What We Do

Our Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency Group comprises some of Ireland's leading lawyers in the corporate recovery and insolvency field among its team. The group is led by partners Rod Ensor, Tony O'Grady, Julie Murphy-O’Connor and Niamh Counihan and provides specialist advice on all contentious and non-contentious corporate restructuring and insolvency matters.

With a team of over 16 legal specialists, we are the largest Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency Group among the top 5 Irish legal firms. It is this strength, expertise and experience that has seen us deal with the most significant domestic and cross-border insolvency and restructuring matters in recent years.

The group regularly works in multi-disciplinary teams with other areas of the firm, including the property, banking, tax and corporate teams, as well as other advisers such as the major firms of accountants, to develop innovative ideas and practical solutions for our clients.

We provide advice on the full range of corporate recovery and restructuring assignments to banks, factors and discounters and other financial institutions, and we advise our clients in relation to:

• Domestic and cross-border insolvencies involving Irish companies
• Security reviews and enforcement actions 
• Out of court rescheduling and debt restructurings 
• Both insolvent and solvent court restructurings and schemes of arrangement 
• Asset and debt recovery in Ireland and internationally 
• Work outs and rescues 
• Bankruptcy and voluntary schemes of arrangement 
• Practical, commercial, legal support to boards of company directors faced with financial difficulty to try and ensure that they comply with their duties 

We have advised:

• many recent examinerships, including Golden Discs, First Equity, Fleming Group, Linen Supply, Fate Park, Blackshore Group, Aer Arran and McInerney.  
• on numerous cross-border insolvencies and restructurings including those relating to KPNQwest, Exodus Communications and advised the Official Liquidator of Eurofood, (the Irish subsidiary of the Parmalat Group) in relation to the first reference to the European Court of Justice for an interpretation of the European Insolvency Regulation. 
• in relation to SIV receiverships of Cheyne Finance plc and Rhinebridge, as well as advising in the examinerships of SCC, ISTC, Ag Cert, Mobilaware and related companies. 
• a number of financial institutions on the restructuring and enforcement side, and advising in respect of many receiverships, and commercial court cases involving both defaulting borrowers and negligence actions/actions for breach of undertaking by solicitors.  
• recent receiverships in which the Group has advised include Sigma Telecom, B3 Cable Solutions (Ireland) Limited, the IPOS and Walsh Group of pharmacies and Landmark.  We also advised in relation to the pre-pack sale of McConnells Advertising.   
• financial institutions in relation to complex tax schemes in the hotel and nursing home industries involving the enforcement of security against investors, promoters, operators, including the Carnbeg Hotel co-ownership and the Milford Nursing Home co-ownership.  
• on the (solvent) restructuring side, been involved in several section 201 schemes of arrangement, including Riverdeep, International Marketing Services Group plc, the takeover by HRE of Depfa in which we advised a hedge fund, and the merger of IAWS Group plc and Hiestand to create Aryzta. 
• directors, liquidators and creditors in relation to restriction applications and fraudulent and reckless trading proceedings (including PSK Construction Limited (in voluntary liquidation)).

"Strong group of well-respected partners led by clients favourite Tony O'Grady." 
Restructuring and Insolvency: IFLR 1000 2012

Matheson Ormsby Prentice is “professionally outstanding” and “very commercial".
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2011

Matheson Ormsby Prentice's restructuring and insolvency team has been active on a range of deals over the past 12 months and remains a leading contender in the field.
Restructuring and Insolvency: IFLR 1000 2011

Matheson Ormsby Prentice is"very commercial" and provides "very objective advice - what you need to hear, not necessarily what you want to hear". Headed up by the"experienced and knowledgeable" Rob Ensor, the team is acting for John J Fleming Construction in its €1 billion restructuring.
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2010

Matheson Ormsby Prentice is "one of the strongest teams in the recovery and insolvency market". Rod Ensor leads a "results orientated" group.
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2009

Covering banking, employment, product liability, construction, IP, public law and professional negligence within the litigation field, this team is praised not only for its diversity, but also for its co-operation with other departments within the firm in order to generate business and support litigious cases. Banking and corporate restructuring cases have featured heavily in the workload of late, and the construction and employment teams have also remained busy through the recent market turmoil. The group was commended for its customer service: “It’s very flexible and always puts the client first, and the lawyers seem to know all the legislation inside-out.” The team is also active in regulatory advice, investigatory work and dispute avoidance counsel, and is equipped to handle ADR on the largest scale. “They’re very creative, and always seem to come up with ways around any difficulties in a case,” said one impressed client.
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2009

Matheson Ormsby Prentice recorded yet another solid year in R&I, scoring roles on many of the highest-profile examinerships of the year.  Rod Ensor heads the practice, which contains the well-regarded Tony O’Grady.
Restructuring and Insolvency: IFLR1000 2009

Matheson Ormsby Prentice has experience in contentious and non-contentious matters and regularly acts for creditor groups and companies, liquidators, examiners and receivers.
Insolvency And Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2008

Matheson Ormsby Prentice stays in the top tier after another solid year advising on a range of liquidations and examinations.
Restructuring and Insolvency: IFLR1000 2008

Matheson Ormsby Prentice has experience in contentious and non-contentious matters and regularly acts for creditor groups and companies, liquidators, examiners and receivers. Recent highlights for the team include continuing to advise the liquidator of Eurofood. Lawyers are also involved with the restructurings of Riverdeep Group, Honeywell Group and Weatherford Group. Rod Ensor and Tony O’Grady are the recommended partners for corporate restructuring and insolvency work.
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2008