Expertise
Matheson’s Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department is one of Ireland’s leading disputes practices, representing both domestic and international clients. We are at the forefront of the key Commercial Court cases currently taking place before the Irish Courts. We act for a broad range of clients, including financial institutions, property developers, insurance companies and large multinational clients.
Every deal or transaction carries with it the risk of a dispute and reputational management. Successful businesses require lawyers that can pre-empt the issues that may surface, take steps to minimise them and then react quickly and effectively when a dispute arises. We routinely assist our clients with pre-emptive advice on potentially contentious aspects of major corporate and financial transactions. We play a critical role in the strategy of the dispute from the outset and minimise the cost and time involved in instructing external counsel. We give our clients business ready advice that enables them to approach a dispute, confident that we will guide them to the most commercial resolution.
Understanding your business and your objectives are key to our approach. Our size means we have the flexibility and depth of resource to handle large and complex litigation. We never forget that every client may have different needs and expectations. When necessary, we design and implement a bespoke service to meet our client’s requirements.
Our full service offering extends beyond traditional legal advice. Our Digital Legal Services business offers cost effective technological solutions and project management support for document intensive cases. Our resources facilitate the fast-tracking of the most complex commercial and cross-border disputes through Ireland’s Commercial Court.
The partners in our Department are also leaders in the development of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and a number of our partners are accredited mediators. Matheson also has Ireland’s only representative on the London Court of International Arbitration.
Our close working relationships with leading overseas law firms, experts in forensic investigations and other relevant disciplines, ensure that clients benefit from a seamless service.
Our Team
Our dedicated team of over 100 professionals is led by 21 partners.
- Angela Brennan
- Michael Byrne
- Geraldine Carr
- Connor Cassidy
- Brendan Colgan
- Deirdre Crowley
- Gráinne Dever
- Nicola Dunleavy
- Bryan Dunne
- Kevin Gahan
- Aishlinn Gannon
- Aisling Kavanagh
- Ruadhán Kenny
- April McClements
- Julie Murphy-O'Connor
- Mairéad Ní Ghabháin
- Tony O'Grady
- Karen Reynolds
- Russell Rochford
- Rebecca Ryan
- Justine Sayers
Experience Highlights
- Advising one of the World’s largest banks on a number of cases before the Irish Courts arising from the Bernard Madoff fraud. This is the most significant litigation before the Irish Courts, both for complexity and value.
- Advising Opel in relation to commercial court proceedings arising out of the fire in Douglas Village Shopping Centre Cork.
- Advising Aviva in relation to a significant subrogation claim against the ESB in the Commercial Court and the Supreme Court arising from flooding in Cork City.
- Advising a number of insurance companies in relation to Covid 19 - related business interruption claims, internal investigations and related regulatory and reporting obligations.
- Advising a major insurance broker in connection with a dawn raid by the European Commission in connection with alleged anti-competitive practices.
- Advising a major multinational technology company in relation to contractual and licensing disputes with business partners throughout the EMEA region.
- Advises a major multinational technology company in relation to dealing with “Norwich Pharmacal” orders and take-down requests received.
- Advising an Irish plc in relation to a number of civil claims arising from a highly publicised investigation by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement followed by the appointment of High Court Inspectors to investigate the company.
- Advising credit servicing firms and investment funds in relation to interest overcharging issues affecting acquired loan portfolios and associated remediation projects.
- Representing Royalty Pharma in litigation related to its $6.5 billion hostile bid for Elan.
- Representing a US oil and gas company in a judicial review of a decision of the Commission for Energy Regulation in the Commercial Court.
- Representing a major European utility (French-headquartered) in respect of two successful court challenges to government procurement procedures.
- Acting for a multinational energy client in a dispute under a gas tolling agreement, governed by ICC arbitration rules.
- Advising a leading international aircraft owner in defending multimillion euro commercial court proceedings arising from the alleged late delivery of an aircraft at the end of its lease period.
- Advising an international private equity company against an Irish plc oil company in a cross-border enforcement of a multi-million international arbitration award arising from a shareholder dispute in relation to a gas field in Poland
- Advising Central Applications Office (Ireland's central university admissions body) in connection with challenges to the process adopted to address Leaving Certificate examination results arising out of Covd-19 lockdown.
- Advising an Irish plc in the successful Supreme Court appeal of a €10 million libel award.
- Advising a large Italian multinational manufacturer and distributor of electricity and gas in a successful jurisdictional challenge to the enforcement of an Albanian judgment in Ireland, as part of a broader enforcement strategy (so far France, Luxembourg, Ireland, New York and the Netherlands) on the part of the Albanian applicant.
- Acting for an international shipping company in relation to a unique set of commercial court proceedings against GE Transportation Finance Limited. The decision will have potentially major ramifications for the shipping industry.
Accolades
“Matheson deliver high quality work and are extremely responsive. The analysis they perform is robust, with great attention to detail.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2025
“From the outset there was a strong engagement and definitive line of advice. A full engagement on how to best approach and de-escalate matters. The nature of the work carried out was both critical and urgent to our business. The team worked with us though extremely tight deadlines and were forthcoming with excellent advice across a broad spectrum of expertise.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2025
“Matheson’s disputes resolution team understand that disputes can be costly and disruptive, so they strive to resolve them efficiently and effectively, whether through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or litigation. Their team has a proven track record of success in handling a wide range of complex disputes, including commercial litigation, construction disputes, intellectual property disputes, and regulatory investigations.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2025
"The team is extremely able to digest huge amounts of data and quickly get to the key points and issues."
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2025
"It is clear that the Matheson team pulls out all the stops to ensure clients receive the best service."
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2025
"Matheson is clear, comprehensive and proactive in all communication with customers."
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2025
"Matheson has vast resources at its disposal from a range of disciplines and an efficient, customer-centric service."
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2025
"It is a very experienced team that can react very quickly to complex situations."
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2025
“The Matheson team has been very supportive in a claim situation our company had in Ireland. Several times their prompt assistance and advices were needed at short notice and the Matheson team always supported us in a timely matter in this true Tier 1 practice.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2024
“Matheson have a highly effective and skilled Dispute Resolution team, who are able to astutely assess the art of the possible in respect of any litigation, whether the client is a potential or actual plaintiff, or defendant, as the case may be. In respect of a very important High Court action that the Dispute Resolution team took on our behalf against the FSPO, the team's view of matters was invariably proven to be correct at each given stage of the litigation, even when the matter was appealed to the Court of Appeal by the FSPO.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2024
The team provided authoritative, readily-understandable advice, which inspired confidence in our company and reassurance in respect of our decision to commence proceedings against the State, a decision made further to Matheson's advice, and one which was subsequently vindicated when we successfully defended the FSPO”s appeal in the Court of Appeal.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2024
“The law firm delivers top-tier assistance with disputes. The department provides prompt responses at all times, including during urgent moments.”
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2024
“Matheson has a team with a lot of expertise. The lawyers are very responsive and clear.”
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2024
“Matheson has one of the best litigation teams around town.”
Dispute Resolution: Chambers Global 2024
"Full engagement from the team over many years. The continuity of staff also saves time and energy in every new situation and at the same time ensures that prior experiences are fully used and taken advantage of. That several individuals are involved also give needed back-up when the relationship lasts for many years."
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2023
"The firm brings a practical commercial approach to difficult situations. The team are very responsive and provide a commercial approach in addition to their outstanding technical legal know-how. "
IFLR1000 2022
“I have found Matheson as a firm extremely helpful, responsive and detailed in their work. I would be happy to recommend them as the first port of call for any dispute resolution advice.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2022
“They are always prepared, they have strategies dealing with our case. They are always at least one or two partners involved.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2022
“This team were prompt on their action, understood the issues well and dealt with a changing scenario very professionally. They applied logic and wasted little time in their deliberations keeping costs under a managed level.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2021
"The team work in a collaborative manner, they get to know the business and the nuances. They do not just provide legal advice and stand back like some of the other firms, instead they work with the in-house team to progress solutions that are bespoke to the business requirements."
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2021
"Matheson are completely switched on to client support. They have an excellent team who have guided our business through a number of tricky contentious matters."
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2021
“The team is innovative, cost conscious, solutions driven and calm under pressure. I am constantly impressed by their preparation and approach. They have proven time and time again they have the skills needed to navigate litigation successfully.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2020
“They add huge value to a complex case, always make themselves available, provide quality contributions and expert insight, and deliver a completely reliable service.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2020
“They have a combination of expertise and experience, with thoughtful client relationship management. Matheson provides clear and concise advice that is on point and pertinent, and its lawyers apply the law to the facts. Matheson are comfortable navigating legal uncertainty and providing reliable, practical advice. The team is always responsive and manages client relations and expectations effectively.”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2020
“This practice is always our first point of call for advice on any dispute or potential litigation matter because of the purposeful client service and support, the unfailing professionalism and, most importantly, the thoughtful advice imparted with clarity and simplicity. The attention given to their clients gives us great comfort about the reliability of the advice”
Dispute Resolution: The European Legal 500 2020