OVERVIEW
Colm is co-head of Maples and Calder's Corporate team in the Maples Group's Dublin office. Colm has extensive experience in company law and corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, venture capital, cross-border mergers and private equity investments. He has been involved in many of Ireland's most significant equity financings and transactions involving Irish private technology companies. Colm also has extensive experience advising institutional financial investors and private equity investors investing in and acquiring Irish assets. His practice includes Irish inward investment projects and other cross border transactions. Colm is a sought after advisor to many of Ireland's most successful venture-backed technology companies, having represented such companies as AMCS, Movidius and Web Reservations.
BACKGROUND
Colm joined the Maples Group in 2007. He previously worked for a large Irish corporate law firm. Colm has been ranked as a leading corporate lawyer and recommended by a number of directories, including Chambers Global, The Legal 500 and IFLR 1000.
"Excellent and provides high-quality, right on the button advice." (The Legal 500 EMEA 2021)
"Acted on the other side of a transaction to me, but he was results focused, dedicated and high quality" (The Legal 500 EMEA 2021)
"Very good understanding of the Irish tech scene.” (Chambers Global 2020)
"Very sharp, engaged and hands-on in transactions." (Chambers Global 2019)
“Superb – commercial, personable, capable, and tough.” (IFLR 1000 2018)
Recent transactions
- 3D4Medical on its sale to Elsevier/RELX plc
- Altify on its sale to Upland Software
- Altocloud on its sale to Genesys
- AMCS Group on its investment led by Insight Venture Partners and numerous acquisitions by AMCS Group
- Asavie on its sale to Akamai Technologies
- Boxever on its sale to Sitecore
- Brightflag on its equity fundraising led by One Peak Partners
- Cardinal Capital Group on its investments in Luzern
- Carlyle Cardinal Ireland on various Irish investments including Abtran and Carroll's Meats
- Clavis Insight on its sale to Ascential plc
- CurrencyFair on its acquisition of Convoy Payments
- Digital Marketing Institute on an investment led by Spectrum Equity
- Draper Esprit on its investments in Sweepr and Roomex
- LearnUpon on its investment by Summit Partners
- MML Capital Partners on its investments in IdentiGEN, Agenda Communications and Irish Homecare
- Movidius on its sale to Intel Corporation
- NearForm on its investment led by Columbia Capital
- Safefood360 on its sale to LGC
- Scopely on its acquisition of Digit Games
- Sky Aviation Leasing International on its sale to Goshawk Aviation
- SportCaller on its sale to Bally's Corporation
- Sysnet Global Solutions on the investments by FTV Capital and True Wind Capital
- Taoglas on its acquisitions of ThinkWireless, Firmwave and ThinkSmarter
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
BAR ADMISSIONS
2002 - Admitted as a solicitor in Ireland
EDUCATION
University College Dublin, Ireland
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Colm is on the Steering Group for Scale Ireland. Scale Ireland is an independent non-profit providing the bridge between the start-up ecosystem and government.
It's mission is to secure a more supportive policy environment that empowers Ireland’s innovation-driven enterprise to succeed and scale. Supporting Ireland’s innovative companies to scale is essential to safeguarding our collective economic future. The Steering group is made up of a diverse group of respected leaders from across Ireland’s start-up ecosystem.
Colm was a founder and director of the Fintech and Payments Association of Ireland (FPAI).
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KNOWLEDGE
- Company Law 08 April 2021
- Commencement of the Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Act 2020 15 February 2021
- Silicon Republic - Start-Up Advice Series with Colm Rafferty 02 February 2021
- COVID-19, Data Protection and the Workplace 25 January 2021
- Brexit Update: Countdown to the End of the Transition Period 09 November 2020
- COVID-19 Ireland Update Company Law Changes 25 August 2020
- Webinar: Protecting your Business and your Talent as you Scale 09 July 2020
- Silicon Republic - Leaders' Insights Series 07 July 2020
- COVID-19 Ireland Update: Management Equity Incentive Plans - Key Considerations 03 June 2020
- COVID19 Ireland Support Extended Credit Guarantee Scheme and New Pandemic Fund 19 May 2020
NEWS & DEALS
- Maples Advises on US47B Take Private of China Biologic Products 06 May 2021
- Maples Group Launches Irish Asset Finance Offering in Singapore 04 May 2021
- Maples Group Maintains Top Spot as Listing Agent on Cayman Islands Stock Exchange 03 May 2021
- Maples Advises Cayman Islands Government on First Public-Private Partnership 29 April 2021
- Maples Group Supports Falko on Inaugural ABS Transaction 28 April 2021