Newly appointed banking & finance partner Damien Cuddihy outlines his professional journey, and shares some insights on trends in the property and finance sectors.
How has your practice developed into what it is today and what, in particular, would you say you bring to ABL’s highly regarded banking & finance group?
While I originally joined ABL as a graduate in the banking & finance team, I also spent a couple of years in our property team as a junior lawyer, and spent three years working in the Middle East on major project and corporate finance transactions. It means that I can draw on a diverse range of experience to provide the best advice and outcomes for my clients.
Upon returning from overseas, I worked on some really interesting property finance transactions and this has now evolved into the main focus of my practice. It has been great to work with non-bank lender and property developer clients over a number of years, and be able to contribute to their growth and ongoing success.
You’ve been involved in some very big transactions. What do you enjoy about these high stakes matters and where are the particular challenges?
It is always very rewarding when my clients have trusted me to act on their most important transactions, and we work together to achieve a result that meets both commercial and legal objectives.
Often these are transactions where creative and innovative solutions are required. I really enjoy the intellectual aspect of my practice and, while it can sometimes be challenging when the stakes are high and timeframes are tight, it makes it a lot easier when you can bounce ideas off sophisticated clients and clever colleagues.
It is always very rewarding when my clients have trusted me to act on their most important transactions, and we work together to achieve a result that meets both commercial and legal objectives.
You often work as part of cross practice teams. Do you see this kind of collaboration as a feature of ABL’s point of difference as a firm?
Yes, the size and culture of ABL lends itself to highly effective cross practice collaboration. One of the things I really appreciate about working at ABL is that the partnership works together as a team, with a singular focus on getting the best results for our clients. I know that no matter what legal issues my clients come across, I can draw on experts elsewhere in the firm.
What are the current trends in banking and finance that will drive your day-to-day work in the coming year?
Despite the uncertainty resulting from COVID-19, there remains a high level of activity in the property and finance sectors. Over the next year, I expect many of our clients will be positioning themselves to take advantage of new areas of demand in a post-pandemic world, particularly in commercial and residential property.
In the finance space, we have seen non-bank lenders increasingly providing significant and complex financing solutions over recent years. The growth of the sector is likely to continue, presenting more opportunities for us to act on interesting and ground-breaking transactions.
