Matheson promotes four women in partnership round

Matheson promotes four women in partnership round

A promotion brings the number of partners at Ireland's largest law firm to 105

At Matheson, 13 lawyers have been elevated to partnership in the company's latest promotion cycle, up by five from 2021.

It is Ireland's largest law firm by headcount, with more than 330 lawyers and the new appointment brings the total number of partners and tax principals to 105. There were four women in the newest cohort (30percent), whereas last year five women (67percent) were accepted in the firm's eight-person round.

According to Matheson, 41percent of its partners are female, with The Lawyer ranking Matheson's gender split ratio as the fifth most gender-diverse partnership in Europe and first in Ireland, in a report from 2021.

Four offices of the firm are located outside of Ireland, including one in London, one in New York, one in San Francisco and one in Palo Alto. However, all the new partners are Irish, there are 12 partners covering the firm's 30 practice groups, with structured finance being the only practice group to gain two partners - Vincent McConnon and William Foot. One partner has been added to each of the remaining practice areas: financial institutions, corporate restructuring and insolvency, asset management, property finance, EU competition and regulation, technology and innovation, international business, employment, tax and healthcare.

In his remarks, Michael Jackson, the managing partner of Matheson, said: "We are an organization where expertise and teamwork are valued and rewarded at every level, one that has embraced a new hybrid working model that has been developed in consultation with our colleagues across the firm."

"I congratulate our new partners on their appointments and look forward to working well with them in their new roles as they focus on delivering for our clients and mentoring and developing future Matheson leaders and partners."

In addition to its efforts to improve gender diversity, Matheson has undertaken several other initiatives to enhance its environmental, social and government (ESG) capabilities, including the appointment of a pro bono partner in July and the establishment of a 12-member ESG advisory group led by energy, natural resources, utilities and infrastructure practice head Garret Farrelly.

A quartet of senior tech, data and regulatory attorneys was also hired by the firm in November to assist with the firm's transformational initiatives. As part of the technology and innovation team, Davinia Brennan and Rory O'Keeffe have joined A&L Goodbody and Accenture respectively, while Caroline Kearns, a partner from DLA Piper, has joined the financial institution's group alongside consultant Niamh Mullholland from KPMG Ireland.

Among other recent Irish legal developments, offshore giant Ogier announced yesterday that it will merge with eight-partner Dublin-based Leman in a major and rare foray into the onshore market.

The deal makes Ogier the latest international law firm to open in Ireland, following the merger between Addleshaw Goddard and 25-partner firm Eugene F Collins announced in February.

A full list of the promotions is as follows:

Tomás Baily (Tax)

Ailbhe Dennehy (Employment, Pensions & Benefits)

William Foot (Structured Finance)

Kevin Gahan (Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency)

Anthony Gaskin (Asset Management)

Sarah Jayne Hanna (International Business)

Elaine Long (Financial Institutions)

Vincent McConnon (Structured Finance)

Daniel Peart (Property Finance & Structured Finance)

Carlo Salizzo (Technology & Innovation)

Justine Sayers (Healthcare)

Sean Scally (Projects, Energy & Infrastructure)

Calum Warren (EU Competition & Regulatory)