Matheson LLP has today announced the appointment of David Fitzgibbon as Head of the firm’s Corporate Department. Caroline Kearns and Joe Beashel have been appointed as Co-Heads of the Financial Institutions Group, which also welcomes new partner Ciaran O’Boyle. Christian Donagh has been appointed as the new Co-Head of Matheson’s Finance and Capital Markets Department. The appointments highlight the strength of the market-leading expertise and leadership across the firm, further underlining Matheson’s position as the go-to advisor for companies doing business in and from Ireland.
Pictured (L – R): Christian Donagh, Co-Head of Finance and Capital Markets; Joe Beashel and Caroline Kearns, Co-Heads of Financial Institutions Group; Ciaran O’Boyle, partner, Financial Institutions Group; Darren Maher, Managing Partner; Maireadh Dale, Co-Head of Finance and Capital Markets; David Fitzgibbons, Head of Corporate.
David Fitzgibbon has been appointed as Head of the firm’s Corporate Department. He had, since 2022, been Co-Head of the group with Darren Maher, who took up the role of Managing Partner in January. David also leads the firm’s Corporate M&A Group, which has more lawyers ranked by Chambers and Partners than any other Irish law firm. He has extensive experience advising clients across a range of industries and has advised on some of the most notable transactions in the Irish market. In this new role, David will lead the nearly 200-strong Corporate Department, which encompasses 40 partners and the firm’s M&A, Competition and Regulation; Technology; Financial Institutions; International Business; and Energy, Infrastructure and Construction groups.
Caroline Kearns and Joe Beashel have been appointed as Co-Heads of Matheson’s Financial Institutions Group. The Financial Institutions Group, which includes 7 partners, brings together a team of specialist regulatory and transactional lawyers and is one of the largest of its kind in the EU. With extensive industry expertise, the Group is uniquely positioned to meet both the regulatory advisory and corporate transactional needs of financial institutions and other regulated clients doing business in and from Ireland. Joe will maintain his responsibilities as Head of Matheson’s London office, while Caroline will continue to lead the M&A team within the Financial Institutions Group.
Matheson has also welcomed Ciaran O’Boyle as a corporate/M&A partner in its Financial Institutions Group, further strengthening the firm’s market-leading financial services M&A practice. Ciaran brings strong expertise in M&A, private equity, venture capital fundraising, and corporate reorganisations. The financial services sector remains one of the most active sectors for corporate transactions in Ireland. Matheson advises on more financial services M&A transactions than any other Irish law firm and has undertaken more cross-border reorganisation transactions under the Mobility Regulations than any other Irish law firm.
Christian Donagh has been appointed as the new Co-Head of Matheson’s Finance and Capital Markets Department, joining fellow Co-Head, Maireadh Dale, in leading the 50-strong team. A recognised authority in structured finance and derivatives markets, Christian brings more than two decades of deep legal expertise advising global financial institutions and asset managers on a wide variety of asset-backed finance transactions.
Matheson Managing Partner, Darren Maher, said: “These appointments reflect the strength and depth of leadership across the firm and our continued focus on delivering outstanding results for clients. Our Corporate, Financial Institutions and Finance and Capital Markets teams are central to many of the most significant transactions in the market, and these appointments ensure we are well positioned to continue supporting clients through increasing complexity and opportunity in the years ahead.”
These new appointments follow the recent announcement by the firm of the appointment of nine new partners across nine practice areas last month, bringing the total number of partners and tax principals at the firm to 128. Matheson also recently welcomed Marie McGinley, who joined the firm as a partner in late 2025 and took up the role of Head of the Technology and Innovation Group.