A&L Goodbody LLP has maintained a strong position in the market having worked on some of the largest restructurings of recent years, including cross-border restructurings, and the largest liquidation in Irish history. It has worked on landmark schemes of arrangement and a range of loan transactions. The firm is also experienced in large-scale examinerships and receiverships. David Baxter heads the restructuring and insolvency group and has advised a multitude of companies, creditors and insolvency practitioners in significant restructurings. Mark Traynor is an established insolvency specialist with extensive experience in liquidations, receiverships, examinerships and schemes of arrangement. Marsha Coghlan and Brian O’Malley , who has made a big impression in recent years, are also key figures within the team, along with senior associate Stephen Ahern.

Arthur Cox is a major force in restructuring and insolvency cases. It represents a range of insolvency practitioners, pillar banks, private equity houses, state entities, distressed companies and other stakeholders. It has continued to advise parties in many of the biggest restructurings and insolvencies in the market, including Mallinckrodt, Endo International and Avaya. John Donald heads the restructuring and insolvency team and leads many of the group’s top engagements. Of counsel Frances Flynn also impresses. William Day has retired.

Mason Hayes & Curran LLP bring its immense transactional and contentious experience to the insolvency and restructuring field, with it particularly impressing in bankruptcies, liquidations and examinerships; it has extensive experience in new out-of-court rescue processes. Debt restructuring and distressed M&A are also fortes for the firm, which represents a multitude of insolvency practitioners, debtors, secured creditors, distressed investors, private equity houses, and boards of directors. Judith Riordan is a leader in corporate insolvency and related litigation, while Maurice Phelan is another experienced figure, particularly in contentious insolvencies. Frank Flanagan is noted for loan portfolio transactions. James Morrin is highly rated by clients.

Matheson LLP has worked on many of the largest insolvencies and restructurings in Ireland of recent years. It is noted for domestic and cross-border insolvencies, examinerships, receiverships, restructurings and schemes of arrangement. Brendan Colgan has worked on a series of major cross-border restructurings, examinerships, liquidations and schemes of arrangement. Julie Murphy O’Connor is co-head of the commercial litigation group and noted for contentious insolvencies, while consultant Tony O’Grady is an eminent figure in the market. Kevin Gahan is a fast emerging talent, particularly in cross-border restructurings. Senior associate Kathryn Rice also impresses.

McCann FitzGerald LLP has a large and established team, led by a number of vastly experienced partners; Simon Walsh was added to the partnership ranks in 2024. The team is active across the restructuring and insolvency sphere, including both high-value domestic and cross-border matters. Aviation remains a core sector for the team, along with real estate, retail and a range of other industries; it advised SAS – Scandinavian Airlines, including eight of its Irish subsidiaries, in connection with the filing for Chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Michael Murphy heads the restructuring and insolvency team, and is a leading figure in cross-border restructurings. Lisa Smyth is another key partner, along with David O’Dea.

William Fry LLP has a significant market share of the biggest instructions in the market, including cross-border and high value restructurings, special situations and contentious restructurings and insolvencies. It has landed many of the prime engagements in recent years, including key roles in the Endo International, Nordic Aviation and Mallinckrodt restructurings and insolvencies. Aviation remains a major forte for the team, along with manufacturing, retail, hospitality, financial services and technology. Fergus Doorly is at the top of the market, with Ruairi Rynn  continuing to impress, along with newly promoted partner Barbara Galvin.

Addleshaw Goddard has a longstanding presence in the restructuring and insolvency market, which was cemented by the arrival of Craig Sowman from William Fry LLP in 2024, who joined as co-head of the restructuring and insolvency team. The enlarged senior bench brings the firm further into the frame for top domestic and cross-border engagements. It remains particularly close to the major insolvency practitioners in the market, along with a variety of senior secured lenders. The immensely experienced Doug Smith also co-heads the team and has an outstanding reputation.

Beauchamps LLP has a more than solid reputation in the market thanks in part to its history in the insolvency and restructuring field and the seniority of team head Barry Cahir . The firm is noted for commercial and personal insolvency matters, having a background in cross-border restructurings, SME insolvency and high-value personal insolvencies. It has close links to numerous insolvency practitioners, debtors and creditors. Clíodhna Walsh is a personal insolvency specialist and Simon Murphy has extensive connections to insolvency practitioners.

 

Byrne Wallace Shields, formed as a result of the merger between legacy firms ByrneWallace LLP and LK Shields Solicitors LLP in early 2025, brings together a team that has experience of examinerships, schemes of arrangement, small companies administrative rescue procedures (SCARPs) and informal debt restructuring. It also continues to advise a number of private equity houses in the NPL segment, including NPL workouts and receivership litigation. John Fitzgerald is a prominent name in the field, while of counsel Sean Neville has a background in advising banks and private equity clients on secured debt enforcement and receivership litigation. Jill Callanan has an extensive record in insolvency cases and Clare Dowling is noted for liquidations, examinerships and receiverships.

Dillon Eustace has represented stakeholders in a number of major examinerships that have come before the Irish courts. Its broad client base includes many of the leading insolvency practitioners in the market.The firm has also represented clients in aviation sector insolvency and restructuring cases and matters linked to the sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The firm’s established fraud and asset tracing practice is a complement to its insolvency and restructuring expertise. Head of the restructuring and insolvency department, Jamie Ensor is a prominent partner in the field, while Shane Harron provides specialist support from the associate ranks.

Eversheds Sutherland remains noted for liquidations, examinerships, restructuring and loan portfolio transactions. The core insolvency and restructuring team is backed by a large group of dispute resolution specialists who play key roles in contentious matters and court proceedings. The Dublin team represents a mixture of insolvency practitioners, creditors and debtors. Norman Fitzgerald leads the team and has background in restructuring, insolvency processes and enforcement. Neil O’Mahony also has a history in litigation, corporate insolvency and restructuring. Graham Kenny and associate Aonghus McClafferty are also highly rated by clients.

Hayes Solicitors LLP advises a range of financial institutions, insolvency practitioners, asset managers and loan portfolio acquisition vehicles. It frequently advises insolvency practitioners as liquidators and continues to be active in loan portfolio acquisitions. Corporate restructurings and enforcement actions are also fortes for the team. Managing partner Joe O’Malley is a seasoned figure in the insolvency and restructuring field, along with Jeremy Erwin.

Maples Group has a highly rated team in Dublin, often landing significant insolvency and restructuring engagements. It has an established background in corporate restructurings, examinerships and receiverships, distressed investments, and contentious and non-contentious insolvency proceedings. It is noted for its work in advising private equity funds on acquiring portfolios of distressed loans and remains active in representing insolvency practitioners in major liquidations, examinerships and receiverships. Robin McDonnell  heads the dispute resolution and insolvency team, which includes corporate insolvency and restructuring specialist Karole Cuddihy.

RDJ LLP has extensive experience in representing financial institutions in connection with borrower default and in advising companies in financial distress. Its broad client base encompasses financial institutions, insolvency practitioners, companies, directors and creditors. The firm has background in both domestic and cross border insolvencies and restructurings. It has remained active in examinerships and liquidations, along with SCARPs. Ashling Walsh heads the insolvency and corporate restructuring team, and has a background in advising financial institutions on debt settlement arrangements, bankruptcy arrangements and enforcement actions. Darryl Broderick and Michael Quinlan are also key partners.

BHSM LLP continues to stand out for its background in examinerships, receiverships, liquidations, restructuring and asset recovery. It is particularly noted for its contentious expertise and court experience, including court liquidations, appointments of provisional liquidators, examinerships and receiverships. It has experienced further growth in creditors voluntary liquidations, examinerships and High Court petitions. Managing partner Mark Homan is an experienced insolvency specialist, while Brian Baily and Sarah O’Toole also specialise in liquidations, examinerships and receiverships.

Dentons Ireland LLP has a major focus on insolvency and restructuring within its Dublin office, particularly noted for its representation of prominent insolvency practitioners. As part of an international practice, the Dublin team frequently represents clients in cross-border insolvencies and restructurings. Gareth Steen is a senior specialist in the field and frequently acts for insolvency practitioners as liquidators, along with appointments as examiners and receivers. Gemma Freeman also has a history of working on large-scale restructurings and insolvencies.

Fieldfisher continues to act for a range of insolvency practitioners (including niche insolvency firms) in liquidations, receiverships and examinerships. The team has advised court appointed liquidators in over 100 liquidations. It has also represented a number of major financial institutions in connection with appointment of receivers, debt settlement agreements and debt and asset recovery. Mark Woodcock  leads the team and has an outstanding record in liquidations, receiverships and examinerships.

Lavelle Partners LLP has a core focus on insolvency and restructuring. It routinely advises leading insolvency practitioners and has a background in liquidations, examinerships, receiverships, schemes of arrangement, SCARPs and corporate restructurings. It also handles personal insolvencies. Managing partner Michael Lavelle specialises in insolvency and commercial litigation and has landed the firm some significant insolvency engagements over recent years.

Pinsent Masons LLP has an increasing focus on contentious insolvency as part of its wider dispute resolution practice. It has achieved further prominence in liquidations, receiverships and examinerships. Highly rated by clients, Zara West is a commercial litigator with a focus on corporate disputes, insolvency and financial services litigation.

 

Walkers continues to be known for acting for creditors in insolvency and restructuring matters, especially financial institutions, private equity houses and syndicated lenders. It also frequently acts for insolvency practitioners as receivers, liquidators or examiners. The team is part of a global practice that consistently assists clients with large cross-border matters. William Greensmyth is head of the insolvency and dispute resolution department.