Experience

Niall advises lenders, both bank and non-bank, and borrowers on all aspects of secured and unsecured financing with particular expertise in real estate and development financing, including forward-sale and forward-funding transactions.

Niall has acted for lenders including Bank of Ireland, AIB, Oaktree and Activate Capital and developers including Marlet, Lioncor, GSA and Bartra on some of the highest profile development financings in Ireland over the last number of years.

Key highlights include advising:

  • Marlet Property Group in its funding of numerous schemes including:
    1. financing a significant mixed use development scheme at College Square, Dublin 2.
    2. financing the development of a mixed use scheme at Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 8.
  • Activate Capital in its funding of numerous schemes including:
    1. funding of the acquisition and delivery of a major residential site in Baldoyle, Co. Dublin being developed by Richmond Homes.
    2. funding Roundhill’s development of a student accommodation complex at Farranlea Road, County Cork.
  • Lioncor on numerous matters including securing development financing with BOI in respect of a large-scale residential, PRS and commercial development in Bray, county Wicklow.
  • Allied Irish Banks p.l.c. on numerous transactions including:
    1. refinancing a high profile group of Irish hotels.
    2. financing the acquisition of a number of office blocks in central Dublin.
    3. financing of Valley Healthcare involving a comprehensive due diligence exercise relating to ten primary care centres under operation by the borrower and two primary care centres under construction.
  • Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. as lender to Henderson Park on its €1.34bn acquisition of Green Reit plc.
  • AXA on the financing aspects of their development at Coopers Cross, Dublin 1 (in JV with Kennedy Wilson).
  • Bank of Ireland on numerous transactions including:
    1. as agent to a syndicate of banks lending in relation to joint ventures between Colony Capital and the Ronan Group in their development of Fibonacci Square in Ballsbridge and Spencer Place in the North Docklands.
    2. the Park Developments Group to fund their exit from NAMA and their on-going working capital and development costs.
    3. development finance lending to an international student accommodation group, established in Ireland by way of a QIAIF.
  • GSA Group (Global Student Accommodation), as lead counsel, in their €400m recapitalisation buy out of their JV partner Harrison Street Real Estate Capital, and their €170m refinancing with BOI.
  • Cheyne Capital in relation to the financing of the acquisition and development of aparthotel projects at Ormond Quay and the Wintertide site in the North Docks.
  • Lonestar/ Hudson in relation to large scale residential development financings in Adamstown, Co. Dublin and Cherrywood, Co. Dublin.