Our People

Expertise

Christian is a partner in the Structured Finance and Derivatives Group at Matheson Ormsby Prentice and is head of the firm's derivatives practice. Christian's practice focuses on advising investment banks and asset managers doing business in and through Ireland in relation to securitisations, fund-linked structured products, repackagings, securities lending and repos. Christian regularly advises Irish corporates and their counterparties in relation to ISDA master agreements and collateral arrangements relating to over-the-counter derivatives transactions such as interest rate swaps and collars and credit default swaps. Frequently, the firm is asked to provide legal opinions on issues relating to the enforceability of close-out netting provisions and collateral arrangements documented using industry standard or bespoke derivatives, repo and prime brokerage documentation. Christian is a regular speaker at international conferences on issues related to derivatives and structured finance.

Christian qualified with Allen & Overy in Hong Kong where he specialised in equity-linked securities and derivatives and later transferred to Allen & Overy's London office where he focused on CDOs, repackagings, equity-linked and credit-linked notes and programmes.  Christian spent seven months on secondment with the London branch of a European investment bank advising on ISDA documentation policy.  Prior to joining Matheson Ormsby Prentice in 2006, Christian acted as legal counsel at the London branch of a US investment bank.

Education

University College Dublin and DePaul University Law School, Chicago - BCL (International)

University College Dublin - LLM (Commercial Law)

University of Hong Kong - PCLL (Postgraduate Certificate of Laws)

Qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales (non-practising)

Qualified as a solicitor in Hong Kong (non-practising)

Highlights