George Brady "inspires high level of trust from the client and all parties involved, very good at engaging with the other side to find solutions acceptable to everyone, anticipates issues and tackles them in a smooth manner, generally good at getting the deal done in a way that everyone is satisfied".
The Legal 500, 2022
Expertise
George is a partner in the firm's Corporate M&A Group. In over 25 years of practice, he has advised on many of the most significant and complex Irish corporate transactions across a range of industry sectors.
George is listed as a leading corporate lawyer across a range of publications including IFLR1000, Chambers Europe and The Legal 500.
Mergers & Acquisitions
George's representative M&A transactions include many of the most significant takeovers (hostile and friendly) and mergers of Irish listed companies including; Independent News & Media / Mediahuis; IFG / Epiris; Allergan / Actavis ($66 billion); Willis / Towers Watson (merger of equals); Royalty Pharma / Elan (hostile takeover); Questcor / Mallinckrodt ($5.6 billion); Medtronic / Covidien ($42.9 billion); Actavis / Warner Chilcott ($8.5 billion); Auxilium / Endo International ($2.6 billion); and Worldview / Petroceltic (hostile takeover).
Private Equity
George also acts for a range of Private Equity institutions across a range of industry sectors, in particular Energy, Infrastructure and Telecoms. Recent mandates include advising Asterion Industrial Partners; AMP Capital; Aurelius; Bain Capital; Carlyle Cardinal Ireland; EQT; GLIL Infrastructure; Insight Venture Partners; the Irish Strategic Investment Fund; Macquarie Asset Management; and Partners Group.
George previously worked in the London office of a leading international law firm and has been a partner in Matheson since 2003.
A) Private Equity / Growth Equity
Recent Private Equity/Growth Equity transactions on which George has advised include:
- GLIL Infrastructure on its acquisition of a majority stake in Invis Energy's portfolio of 11 operational wind farms (providing approximately 11% of Ireland's installed wind capacity).
- Asterion Industrial Partners on its acquisition of an 80% stake in National Broadband Ireland.
- The Irish Strategic Investment Fund on a range of investments in both listed and private companies across various industry sectors.
- Partners Group, a global private equity firm, on its acquisition of an interest in the Greenlink Interconnector, a project to construct a 500 MW subsea electricity interconnector between Ireland and Great Britain.
- Insight Venture Partners on a range of acquisitions, bolt-on transactions and exits including Fenergo, AMCS and BrowerStack.
- AMP Capital on acquisitions, disposals and bolt-on transactions for various companies such as eNet and the National Convention Centre.
- Carlyle Cardinal Ireland and the founders on the sale of Sports Surgery Clinic, a centre of excellence for joint replacement and surgery for sports soft tissue injuries in Ireland, to UPMC.
B) Strategic M&A and other Corporate Transactions
Corporate transactions on which George has advised include:
- Aon, the global consulting and professional services firm, on its corporate re-domiciliation from the UK to Ireland and the listing of the new Irish holding company, Aon plc, on the NYSE.
- Weatherford International plc, the Irish NYSE listed parent of the Weatherford group of companies, on one of the largest and most complex cross-border corporate restructurings undertaken in Ireland. In a highly innovative legal structure, the transaction, which involved a $7.4 billion debt-for-equity swap and refinancing, was implemented through the first ever combined use of the US Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and an Irish examinership restructuring process.
- Orpea SA on the acquisition of a number of transactions resulting in Orpea being one of the largest nursing home providers in Ireland.
- Steris and Cimpress on their corporate migrations to Ireland and the subsequent listing of the Irish parent company on either NYSE or NASDAQ.
- Irving Oil on its acquisition of the Whitegate Refinery (Ireland's only oil refinery) and the subsequent acquisition of Top Oil / Tedcastles.
- Vermillion Energy in relation to its acquisition of stakes from Shell, CPPIB and Equior in the Corrib Gas Field.
- Allergan on its $66 billion merger with Actavis (NYSE).
- Auxilium Pharmaceuticals on its $2.6 billion acquisition by Endo International.
- Carne Group on its acquisition of The Asset Management Exchange from Willis Towers Watson and its acquisition of GAM's Luxembourg and Swiss third party fund management businesses
- Questcor Inc on its $5.6 billion merger with Mallinckrodt plc (NYSE).
- Actavis on its $8.5 billion acquisition of Warner Chilcott plc (NASDAQ).
- Royalty Pharma on its $6.5 billion hostile bid for Elan Corporation (NYSE).
"Extremely skilled, astute, trustworthy and much appreciated for his impressive conduct of negotiation and problem-solving qualities."
IFLR 1000 2022
George Brady “inspires high level of trust from the client and all parties involved, very good at engaging with the other side to find solutions acceptable to everyone, anticipates issues and tackles them in a smooth manner, generally good at getting the deal done in a way that everyone is satisfied.”
Commercial, corporate and M&A: The European Legal 2022
George Brady "is very good at negotiating. He will tackle problems in a calm way and will look for the solutions" & "Even with difficult counterparties, he will find the best solution."
Corporate/M&A: Chambers Global 2022
George Brady understands "the client needs and requests and providing adequate solutions. Strong negotiation skills. Friendly and easy to communicate with. Availability. Responsiveness.”
IFLR 1000 2021
George Brady "was helpful in negotiations".
Chambers Europe 2021
George Brady is "very reassuring and very pragmatic".
Chambers Europe 2021
George Brady is titled Hall of Fame.
Capital markets: The European Legal 500 2020
George Brady is named a leading individual.
European Legal 500 2020
George Brady is "extremely commercial and a very straight talker".
Corporate: Chambers Global 2020
George Brady is named ‘Highly Regarded’
IFLR1000 2020
George Brady is named a leading individual.
European Legal 500 2019
Clients appreciate the fact that George Brady "approaches things from a very solution-oriented perspective."
Corporate: Chambers Global 2019
George Brady is described as "thorough, experienced, sensible, practical and able to get things done efficiently and properly."
Chambers Global and Europe 2019
Recognised for Corporate Law
Best Lawyers Ireland 2019 edition
"George Brady and Sandra Lord are effective at bridging legal concepts and corporate and business matters. The team is very responsive, and by being familiar
with all current activities for which we have engaged Matheson, they operate very effectively as a central point of contact."
Chambers Europe 2019
George Brady is described as "thorough, experienced, sensible, practical and able to get things done efficiently and properly."
Chambers Global and Europe 2019
George Brady is a "clear and concise adviser".
European Legal 500 2018
Clients comment on George Brady’s “technical strength and ability to work to tight deadlines".
Chambers Global & Europe 2018
George Brady is named a Highly Regarded Individual.
IFLR1000 2018
Recognised for Corporate Law
Best Lawyers Ireland 2018 edition
George Brady is named a leading individual.
European Legal 500 2017
George Brady is described by clients as "very practically minded, a very good technician and ready to adapt to the complexities of an overseas transaction".
Chambers Global & Europe 2017
George Brady is
highly sought after for high-value M&A. Clients enthuse that he is "a problem solver" and "very calm, responsive and succinct".
Chambers Global & Europe 2017
George Brady is named a Leading Lawyer.
IFLR1000 2017
Admitted to the New York Bar
Qualified as a solicitor of Supreme Court of England and Wales (non-practising)
DePaul University, US (Law School)
University College Dublin (BCL, International)