox and I now lead a practice group comprised of approximately ten associates.
As a finance lawyer, I work on a wide range of capital matters and banking transactions, with particular expertise in securitisation and structured finance. I have advised on the securitisation of a wide variety of asset classes, acting for both domestic and international clients. In the area of banking I am involved in mostly international transactions including cross-border acquisitions and real estate finance, secondary market trading, loan transfers, bank regulatory matters and derivatives.
Prior to my joining Arthur Cox, the firm engaged in a certain amount of Capital Markets work. There was a gap in the market however and it was apparent that there was a significant amount of work available. I used my former clients and contacts to generate work and this quickly paid off. The firm recognised the potential for success and gave me a blank canvas to develop the area. The firm's corporate client base is amongst the best in the country. We also obtained a large amount of work from existing clients. We have acted for Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Barclays and Credit Suisse.
The success of my team in the capital markets area led us to venture into the Listings area. This group was created in 2004. This has been very successful, as ultimately the two groups compliment each other well in terms of the work generated. As an Irish professional having worked in a number of renowned global law firms, I was delighted to find that both top quality work and highly reputable people could be found in a law firm located in my own home town.
