Taoiseach Micheál Martin attended the official opening of the new Matheson premises at architect-designed Penrose Dock in Cork city centre (6 May).

The new riverside office will facilitate Matheson’s growing Cork-based team, which now stands at 35 people, led by partner Gráinne Callanan.  

The move extends the Matheson footprint from 8,000-square-feet to over 12,000-square-feet and will cover the entire fifth floor of the building.

Matheson was the first large Irish law firm to open a second Irish office outside of Dublin when it first opened a premises in Cork in 2018.

Expertise

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said at the opening: “As the city and broader region emerges from the pandemic and continues to grow, it is important that businesses, both indigenous and international, have access to the expertise they need to drive success. 

"As a modern space located at the heart of the city, the office is representative of the ambition of the Cork and Munster region on the national and international stage, as a place to live and work.”

Managing partner Michael Jackson said: “The opening of our new Cork office, which was designed to facilitate and support hybrid and flexible working, marks a significant development for Matheson. 

Destination of choice

“The growth we have experienced since we first established an office in Cork in 2018 reflects the continued importance of Cork and the wider Munster region as a destination of choice for the world’s leading multinationals in sectors such as life sciences, med-tech, financial services, ITC, and cyber-security, as well as for many domestic Irish companies. 

The region is also home to some of the best legal talent in Ireland, he added, and further expansion in Cork is planned. 

Penrose Dock was named ‘Building of the Year 2021’ and ‘Building of the Year, Large Office 2021’.

It has bike bays and electric-car chargers, as well as views of the River Lee.