A&L Goodbody LLP has sustained an active debt capital markets (DCM) and structured finance practice. It has achieved further prominence in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) transactions, includes securitisations of non-performing portfolios. The firm retains close links to major banks and issuers. In equity capital markets (ECM), the firm is at the forefront of offerings on Euronext Dublin, the London Stock Exchange (LSE), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ. Peter Walker leads the DCM and structured finance team, which includes senior practitioners Ciarán Rogers and Jack Sheehy ; Sinead O’Connor and Michelle Daly are also especially active partners. Paul White has led the ECM team for over 12 years and has advised on a series of headline initial public offerings (IPOs) and other equity offerings. Charles Carroll is also rated for ECM deals. Of counsel Neal Breslin also impresses. Adrian Burke  and Kevin Allen  have retired.

Arthur Cox has a broad-based DCM, structured finance and securitisation practice. It has a substantial presence in collateralised loan obligations (CLOs), residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) and medium term note (MTN) programmes. The firm also has a fine record in ECM transactions, including offerings on NYSE and NASDAQ, corporate restructurings and public M&A deals. It is also noted for redomiciliations and de-SPAC transactions using an Irish holding company. In DCM, Cormac Kissane  is hugely experienced, while Aiden Small  and Phil Cody are also prominent figures, with Aisling Kelly and new partner Peter Murphy making a further impression. In ECM, Maura McLaughlin and Cian McCourt continue to impress, along with David Vos and counsel Sinead Crowley. Glenn Butt has retired.

Matheson LLP has a big presence in both ECM and DCM. It is widely recognised for corporate re-domiciliations, M&A inversions and other ECM transactions. It has extensive experience in capital markets matters involving European and US exchanges and the ECM team has worked on a series of recent headline cross-border M&A transactions and de-SPAC deals. David Fitzgibbon, Fergus Bolster and George Brady are seasoned practitioners in the ECM space. The firm has an outstanding record in structured finance, securitisation, DCM and derivatives. It works with a range of clients on trade receivables, CLOs, commercial and residential mortgages, auto receivables, non-performing loans transactions and multiple other deals in the sphere. Turlough Galvin and CLO specialist Christian Donagh are at the pinnacle of the market, along with Vincent McConnon and William Foot. Richard Kelly has left the firm.

McCann FitzGerald LLP has an outstanding history in securitisation, structured finance, derivatives, covered bonds and public bond offerings, among other areas. Fergus Gillen is a leader in auto-finance securitisations and RMBS transactions, while Hugh Beattie is a leader in CLOs. Éamon Ó Cuív is rated for green finance deals, with Adrian Farrell noted for a variety of structured finance transactions. In ECM, the firm has a significant market share of substantial capital raises and has a solid background in IPOs, corporate restructurings, public M&A and de-SPAC deals. Stephen FitzSimons and Gill Lohan  are key names on the ECM front. Judith Lawless and David Byers have retired.

Maples Group is a major player in bond offerings, securitisation and structured products. It covers a wide range of asset classes and is well placed to advise on cross-border matters. The firm is at the forefront of the CLO sector and has remained active in non-performing loans and the intersection between DCM and investment fund technologies. Sustainable finance is another growth area for team. Stephen McLoughlin heads the finance department and remains recognised for his experience in CLOs, RMBS and repackagings. Callaghan Kennedy is another key figure for asset-backed securities and CLOs. Joe O’Neill has been promoted to partner.

Mason Hayes & Curran LLP covers a range of DCM, structured finance and securitisation, and derivatives transactions. It has remained active in high-yield and investment grade debt offerings, along with asset-backed securities and secured note programmes. The firm also has an established presence in equity offerings and public M&A transactions. Admitted to practice in Ireland, and England and Wales, Daragh O’Shea (‘manages client personalities very well and is highly commercial‘), is head of the DCM and structured finance group. Justin McKenna leads the ECM team and has an established record in IPOs, follow-on offerings and in advising listed companies.

Walkers continues to stand out for its commitment to the CLO and CMBS market, along with its prominence in insurance-linked securities and catastrophe bonds, and securitisations and significant risk transfer (SRT) issues. It is a clear market leader in CLOs, frequently representing new entrants into the European CLO segment. The hugely experienced Andrew Traynor is co-head of the finance and capital markets group, continuing to advise on numerous securitisations and structured finance transactions. Noeleen Ruddy  also co-heads the team and remains at thje forefront of the CLO sector, along with catastrophe bonds and insurance-linked securities. Paddy Rath is another key figure in the CLO segment, while Ian McNamee is noted for DCM and securitisations.

William Fry LLP‘s extensive public company client base provides it with the basis for a thriving ECM practice, while its reputation in the space consistently leads to headline instructions; it advised the Department of Finance on the design and execution of a pre-arranged trading plan for the sale of the state’s shareholding in AIB Group. The team has particular expertise in the real estate, financial services and technology sectors. The firm also boasts a solid DCM and structured finance practice. Mark Talbot and Myra Garrett are top names in the ECM field, with David Maughan standing out in the DCM sector.

Byrne Wallace Shields LLP specialises in securitisation structures for life settlement portfolios, loan receivables, asset-backed securities and other asset classes. Clients include investment managers, investors and Irish securitisation vehicles. The firm also has a background in MTN programmes, CDOs and repackagings. David Naughton is the lead partner.

Dillon Eustace has significant cross-over between its banking and capital markets practice with many of its partners and associates covering both disciplines. Much of its focus centres on structured finance (including tax-driven structured finance transactions) and the non-performing loan segment. Mark Thorne heads the banking and capital markets team with Keith Robinson noted for asset-backed securities and Conor Kiernan for structured finance and DCM.

Eversheds Sutherland advises a range of public companies, including those listed in the US and UK; the Dublin office frequently collaborates with colleagues from around the world. Along with general compliance and obligations advice, the firm is also active in public M&A transactions and post-acquisition matters. Lee Murphy heads the capital markets team.