"Outstanding... Rhona has an encyclopedic knowledge of the risk involved, and provides realistic, commercial advice."
Chambers Europe
Expertise
Rhona Henry is a partner and head of Matheson’s Construction & Engineering Team. Rhona has over 19 years’ experience in the construction / development / capital projects sector. Rhona’s expertise is in the build out of multiplex developments in leading developer roles, capital projects (both owner and owner / occupier led), construction / development financing, public-private partnership construction specialism, together with a regulatory advice practice. Rhona is mandated by the largest developers, investors and financiers operating in Ireland.
Rhona advises on complex construction and engineering capital projects including data centres, commercial office, corporate headquarters and EPC contracts for major international construction projects including infrastructure, facilities, power and process plants. She has an in-depth understanding of the construction requirements of organisations operating in very specialised markets, including the energy market, the pharmaceutical, data centre and ICT markets.
Rhona takes a collaborative approach in advising clients on all aspects of construction and engineering projects, from initial strategy in relation to identifying the most suitable form of procurement, advising on the regulatory aspects of a project, assisting with project finance, ensuring that any required third party agreements are in place, through to completion and the commissioning.
Rhona is known for and distinguished by her formulation of complex contract structure procurement strategies which facilitate a fast pace of development and cohesion regarding interface issues. Matheson’s Construction and Engineering Team are frontrunners and thought leaders in crafting procurement strategies for multiplex developments and advising on the full life cycle of a large scale development from design, building, financing, sale and leasing.
- Acting on behalf of Oxley Holdings Limited in relation to its development of Dublin Landings (capex circa €300 million).
- Acting on behalf of a US developer in relation to a residential, retail and hotel / student accommodation development in Dublin (capex of €1 billion).
- Acting as the lead construction adviser to a US developer in relation to circa €700 million build-to-rent development located in a prime central Dublin location, including drafting and negotiating a full suite of bespoke consultant appointments in addition to assisting with the strategic procurement route for this project.
- Acting for Oxley Holdings and Ballymore Group on the pre-letting of an office block to WeWork in the Connolly Quarter development.
- Advising a global real estate, development and investment management firm through all stages of the development of student accommodation facilities, consisting of 412 beds in Cork.
- Advising a global real estate, development and investment management firm in the development of a 368 purpose built student accommodation scheme in Dublin. The project includes the refurbishment and re-purposing of protected structures on site as well as new build elements. Construction is further complicated by the site taking up an entire city block except for 2 areas in third party ownership which sandwich the site (capex circa €40 million).
- Acting on behalf of a global real estate, development and investment management firm and its investor in respect of the forward funding of a significant PRS scheme in Dublin. We are advising on a complex set of forward funding development and financing agreements and leading negotiations on the risk profile in relation to the build out of the scheme including in relation to design objectives, completion requirement / phasing protocols, retention, funding commitments and incentive payments (capex circa €300m).
- Acting as Irish Counsel to a global financial institution in relation to a €60 million facility for the purposes of the acquisition and financing of a number of investment assets and recently completed assets.
- Advising one of the leading universities in Ireland, on the development of a new business innovation centre (capex €1 billion).
- Acted on behalf of a large financial institution in relation to a development loan facility in excess of €176 million for the development of a forest holiday village in Ireland. The development is the first of its kind in Ireland.
- Advised a German multinational investment bank and financial services company in relation to the refinancing of an loan with respect to the prime location city centre development. The new arrangement involved the transfer of the commercial and residential elements into two separate sub-funds (capex €261 million).
- Advised a German multinational investment bank and financial services company in the acquisition of a city centre “the blue building” (capex €44 million).
- Recent instructions include a lender role in the project financing of a significant mixed use docklands development in the Dublin city area (capex in excess of €200 million).
- Acting on behalf of a multinational real estate developer in the financing of a €1 billion Strategic Development Zone development in west Dublin.
- Advising a leading Dublin university, on the development of a new business innovation centre (capex €1 billion).
- Advising one of the largest global e-commerce and cloud computing companies on the acquisition of a 178,000 sq ft prime city centre location office and 31,500 sq ft temporary office space from a shared work space provider (capex €243 million).
"Rhona Henry manages to combine her exacting
approach with a personable manner and is a pleasure to deal with."
Construction: Chambers Europe 2022
"Rhona Henry very ably manages the construction team and ensures a consistent level of excellence in their work output. She is knowledgeable and experienced as well as approachable and personable".
The Legal 500 2021
"Rhona Henry has been a great support to us throughout the life of the project. She provides support to her team where necessary to deliver results while taking a lead role where required".
The Legal 500 2021
Rhona Henry is "knowledgeable and experienced".
The Legal 500 2021
Rhona Henry is "responsive, efficient and very pleasant to work with".
Chambers Europe 2021
Rhona Henry is recommended.
European Legal 500 2020
Rhona Henry is named a leading individual.
European Legal 500 2020
Rhona Henry is "responsive, clear thinking, objective and always shows lateral thinking".
European Legal 500 2020
Rhona Henry is named ‘Highly Regarded’
IFLR1000 2020
Rhona Henry is ‘one of the go-to construction lawyers with an in-depth knowledge of the sector’.
European Legal 500 2019
Rhona Henry is named a leading individual.
European Legal 500 2019
Rhona Henry is “extremely knowledgeable about the construction risks in the Irish market".
Construction: Chambers Europe 2019
The Matheson Construction team "led by Rhona Henry, did a fantastic job in advising us on the highly complex construction aspects of the transaction".
Chambers Europe 2019
Rhona Henry is "clearly the go-to person for advice on the Irish construction market".
Chambers Europe 2019
Sally Anne Stone and Rhona Henry have "strong attention to detail, deliver within a demanding timeframe, and are nice people to deal with".
Chambers Europe 2019
Rhona Henry is named a Highly Regarded Individual
IFLR1000 2019
Rhona Henry "an exceptional lawyer with a depth of knowledge in the construction industry and related contracts".
European Legal 500 2018
Rhona Henry has "an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things construction contract-related."
Chambers Europe 2018
Rhona Henry is named a Highly Regarded Individual
IFLR1000 2018
Rhona Henry is recommended.
European Legal 500 2017
Rhona Henry has "encyclopaedic knowledge of construction law".
European Legal 500 2017
Rhona Henry is described by clients as "very hands-on, responsive and proactive".
Chambers Europe 2017
Construction expert
Euromoney Expert Guide 2017
Trinity College Dublin (Diploma in Construction Law and Contract Administration)
University College Dublin (BA)