Our People

• University College Dublin (BCL)
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (C Dip. AF)

• Law Society of Ireland

Justin is a partner in the Corporate Department, specialising in corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions and private equity transactions. He has extensive experience in corporate and commercial law with particular emphasis on all aspects of offers for, or the acquisition or disposal of interests in public companies and the regulation of such transactions, public offers of equity and debt securities by Irish and foreign issuers, private enterprise acquisitions and disposals, private equity investments and investment and acquisition transactions involving management groups. Justin has advised bidders, shareholders, financial advisers and other parties involved in many of the public-to-private transactions which have taken place in Ireland involving quoted companies over the last five years in addition to many high profile and complex transactions involving the acquisition of or investments in enterprises. He also regularly advises in relation to the resolution of disputes between shareholders and demergers/separations of interests in complex and sensitive investment and shareholder matters.

Justin is the author of the Irish Takeover Legislation, which sets out the regulations and process involved in takeovers for public companies in Ireland 2007, new edition 2009. International directories have consistently ranked Justin as one of Ireland's leading corporate lawyers over the last several years – such recommendations are  included in the current editions of PLC Which Lawyer and the Chambers Global Guide to the World’s leading lawyers.

Areas of Expertise:

• Corporate
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Securities Law
• Public to private transactions
• Private Equity/ Management Buy-outs

Representative Matters:

• Advised Samsung on Irish law aspects of the $1.375bn (consideration comprising cash and Seagate shares) sale of its hard drive division to Seagate;
• Advised Clondalkin Group limited on the acquisition of Catalent Ireland;
• Advised Orogen Gold Limited on its reverse merger with Medavinci plc;
• Advised on Berkshire Partners LLP, Advent International Corporation and Bain Capital Partners LLC in their joint $1.2bn bid by recommended scheme of arrangement for Skillsoft plc;
• Advised Dragon Oil plc on the recommended Stg£2.4bn offer by Emirates National Oil Company by means of a scheme of arrangement;
• Advised the Irish Takeover Panel on the challenge by way of judicial review by Ryanair plc to its decisions restricting communication by Ryanair in connection with its hostile bid for Aer Lingus plc;
• Represented the Shareholders of Sligo Champion in its sale to Independent News and Media plc;
• Represented the Shareholders of Tuam Herald in its sale to the Midland Newspaper Group;
• Advised Gaslink, the new Irish independent system operator for the Irish gas transmission network, on the unbundling of the operation of the Irish gas transmission network out of the state-owned vertically integrated incumbent, Bord Gais Éireann.

 Recommendations:

Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers, Chambers and Partners 2012.
Justin is recommended as a Leader in his Field in the ‘Capital Markets’ and ‘Corporate and M&A’ fields.  Justin McKenna is recommended for his takeover expertise: he is an adviser to the Irish Takeover Panel and represented Dragon Oil in a USD1.3 billion proposed takeover bid.   On the Capital Markets side, he is key member of the department. He covers acquisitions and disposals by public companies, and public offers of equity and debt securities by both Irish and foreign issuers.

Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers, Chambers and Partners 2011.
Justin is recommended as a Leader in his Field in the ‘Capital Markets’ and ‘Corporate and M&A’ fields.  ‘Justin McKenna’s knowledge of the regulatory issues affecting equity and debt securitisations is widely praised’.  ‘Market sources praise Justin McKenna for his handling of large and significant transactions.’

Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers, Chambers and Partners 2010.
Justin is recommended as a Leader in his Field in the Corporate and Merger & Acquisitions field.  Justin is ‘known as a good operator across a wide spectrum of corporate law matters.’

Chambers Global - The World's Leading Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, 2009.
Justin is recommended as a Leader in his Field in the Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions category. “Interviewees singled out his knowledge of public company law as being particularly impressive”.

Chambers Europe – Europe’s Leading Business Lawyers, 2011.
Justin is recommended as a Leader in his Field in the ‘Capital Markets’ and ‘Corporate and Merger & Acquisitions’ fields, where he ‘handles public offers of equity and debt securitisation’.‘ Justin McKenna is well regarded for public company work. According to sources “he takes a level-headed approach to transactions and is technically extremely able”.’ 

Chambers Europe - Europe's Leading Business Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, 2009.
Justin is recommended as a lawyer in the area of Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions. Justin is described by clients as "approachable and very commercial”.

Legal 500, 2011.
Justin is recommended in the field of 'Corporate and Commercial'.

Which Lawyer? Practical Law Company, 2010.
Justin is highly recommended in ‘corporate and mergers & acquisitions’ and Justin is also recommended in the ‘private equity and equity capital markets’ categories.

Which Lawyer? Practical Law Company, 2009.
Justin is highly recommended in ‘corporate and mergers & acquisitions’ and Justin is also recommended in the ‘private equity, venture capital and equity capital markets’ categories. Justin is described as being “renowned for his involvement in public to private and management buyout transactions”.