What We Do

"MOP is good at doing what an advisor should: enabling clients to bring products to the market."
Funds Europe Awards 2011

Matheson Ormsby Prentice is a recognised market leader in alternative investment funds in Ireland and one of the first Irish law firms to have established a dedicated alternative investment funds arm. We are one of the largest hedge fund practices in Ireland and our client portfolio includes a number of Europe's largest hedge fund managers.

We advise on all aspects of structuring, managing, servicing and distributing alternative investment funds and have established a significant range of alternative investment funds including funds investing in pharmaceutical royalties, life settlement funds, property, currencies, commodities, bank loans, private equity, other hedge funds and on all hedge fund strategies including long/short, event driven, arbitrage, global macro, distressed debt and multi-strategy amongst others.

Our practice is ranked as a tier one practice group by Chambers Europe, the European Legal 500 and PLC 2010. We were the first Irish law firm to receive the award of European Law Firm of the Year from The Hedge Fund Journal, reflecting the international recognition of our contribution to the European hedge fund sector. Our practice was awarded European Adviser of the Year by Funds Europe in 2011.

The reputation of the Asset Management and Investment Funds Group amongst industry professionals and our involvement with the development of the industry is reflected by the election of partner Michael Jackson to the position of chairman of the Irish Funds Industry Association (“IFIA”) in 2009/2010 and his current chairmanship of the International Financial Services Centre (“IFSC”) Funds Group Legislative Committee. Michael is also a member of the UCITS IV Competitiveness Review Sub-Group of the IFSC Funds Group and of the IFIA’s Corporate Governance Steering Group.  Our partners Dualta Counihan, Tara Doyle, Anne-Marie Bohan and Shay Lydon are all active members of IFIA committees and sub-groups, specifically in the areas of legal and regulatory, alternative investments and valuations, marketing and trustee issues.

All of our nine partners are regular speakers at industry events and contributors to European and domestic consultations on investment funds and proposals relating to alternative investment managers. We provide regular updates for our clients on the progress of the implementation of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers’ Directive ("AIFMD"). In terms of important recent Irish legislative developments for investment funds, James Scanlon assisted with the drafting of the Irish Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 which introduces new Irish provisions designed to facilitate the efficient redomiciliation of corporate funds to Ireland.

With our team of 40 fund professionals working alongside Matheson Ormsby Prentice’s taxation, structured finance and commercial litigation departments, we offer a comprehensive service for clients. As we are one of the few law firms in Ireland with a specialist derivatives practice, we have an unrivalled capacity to provide combined asset management, tax and derivatives advice to our clients.

We have advised on the:

• Launch of the first Irish domiciled pharmaceutical royalties funds
• Launch of the first Irish domiciled US life assurance policies funds 
• Launch of third party manager platforms (UCITS and QIFs) for four separate global financial institutions
• Launch of the first Brazilian promoted Irish domiciled hedge fund
• Launch of liability driven investment funds
• Launch of an insurance linked investment fund
• Launch of bank loan funds using section 110 subsidiaries for several large international investment managers, including a hybrid fund/CLO structure
• Launch of professional investor and qualifying investor hedge funds using a variety of strategies including arbitrage, macro, directional, event-driven, long/short, market neutral, directional and quantitative and permitting direct investment and investment in fund of funds and feeder fund structures
• Launch of property funds
• Launch of commodities funds
• Establishment of retail funds of hedge funds
• Listing of Irish and non-Irish domiciled funds on the Irish Stock Exchange
• Establishment of investment management companies in Ireland
• Negotiation of contracts on behalf of a number of administrators, custodians and prime brokers 

All of our partners are contributors to European consultations on investment funds and proposals relating to alternative investment managers, and we provide regular updates for our clients on the progress of the draft Alternative Investment Fund Managers’ Directive. In terms of recent Irish legislation which will be of interest to alternatives managers, our partner James Scanlon has assisted with the drafting of the Irish Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which introduces new Irish provisions designed to facilitate the efficient and straightforward redomiciliation of corporate funds to Ireland.

This huge investment funds and financial services group is undoubtedly a heavyweight player in the field. It comprises over 40 lawyers and benefits from the firms full-service resources, including a specialist derivatives team, meaning that it has a formidable capacity to advise on the whole range of investment funds and asset management matters. The practice was involved in drafting legislation on redomiciliation, and has a long tradition of sitting on regulatory committees. Clients point to “an excellent team of partners, and many other people of extremely high calibre. The firm is a mature player in this business.”
Investment Funds: Chambers Europe 2011

Matheson Ormsby Prentice has “truly incredible lawyers who are highly intelligent, approachable, down to earth and overall a breath of fresh air to deal with".
Investment Funds: European Legal 500 2011

"The firm has good market presence and is a respected practice with experienced lawyers, according to its peers. The firm continues to hold its position in the market as a solid funds practice and is respected by clients and competitors alike."
Investment Funds: IFLR 1000 2011

This firm has a mature asset management and investment funds practice that has grown consistently over the years to become one of the largest in the market, with 38 fee earners including eight partners. Its prolific practice of late has led sources to describe MOP as “the most impressive law firm at this point in the cycle.” High-profile recent assignments include litigating on behalf of HSBC as custodian to a number of funds invested in Madoff, acting for Vega on establishing a distressed debt fund, and acting for Mercer on the establishment of a common contractual fund. The team is often seen at the cutting edge: for example, it recently represented Goldman Sachs in the evolving arena of life settlement structures. Lawyers act for many of the largest promoters of investment funds in Dublin, and for a majority of Europe's ten largest hedge fund managers, including Barclays Global Investors and Brevan Howard. Clients praise the team's “excellent subject-matter expertise, great strength in depth, and responsive, commercially oriented approach.” Sources identify Michael Jackson as the group's leading figure, but are keen to highlight the quality across the entire team, also praising Tara Doyle and James Scanlon. Up-and-coming partner Dualta Counihan has attracted much praise from interviewees as “an accessible lawyer, with all the necessary knowledge at his fingertips.”
Investment Funds: Chambers Europe 2010

Matheson Ormsby Prentice is praised for the ‘excellent depth of its legal and regulatory knowledge’, with Michael Jackson singled out as ‘technically superb’, and Tara Doyle praised for her‘excellent industry knowledge’. The team is involved in advising HSBC on Madoff litigation arising from the bank’s role as custodian to numerous funds invested in Madoff. Other clients include Vega and Goldman Sachs.
Investment Funds: European Legal 500 2010

The team is elevated to the top tier this year following widespread praise for its quick turnaround times and practical, precise advice. As investors react to changing market conditions, the team’s workload has seen an increase in qualified products, environmentally focused funds and investments in climate futures. Hedge funds are also a source of much work. The group has a large crossover into the asset management and structured finance fields, where its expertise is put to good use when advising funds on regulatory matters and Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) implementation. Clients say: “The lawyers are flexible and commercially oriented – there’s nothing you can ask them that they can’t do.”
Investment Funds: Chambers Europe 2009

Matheson Ormsby Prentice fields a team that has "good communication and response times" with team head Michael Jackson singled out as being "knowledgeable and on the ball". James Scanlon is also recommended as an "industry leader".
Investment Funds: European Legal 500 2009

This “proactive team offers exceptionally good service”. “The lawyers display a strong commercial awareness in all aspects of their dealings and are very good at making sure things close”.
Banking and Finance: Chambers Europe 2008

Clients commended this expanding funds practice for “understanding the legal and business aspects of what you want to achieve and trying to find a practical solution.”  The team acts for a number of the large fund promoters in Dublin including Bank of New York, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, and handles a range of work including hedge funds, UCITS and non-UCITS products and advising clients on setting up in Dublin. It has also advised clients on the new faster process for authorising QIF and has particular expertise in liability-driven products, having established such products for Barclays Global Investors and State Street Global Advisors.
Investment Funds: Chambers Global 2008

Matheson Ormsby Prentice recorded another solid year on the funds side, establishing a range of fund structures. The firm benefits from having an investments funds practice in the London office. Clients were impressed by the firm, with one describing it as “a very good and very solid practice”.
Investment Funds: IFLR1000 2008

“Direct, commercial and incredibly helpful,” this team of eight partners and 14 fee earners provides “fast and commercially correct” advice to a range of clients, including hedge fund managers and the promoters of investment funds. The firm has handled a significant amount of UCITS conversion work over the past year, as well as seeing increased interest in regulated products, including hedge funds.
Investment Funds: Chambers Europe 2007

Matheson Ormsby Prentice's investment funds group acts for a number of the largest promoters of investment funds in Dublin including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, State Street Global Advisors, Lehman Brothers, Vanguard, INVESCO and Dakabank. It has also grown its hedge fund practice and now works for the likes of GLG Partners and Brevan Howard. It continues to establish new funds for existing clients. The firm also has an investment funds practice in its London office, for its London-based clients.
Investment Funds: European Legal 500 2007

“Of all the law firms in Dublin, Matheson Ormsby Prentice are probably the best – merely in dealing with the challenges we face”. Michael Jackson in particular is cited by clients and peers alike as one of the strongest individuals in the market.
Chambers Client Report: May 2006

Matheson Ormsby Prentice acts for some of the largest promoters of investment funds in Dublin including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Lehman Brothers and INVESCO. The firm also has a growing client list of hedge fund managers. Clients benefit from a parallel regulatory risk management and compliance practice, headed by the experienced Joe Beashel. Michael Jackson and James Scanlon head the practice, which offers funds expertise from its London office.
Investment Funds: European Legal 500 2006

Michael Jackson and James Scanlon jointly head the banking and financial services department at Matheson Ormsby Prentice. The firm continues to grow its hedge funds practice, adding several notable hedge fund managers to the client list in 2004. The addition of Joe Beashel, formerly of INVESCO, to develop a regulatory risk management and compliance practice demonstrates the firm’s determined focus on financial services.
Investment Funds: European Legal 500 2005