Expertise
Brendan is a Partner in the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department at Matheson and is a member of the firm’s Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency Law Group. Brendan provides specialist advice to financial institutions, creditor groups, NAMA, receivers, examiners and companies on contentious and non-contentious corporate restructuring and insolvency matters.
Brendan is a former Council member of Restructuring & Insolvency Ireland (formerly known as the Irish Society of Insolvency Practitioners) and is also a member of INSOL Europe and the American Bankruptcy Institute. Brendan lectures on insolvency law matters on the professional practice courses of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland.
- Advising in relation to solvent corporate restructurings, including high profile section 72 capital reductions such as Eaton Corporation plc, Tullow Oil plc and Weatherford International plc and section 201 schemes of arrangement such as Valista Limited and the merger of IAWS Group plc and Hiestand to create Aryzta.
- Advising on numerous cross-border mergers (both in and out of Ireland) under the European Communities (Cross-Border Merger) Regulations 2008 (as amended), examples of which include the merger of Citibank Europe plc with a number of its European sister companies, which was the first cross-border merger into Ireland, and the merger of various Henkel group companies.
- Advising financial institutions in relation to the enforcement of security, recovery of debt and enforcement options (including bankruptcy) with extensive experience in advising in connection with both High Court and commercial court proceedings.
- Advising directors and shareholders of companies on corporate governance and compliance issues and on matters relating to the Director of Corporate Enforcement, restriction proceedings, Section 205 proceedings and shareholder disputes.
- Advising financial institutions and receivers in domestic receiverships, examples of which include B3 Cable Solutions (Ireland) Limited, Goode Concrete, Murrays Rent A Car Limited, WMG Group Limited and Castleknock Golf Club.
- Advising Danske Bank A/S and various receivers in connection with the first ever residential property portfolio sale of over 700 properties.
- Advising in examinerships, both from an examiner’s and creditor’s perspective, examples of which include Fate Park, Qualceram Shires plc, Linen Supply of Ireland, Blackshore Group, Classic Marketing Limited and Tougher Oil Distributors Limited.
- Advising in liquidations, both from a liquidator’s and creditor’s perspective, recent examples of which include Buzreel Limited (In Liquidation) which company owned the Buy & Sell brand and advising the liquidators appointed to Newbridge Credit Union Limited (In Liquidation) and Berehaven Credit Union Limited (In Liquidation) in respect of their obligations under the Central Bank and Credit Institutions (Resolution) Act 2011, which are the only two credit unions to be wound up in Ireland.
"Brendan Colgan is an outstanding insolvency and restructuring lawyer. His practical and commercial advice is underpinned by a keen understanding of the law and experience handing complex cases. Brendan brings a personal touch to all client interaction, and I’ve never come across a lawyer who works so hard. Brendan is my trusted advisor and the first person I’m likely to call when facing a challenging case."
Insolvency & Corporate Restructuring: The Legal 500 2023
"He is a great restructuring lawyer and very commercial."
Restructuring & Insolvency: Chambers Europe 2023
"Brendan Colgan is a good lawyer. He is effective and fights his client's corner, while also being a person you can deal with in commercial transactions and negotiations."
Restructuring & Insolvency: Chambers Europe 2023
"He is a super lawyer, who brings commercial acumen with his excellent knowledge of the law to provide practical and valuable advice in difficult situations."
Restructuring & Insolvency: IFLR1000 2022
"He brings a huge depth of technical knowledge to any engagement, but more importantly he brings a personal, calm, responsive, innovative and problem-solving approach to difficult cases."
Restructuring & Insolvency: IFLR1000 2022
Brendan Colgan “brings commerciality and excellent responsiveness to every engagement.”
Insolvency
“I have found Brendan Colgan to be a best in class partner in the space and balances achieving commercial objectives with protecting his clients downside perfectly. Brendan has a deep knowledge of all areas of law outside his insolvency and restructuring
expertise which is a significant asset to his clients.”
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: The Legal 500 2022
"He is technically very strong and always considers the commercial impact of his advice."
Restructuring & Insolvency: Chambers Europe 2022
“Brendan balances an excellent technical knowledge with a strong focus on the client relationship and working collaboratively to deal with complex situations and come up with commercially savvy and viable solutions.”
Restructuring & Insolvency: IFLR 1000 2021
Brendan Colgan "is incredibly strong technically, very practical and commercial."
Restructuring & Insolvency: Chambers Europe 2021
"Brendan Colgan is quickly developing as one of the leading insolvency/restructuring solicitors ... offering excellent technical knowledge but crucially backed up by excellent relationships and a commercial focus."
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2021
Brendan Colgan is recommended.
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2020
Brendan Colgan is named a next generation partner.
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2020
Brendan Colgan is "extremely technically proficient and effective".
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2020
“Brendan Colgan is my main point of contact at Matheson. He has got an unbelievable work ethic and is very practical in his approach. His ability to remember specific detail on complex litigation is impressive.”
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2020
Brendan Colgan is named ‘Highly Regarded’
IFLR1000 2020
Brendan Colgan remains "calm under pressure".
Insolvency and Corporate Restructuring: European Legal 500 2019
Brendan Colgan is recommended.
European Legal 500 2019
Brendan Colgan is described as being “technically excellent and commercial”.
Restructuring / Insolvency: Chambers Europe 2019
National University of Ireland, Galway, B Corp. Law, LLB
Law Society of Ireland