The Legal 500

A&L Goodbody continues to shine in this competitive market thanks to its sizeable and expert practice comprising four partners and 30 assistants, led by Brian McDermott, which attracts high-end instructions. The team is advising RBS Asset Management on the conversion of an existing Irish UCITS fund into a feeder fund, the first to be approved by the Central Bank of Ireland under new rules. Other clients include M&G Investment Management and Deutsche Bank.

Investment funds heavyweight Dillon Eustace retains the largest share of funds clients in the Irish market, despite growing competition from rivals, and it has advised on various innovative products in recent years. Andrew Bates is a leader in the field and heads this large practice, which includes Donnacha O’Connor and Brian Kelliher.

Maples and Calder provides ‘flawless focus to deliver from the top down’, and is regarded by some as being ‘the best in Dublin’. Clients appreciate the firm’s international network for work on cross-jurisdictional products, as well as its innovative approach, and well-structured teams that include the ‘outstanding’ Barry McGrath and Peter Stapleton, who pays ‘amazing attention to detail’. The firm acted for Alliance Bernstein on establishing a rare Irish regulated investment limited partnership (ILP).

Matheson’s large teams continues to increase market share. It acted for global fund manager Man Investments on the launch of a range of QIFs, and assisted UBS with the launch of its first Ireland domiciled ETF platform. Tara Doyle, Dualta Counihan, Shay Lydon and practice head Michael Jackson are recommended.

William Fry’s team advised Barclays Bank on the proposed merger of its French and Luxembourg UCITS funds with its Ireland-domiciled UCITS multi-manager platform. Other clients include BlackRock, State Street and BNY Mellon. Tara O’Reilly has ‘unrivalled expertise’ in exchange traded funds (ETF), and brings ‘both a legal and strategic aspect to her advice’, and Cormac Commins is ‘exceptional’.

Arthur Cox’s ‘very high-functioning team’ includes ‘excellent business partners’ Carl O’Sullivan and Sarah Cunniff, the ‘very bright and creative’ Dara Harrington, and practice head Kevin Murphy, who is recommended for his business acumen. BNP Paribas Investment Partners appointed the firm to its panel following a recent competitive tender.

McCann FitzGerald established the Irish Infrastructure Trust on behalf of Irish Life Investment Managers to invest in new infrastructure projects and sales of state assets. Other clients include Merrion Capital, Prescient Investment Managers and GSO Blackstone. Practice head Mark White has ‘absolute command of the subject matter’.

International funds firm Walkers is now cemented in the Irish market. Paul Farrell heads the team, which acted for Blue Alpha Global Equity Fund on its redomiciliation from Jersey to Ireland as a UCITS fund, which was the first redomiciliation of an investment fund from Jersey to Ireland. Clients have ‘no hesitation in recommending the team’.

Dechert LLP is steadily increasing its market share, and advised Goldman Sachs on implementation of UCITS IV across the client’s Irish and Luxembourg funds. Declan O’Sullivan and Michelle Moran are ‘leading experts in their field’.

David Williams at LK Shields Solicitors gives ‘practical, business-savvy advice’, and is ‘very knowledgeable about the funds industry’. The firm advises various top asset managers, such as Henderson and Scottish Widows, and also acted for Life Settlements Funds on establishing Global Insurance Settlements Funds, a QIF.

Fionan Breathnach heads Mason Hayes & Curran’s cross-departmental group, and is supported by the internationally experienced Mark Browne. Browne led advice to Scandinavian pension fund AP4 on a new bespoke Irish QIF, where he worked alongside Herbert Smith Freehills LLP’s UK team.