International law firm Maples and Calder (Ireland) LLP, the Maples Group’s law firm in Ireland, is pleased to announce the appointment of 19 lawyers across all levels within the firm following a period of exceptional growth and activity. Notably, five senior lawyers were appointed to Partner and Of Counsel positions while 14 trainee lawyers who recently qualified with the firm will be elevated to Associate roles in the coming month.
Richard O’Donoghue (Funds & Investment Management) has been promoted to Partner while Una Killeen (Finance), Rory Beasley (Finance) and Richard O’Mahony (Funds & Investment Management) have been promoted to Of Counsel positions. These promotions follow the recent appointment of Stephen Gardiner (Finance) who joined the firm earlier this month as a Partner from another domestic law firm.
In Ireland, the Maples Group provides full service Irish legal services to domestic and international clients in addition to fund and fiduciary services and with over 500 employees. The firm has grown to become the second-largest office within the Group. Being part of a global organisation with 15 offices worldwide offers the firm’s lawyers the opportunity to work with international clients on projects of scale in Ireland but also the chance to work in North America, the Caribbean, Europe or Asia, while progressing within the Maples Group.
Speaking on the appointments, Ireland Managing Partner, Peter Stapleton said: “I congratulate Richard, Una, Rory and Richard on their much-deserved success and welcome Stephen to the Maples Group. Over the past 20 years, the firm has developed an award-winning leadership team through such internal promotions and recruiting the best talent in the market. I would also note the success of our Early Careers Programmes which strengthens the depth of expertise across the practices in our Dublin office and supports the firm’s succession planning”.
He continued: “In the last ten years alone, the firm has grown by 35 per cent and I am very proud to say that we now have nearly 250 lawyers and professionals working across our wide range of practice groups with a further 280 professionals in our fund and fiduciary services team. These latest appointments strengthen our ability to consistently deliver high-quality and innovative services to our domestic and international clients”.
Last year was another record-breaking year for the firm with its reputation for excellence and innovation strengthened across all major sectors. Key deals spanned the areas of financial services, sustainable finance, corporate, tax, technology, capital markets, aviation, banking, restructuring, regulatory, banking, real estate and private equity. Notably, the firm advised on Endo International PLC’s $6 billion Irish Scheme of Arrangement; AMCS on its sale to EQT Private Equity; and Windward Air Capital and its partner Bain Capital on new financing facilities.
Additionally, the firm expanded its investment in innovation and technology with its AI Advisory team serving an increasing number of clients in the fintech sector following the coming into force of the EU’s AI Act.
Richard O’Donoghue
Richard is a partner of Maples and Calder’s Funds & Investment Management team in the Maples Group’s Dublin office. He advises in respect of the establishment, authorisation and ongoing integration of Irish regulated investment funds including UCITS, AIFs and other fund products. Richard also advises fund service providers including management companies, administrators, depositaries and investment managers.
Stephen Gardiner
Stephen is a partner of Maples and Calder’s Asset Finance team in the Maples Group’s Dublin office. He advises aircraft lessors, financiers and airlines on the trading, financing, leasing and repossession of aircraft. His practice includes the establishment of corporate structures in Ireland to facilitate the financing and leasing of various asset classes, including aviation, maritime and industrial assets.
Una Killeen
Una is an Of Counsel in Maples and Calder’s Finance team in the Maples Group’s Dublin office. Una specialises in structured finance, advising clients on structuring, negotiating, implementing and restructuring a broad range of finance transactions. Una acts for global financial institutions, alternative lenders, private equity funds, arrangers, managers, investors and issuers across a wide range of debt capital markets and structured finance transactions.
Rory Beasley
Rory is an Of Counsel in Maples and Calder’s Finance team in the Maples Group’s Dublin office. Rory advises on a wide range of capital markets and structured finance products and related issues, including CLO, RMBS, CMBS and other securitisation structures, fund-linked structured products and the establishment of debt issuance programmes. Rory also advises on regulatory issues which have an impact on structured finance vehicles including those in relation to the Prospectus Regulation, AIFMD, credit reporting, anti-money laundering and ongoing regulatory compliance generally.
Richard O’Mahony
Richard is an Of Counsel in Maples and Calder’s Funds & Investment Management team in the Maples Group’s Dublin office. He advises on the establishment, authorisation, operation and maintenance of both Irish regulated funds (including UCITS and AIFs) and unregulated investment funds. In addition, Richard advises fund service providers including promoters, investment managers, AIFMs, administrators, depositaries and counterparties.
