Client Choice Award Winner for Litigation (Ireland)
International Law Office Client Choice Awards 2018
Expertise
Karen Reynolds is a partner in the Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department at Matheson, and co-head of the firm's Regulatory and Investigations Group.
Karen has a broad financial services and commercial dispute resolution practice. She has over ten years’ experience of providing strategic advice and dispute resolution to financial institutions, financial services providers, domestic and internationally focused companies and regulated entities and persons. She advises clients in relation to contentious regulatory matters, investigations, inquiries, compliance and governance related matters, white collar crime and corporate offences, commercial and financial services disputes, anti-corruption and bribery legislation and document disclosure issues.
Karen has a reputation for expertly guiding clients through the complexities and sensitivities of all manner of contentious disputes, including in Commercial Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court proceedings. Her clients include domestic and international companies, directors, senior managers and controlled function holders, financial institutions, insurers and reinsurers, fund managers, insolvency practitioners, shareholders and creditors. Karen has substantial experience in corporate restructuring and insolvency law matters, having had a lead role in some of the most high profile corporate rescue transactions of the last ten years. She advises liquidators, regulators, directors and insolvency practitioners in relation to corporate offences and investigations, shareholder rights and remedies, directors’ duties, including in relation to fraudulent and reckless trading and disqualification and restriction proceedings.
Karen is a member of the Law Society of Ireland, admitted 2009. Karen was named as a “Highly Regarded Individual” in the 2018 edition of the IFLR 1000, with “attention to detail, work ethic and her constant drive to get the best result for her clients”.
- Acting for an investment holding company in connection with Commercial Court proceedings arising from a shareholder dispute, including in relation to an appeal to the Court of Appeal.
- Acting for one of the largest international banks in defending multi-million dollar claims made in multiple fund and related investor Commercial Court proceedings arising out of the fraud of Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities.
- Acting for financial services providers in relation to administrative sanctions investigations under the Central Bank’s enhanced regulatory enforcement regime.
- Acting for an entity regulated under the Central Bank Act in relation to a large scale remediation project and advising in relation to Central Bank investigation and enforcement action thereafter.
- Advising global custodians of regulated and non-regulated funds in connection with their obligations relating to their custody of securities and other assets under Irish law.
- Advising a global payment technology solutions company in connection with a dispute arising from a joint venture arrangement with a financial institution.
- Acting for a company in relation to proceedings arising from a dispute in relation to the interpretation of a share option agreement and ancillary contractual arrangements.
- Advising a pharma company in relation to take-down notices and enforcement of foreign judgments in Ireland.
- Advising an international investment management company in relation to its hostile takeover and restructuring of an international oil and gas exploration company headquartered in Dublin.
- Advising a financial institution and an insolvency practitioner in connection with defending Commercial Court proceedings arising out of high-profile receivership and financial restructuring of the Crosbie group of media companies.
- Advising the petitioner in relation to the first successful examinership of companies in the construction industry, including in relation to cross border issues, security, enforcement, recognition of judgments and insolvency measures, and, in relation to an appeal to the Supreme Court.
- Acting for a financial institution in a landmark solicitor’s negligence case and successful mediation of High Court proceedings.
- Acting for a financial institution in multi-jurisdictional litigation in connection with the acquisition and development debt relating to the high profile residential and commercial development known as Clancy Quay.
- Advised the National Asset Management Agency (“NAMA”) in securing judgments in the first ever proceedings taken by NAMA against borrowers and guarantors in connection with loans acquired from participating institutions.
- Advising financial institutions in relation to restructuring options and consensual work outs for trading corporate borrowers, including debt for equity swaps and other consensual debt restructurings using formal insolvency processes.
- Advising financial institutions in connection with commercial court cases, mediations and settlements involving defaulting borrowers and guarantee claims as well as professional negligence claims.
Karen Reynolds is named a Highly Regarded Individual
IFLR1000 2020
Karen Reynolds is recommended.
European Legal 500 2020
Karen Reynolds is named a next generation partner.
European Legal 500 2020
Karen Reynolds is named ‘Highly Regarded’
IFLR1000 2020
Karen Reynolds is recommended.
European Legal 500 2019
Karen Reynolds is "extremely hard working, very motivated. She’s bright, extremely bright".
Chambers Europe 2019
"Karen Reynolds is at the absolute top of her profession."
Chambers Europe 2018
"Karen Reynolds is very on the ball."
Chambers Europe 2018
Client Choice Award Winner for Litigation (Ireland)
International Law Office Client Choice Award 2018
“Karen is always looking to see if there are alternative solutions or different angles from which a problem can be solved; her attention to detail is excellent.”
International Law Office 2018
“Karen is very quick on the uptake; she gets to know the brief quickly and demonstrates a good knowledge of complex matters in a short space of time.”
International Law Office 2018
“She is commercially astute; she makes her clients feel that their company is in very good hands.”
International Law Office 2018
“She builds excellent client relationships; she makes sure that she understands what her client’s objectives are and she delivers on them.”
International Law Office 2018
Karen Reynolds is named a Highly Regarded Individual.
IFLR1000 2018
“We come into contact with many lawyers in the course of our business. I have found Karen to be one of the best lawyers we have used. Her attention to detail, work ethic and her constant drive to get the best result for her clients sets her apart.”
IFLR1000 2018
“Karen has an in-depth knowledge of our business as she has taken the time over the last number of years to keep up to speed with us. She is an efficient and effective and cost conscious lawyer who delivers in a timely manner what is requested of her. She has high standards and is professional in her approach to our company and industry sector
IFLR1000 2018
University College Dublin, BCL
Trinity College Dublin, LLM