Maples Group offers broad expertise across asset acquisitions, fund investments, and equity and debt capital markets work. The practice is led by Mary O’Neill, who is experienced in handling complex transactions such as bond issuances, JOLCO financings, M&A matters, and private equity platform establishments. Stephen Gardiner is a key figure in the team, noted for his asset finance work and for advising aircraft owners, lessors, and airlines on financing and leasing arrangements in Ireland. Eoin O’Leary also plays a central role, with particular expertise in aviation finance and leasing work, including ABS transactions, aircraft funding platform establishments, and sale-and-leaseback structures.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Market leader, with a broad depth of market knowledge, and the ability to understand our risk tolerance and sensitivities.'
- 'Highly responsive, and always adding value to solve problems and structural challenges with investments. Attorneys also clearly lay out the issues in concise and clear terms, as well as potential solutions and the risks, if any, with such solutions.'
- 'Maples is well known within the aviation space and regarded as an authority for all things Irish law.'
- 'Mary O'Neill and Eoin O'Leary are both fantastic and a pleasure to work with.'
- 'The team has been a renown specialist in asset finance in Dublin for an extensive period of time.'
- 'Mary O'Neill (and more recently Stephen Gardiner) is very approachable and experienced.'
Key clients
- Acia Aero Leasing
- ACS Aero Leasing
- AE Industrial Partners
- AirAsia
- Airbus Financial Services
- ALAFCO
- Altavair
- Avolon
- Bain Capital
- Bellinger
- BOCA
- China Aircraft Leasing
Work highlights
Advised Avolon with respect to all Irish law aspects of Avolon’s $5bn, aircraft portfolio acquisition from Castlelake.
Acted as Irish counsel to Sky Leasing and the issuer group on all Irish law aspects of a $569.5m asset backed securitisation (ABS) of a portfolio of 22 Airbus and Boeing aircraft held by Irish entities, valued at $825m approx.
Acted as Irish law counsel to Falko Regional Aircraft Limited on its acquisition of a portfolio of 24 Embraer E-Jets from Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC).
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Stephen Gardiner
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Practice head
Mary O'Neill
Other key lawyers
Stephen Gardiner; Eoin O'Leary