Our recent experience includes advising on the following:

• Kennedy Wilson and Deutsche Bank on the acquisition of the Project Prince loan portfolio (real estate backed loans with a par value of €360m).
• Gordon Brothers on its acquisition of the Clerys department store business.
• A consortium of international banks which established an Irish securitisation SPV to acquire a portfolio of German loans and related mortgages funded by senior debt and mezzanine debt in the restructuring of the facilities. 
• Duke Street Capital, a private equity group based in the UK and France, on a novel cross border debt and capital restructuring of the Payzone group (the electronic payments network) which involved a debt for equity swap, and the disposal by joint receivers.
• The funders to IWP International plc in relation to its debt restructuring which involved the secured creditors converting circa €57m of their existing debt to equity, resulting in them owning 90% of the enlarged share capital of the IWP Group and the delisting of IWP. 
• The Examiner of Structured Credit Company on its successful restructuring.  SCC was the first Irish victim of the credit crunch. 
• The establishment of a QIF fund of funds to invest in distressed collective investment schemes at highly discounted net asset values.
• A group of equity noteholders in a Lehman Anthracite securitization structure following the collapse of the Lehman Group.
• AIB on the acquisition of the private banking business of ABN Amro and a transfer of assets under Section 33 of the Central Bank Act, 1971.
• Domestic Irish lenders on the transfer of loan portfolios to NAMA.
• As part of a panel of legal advisers to NAMA on various enforcement and refinancing matters.
• Joint Administrator of Nortel Networks on the administration of telecoms provider, Nortel Networks (Ireland) Limited.
• Waterford Wedgwood plc on the restructuring of Waterford Wedgewood plc.

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We are consistently ranked as one of the leading Banking & Financial Services law firms in Ireland.

Department

• A client states "The team that I primarily deal with are excellent. The team is partner driven, and I can always get access when needed. Their attention to detail is first class but they explain it in layman terms. They are very well regarded within the legal community, and this can be of huge assistance when negotiating and closing complicated deals." Another clients states: "William Fry (partners David Maughan and Mary Ward) provide unparalleled service on Irish law matters. Their advice is always on the spot, and they are always available. I only go to other firms if William Fry is conflicted from advising my client.". With another saying: "Very professional firm with a good team in place. Their strength is their people and breadth of experience on various projects." IFLR 1000 2019
• "They are very easy to deal with, you can pick up the phone to any of them and they are quick to come back and respond, even on small queries. They are very thorough, client friendly and they put time into developing the relationship". An interviewee appreciated that "the client service was very strong, they had an excellent understanding of the transaction and they showed good responsiveness to requests". Chambers Europe 2019
• One happy client says: "Their legal expertise, service levels and business-friendly approach sets them apart. I have recommended the team to other parties and continue to do so." Another source notes: "The firm is committed to its clients and develops strong relationships with them." Chambers Europe 2018
• "They were very commercial on complex deals, extracted the important parts, were very proactive and made sure that nothing slipped away." Clients also point out that "they have a nice house style: professional, friendly and courteous." Chambers Europe, 2017 
•  "The lawyers took a personal interest in the work and the overall objective was always in their minds. There was a big team offering a lot of strength throughout." 
  "This firm had the size and skills to handle a particularly complex transaction, and the commitment to throw the necessary resources at the job." Chambers Europe 2016
• William Fry is an "excellent practice". Legal 500 EMEA 2016
• "The team provides a good-quality service and gets the project done."  Chambers Europe 2015
• William Fry provides ‘proactive service’ and ‘sensible advice that gets to the heart of the commercial issues’ through its ‘highly knowledgeable partners’. Legal 500 EMEA, 2015
•  "The lawyers have real strength in managing and driving the process and can see the wood for the trees and negotiate the key clauses very hard."   "The team does the really complex work with both speed and efficiency." Chambers Europe 2014
• "The team provides complete asset finance solutions in an effective and timely manner."  Chambers Europe, 2013
• The banking team at William Fry continues to occupy a prominent place in the Irish market.' Chambers Europe 2012 
• William Fry’s ten-partner group constitutes ‘a very experienced team’ of ‘good negotiators’ that ‘goes well beyond normal client service expectations’. Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 

Team

• Elaine Hanly
  
  • Elaine has a "very strong technical understanding, is solution-driven and will seek to be very commercial in assessing transactions." Chambers Europe 2019
  • Sources say she is "pragmatic, diligent and goal-oriented," adding: "She tries to work with clients to find solutions rather than throwing up problems for the client and is comfortable driving an aggressive timetable." Chambers Global 2018 
  • William Fry excels in real estate finance, where practice head Elaine Hanly is‘an excellent and thorough banking lawyer’. Legal 500 EMEA 2017
  • Elaine Hanly receives praise for her pragmatic approach: "She manages to distill the advice from a technical legal point of view into a business suggestion." Chambers Global 2015 
  • Elaine Hanly’s team at William Fry provides ‘proactive service’. Legal 500 EMEA, 2015 
  • Elaine Hanly is a "a top lawyer, a great operator, with a fast turnaround. She works all day and night to get the job done". Chambers Europe 2014
• Rachel Stanton
  
  • Rachel is "experienced, can take a commercial view and doesn't overcomplicate her documentation," according to interviewees. Chambers Europe 2019
  • A market insider reports: "Rachel is excellent to work with; she couples strong commercial acumen with a common-sense approach." Chambers Global 2018
  • According to clients, Rachel Stanton is "very detail-oriented, has a commercial outlook and is excellent to deal with."  Chambers Global 2017
  • Rachel Stanton is‘great at dealing with difficult situations’ in acquisition finance. Legal 500 EMEA 2017
  • Rachel Stanton is an increasingly well-known partner in the firm's banking team, thanks to her "great work ethic" and "very commercial and solution-oriented"style of practice. Chambers Global 2016
  • Rachel Stanton draws praise for her business understanding, with one interviewee saying: "She gives a quick turnaround but with practical and commercial solutions." Chambers Global, 2015
  • Rachel Stanton provides ‘reliable and highly professional counsel’. Legal 500 EMEA, 2015
  • Rachel Stanton is "very pleasant to deal with and someone who, from the very outset, had a strong plan for the process. She understood our initial position and fallback position and is very strategic." Chambers & Partners, 2014
• David Maughan 
  
  • David is a widely respected figure in the market, particularly in relation to asset finance mandates including securitisations and structured finance deals. Interviewees attest that he "knows his stuff and is very approachable." Chambers Global 2019
  • David Maughan's practice revolves around the financing of aircraft and other assets. He also handles leases, joint ventures, refinancing and securitisations.  Sources see him as "a technically good lawyer." Chambers Global 2018
  • Clients say that David Maughan is "very approachable, responsive, easy to worth with, commercial and pragmatic." Chambers Global 2017
  • David takes an “excellent commercial approach”. IFLR 1000 2017
  • David is renowned for his experience of mandates in the aviation sector, as part of a wider structured finance practice. Sources say: "His advice is top-notch, and his communication is strong." Chambers Europe 2016 
  • David Maughan heads the aviation and asset finance division of the team. Sources comment that "he looks at the transaction as a whole and is therefore able to offer advice on a more general as well as Irish-specific level." Chambers Global, 2015 
  • David Maughan is ‘excellent on all counts’. Legal 500 EMEA, 2015
  • David Maughan heads the aviation and asset finance group at the firm. He is widely recognised as an expert in aviation law. Chambers & Partners, 2014