Noeleen Ruddy
Partner
Ireland
Noeleen is co-head of our Finance and Capital Markets Practice Group.
Noeleen advises international financial institutions, investment banks, arrangers, managers, private equity, hedge funds, agents and trustees on a range of structured finance products transactions. This includes:
Noeleen has also advised on combined qualifying investor alternative investment fund (QIAIF)/special purpose vehicle (SPV) transactions, distressed, stressed, performing and non-performing debt deals, and other bespoke structured product transactions.
She acts as lead counsel for a number of US hedge funds and private equity funds which invest in distressed, stressed, performing and non-performing European assets. She also regularly acts as trustee and agency counsel on Irish law capital market deals, and as issuer counsel advising on the restructuring of stressed and defaulted securitisations.
- securitisations (residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS)
- asset-backed securities (ABS) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS))
- debt offerings
- collateralised loan obligations (CLOs – whether cash, synthetic or hybrid)
- CAT bonds and Commercial Paper Programmes.
Noeleen has also advised on combined qualifying investor alternative investment fund (QIAIF)/special purpose vehicle (SPV) transactions, distressed, stressed, performing and non-performing debt deals, and other bespoke structured product transactions.
She acts as lead counsel for a number of US hedge funds and private equity funds which invest in distressed, stressed, performing and non-performing European assets. She also regularly acts as trustee and agency counsel on Irish law capital market deals, and as issuer counsel advising on the restructuring of stressed and defaulted securitisations.
Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyer of the Year
Experience and recent work
Noeleen previously worked in the Structured Finance and Derivatives Group of a big-five law firm in Dublin.
Qualifications
Admitted in:
- England and Wales (not practising)
- Ireland
Education:
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Trinity College Dublin
- Diploma in Applied Finance, Law Society of Ireland
Member of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland
Member of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association
Lecturer in the Law Society of Ireland on principles of securitisation
Member of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association
Lecturer in the Law Society of Ireland on principles of securitisation
2024 Winner of 'Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyer of the Year' at the Women in Business Law Awards
2024 Chambers Global - Band 2: Capital Markets: Debt - "Noeleen Ruddy is an absolute pleasure to work with."
2024 IFLR1000 - Highly Regarded - Capital Markets: Structured Finance and Securitisation; Women Leaders
2023 Chambers Global - Band 2: Capital Markets: Debt - "She has a great depth of knowledge and is able to provide solutions that make sense for the client."
2023 IFLR1000 - Highly Regarded - Capital Markets: Structured Finance and Securitisation; Women Leaders - "Friendly and knowledgeable."
2022 IFLR 1000 (32nd Edition) - "Excellent lawyer, very commercial, very knowledgeable, really knows the market. Excellent advice."
2022 Winner of 'Structured Finance Lawyer of the Year' at the Women in Business Law Awards
2022 Shortlisted for 'Debt Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year' at the Women in Business Law Awards
2022 IFLR1000 Women Leaders
2022 Legal 500 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets: Debt) - "‘I work with their CLO team and they have built a real niche in this area and are without doubt in the top tier of leading law firms in Ireland in terms of CLO expertise. They have the transactional expertise, coupled with the key tax expertise, and seamless integration with their listing and corporate services department. A winning one-stop shop for CLOs. Noeleen Ruddy and Paddy Rath are a great team of partners that work well together. Both are very attentive and pragmatic both on deal and off deal. Very clued into the market and collaborative with all deal parties."
2022 Legal 500 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets: Debt) - "Extremely knowledgeable and always solutions oriented. Gives advice before issues arise rather than only afterwards."
2022 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Capital Markets: Debt - "The "very helpful and knowledgeable" Noeleen Ruddy is well versed in DCM matters. Her expertise covers note issuances as well as matters relating to collateralised loan obligations."
2021 IFLR 1000 - Highly Regarded
2021 IFLR 1000 Women Leaders
2021 Legal 500 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets: Debt) - "Paddy Rath and Noeleen Ruddy are a great team that have really developed a fantastic Irish CLO team."
2021 Chambers Europe Guide – Band 2 (Capital Markets: Debt)
2021 Chambers Global Guide - Band 2 (Capital Markets: Debt) - Sources say that Noeleen Ruddy is "very responsive, great with clients and clear in how she explains things." She has experience in complex securitisations, including green CMBS transactions.
2020 Legal 500 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets: Debt) - "Matters are given due attention by partners and other senior lawyers, and their advice is pragmatic and commercial."
2020 Chambers Global Guide - Band 2 (Capital Markets: Debt)
2020 Chambers Global Guide - (Capital Markets: Debt) Clients value Noeleen Ruddy for being "incredibly proactive and responsive on deals."
2020 IFLR 1000 - Leading Lawyer and Highly Regarded - "Very knowledgeable and proactive, great communicator, pragmatic; forward thinking and genuinely understands her markets. Focused and committed lawyer who delivers on what is required at all times."
2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer (Banking and Finance)
2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets) - Noeleen Ruddy is 'very commercial, responsive and collaborative'
2019 Chambers Global Guide - Notable Practitioner (Capital Markets: Debt) - "Noeleen has "very deep knowledge and is very sensitive to the commercial drivers of transactions," according to one source.
2019 - IFLR1000 - Highly Regarded: "She is the anchor of the Walkers’ CLO offering. She is one of the leading players in this field in Europe who provides sound advice backed by experience."
2018 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer: "Concise and to the point"
2018 Chambers Global & Europe Guide - (Capital Markets: Debt) A Notable Practitioner. "Very good with soft skills and good at cultivating relationships."
2018 IFLR 1000 - Highly Regarded
2017 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer: "Noeleen Ruddy is 'methodical'."
2017 Chambers Global & Europe Guide - (Capital Markets: Debt) A Notable Practitioner. "Noeleen Ruddy is 'deeply informed about all topics and has a deep understanding of business.' She has a strong focus on structured debt, including asset-backed securities and collateralised debt obligations."
2017 IFLR 1000 - Leading Lawyer
2016 Legal 500 - Recommended Individual: "Noeleen Ruddy is ‘very considered and responsive’."
2016 Chambers Global - Noeleen Ruddy advises on a comprehensive range of structured finance transactions. Clients say: "She is phenomenal - I wish all lawyers were like her. She understands what we are trying to achieve and is a pleasure to work with."
2015 Chambers Global - "Incredibly capable and hard-working. She is diligent, thorough and detailed in her advice."
2015 Legal 500 – "Ranking among the best internationally’, Walkers Ireland’s ‘top-league team’ stands out for its ‘impeccable service levels’...Noeleen Ruddy is a key name."
2014 Legal 500 – "Walkers’ ‘dedication, pragmatic approach and close industry links are outstanding’. It is a market leader in insurance-linked securities and distressed asset investment. Garry Ferguson and Noeleen Ruddy are recommended."
2013 Legal 500 – "Debt capital markets is the focus of Walkers’ flourishing practice, where Garry Ferguson and Noeleen Ruddy provide ‘efficient, extremely responsive and technically excellent advice’, and are ‘a pleasure to deal with’."
2024 Chambers Global - Band 2: Capital Markets: Debt - "Noeleen Ruddy is an absolute pleasure to work with."
2024 IFLR1000 - Highly Regarded - Capital Markets: Structured Finance and Securitisation; Women Leaders
2023 Chambers Global - Band 2: Capital Markets: Debt - "She has a great depth of knowledge and is able to provide solutions that make sense for the client."
2023 IFLR1000 - Highly Regarded - Capital Markets: Structured Finance and Securitisation; Women Leaders - "Friendly and knowledgeable."
2022 IFLR 1000 (32nd Edition) - "Excellent lawyer, very commercial, very knowledgeable, really knows the market. Excellent advice."
2022 Winner of 'Structured Finance Lawyer of the Year' at the Women in Business Law Awards
2022 Shortlisted for 'Debt Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year' at the Women in Business Law Awards
2022 IFLR1000 Women Leaders
2022 Legal 500 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets: Debt) - "‘I work with their CLO team and they have built a real niche in this area and are without doubt in the top tier of leading law firms in Ireland in terms of CLO expertise. They have the transactional expertise, coupled with the key tax expertise, and seamless integration with their listing and corporate services department. A winning one-stop shop for CLOs. Noeleen Ruddy and Paddy Rath are a great team of partners that work well together. Both are very attentive and pragmatic both on deal and off deal. Very clued into the market and collaborative with all deal parties."
2022 Legal 500 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets: Debt) - "Extremely knowledgeable and always solutions oriented. Gives advice before issues arise rather than only afterwards."
2022 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Capital Markets: Debt - "The "very helpful and knowledgeable" Noeleen Ruddy is well versed in DCM matters. Her expertise covers note issuances as well as matters relating to collateralised loan obligations."
2021 IFLR 1000 - Highly Regarded
2021 IFLR 1000 Women Leaders
2021 Legal 500 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets: Debt) - "Paddy Rath and Noeleen Ruddy are a great team that have really developed a fantastic Irish CLO team."
2021 Chambers Europe Guide – Band 2 (Capital Markets: Debt)
2021 Chambers Global Guide - Band 2 (Capital Markets: Debt) - Sources say that Noeleen Ruddy is "very responsive, great with clients and clear in how she explains things." She has experience in complex securitisations, including green CMBS transactions.
2020 Legal 500 - Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets: Debt) - "Matters are given due attention by partners and other senior lawyers, and their advice is pragmatic and commercial."
2020 Chambers Global Guide - Band 2 (Capital Markets: Debt)
2020 Chambers Global Guide - (Capital Markets: Debt) Clients value Noeleen Ruddy for being "incredibly proactive and responsive on deals."
2020 IFLR 1000 - Leading Lawyer and Highly Regarded - "Very knowledgeable and proactive, great communicator, pragmatic; forward thinking and genuinely understands her markets. Focused and committed lawyer who delivers on what is required at all times."
2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer (Banking and Finance)
2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer (Capital Markets) - Noeleen Ruddy is 'very commercial, responsive and collaborative'
2019 Chambers Global Guide - Notable Practitioner (Capital Markets: Debt) - "Noeleen has "very deep knowledge and is very sensitive to the commercial drivers of transactions," according to one source.
2019 - IFLR1000 - Highly Regarded: "She is the anchor of the Walkers’ CLO offering. She is one of the leading players in this field in Europe who provides sound advice backed by experience."
2018 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer: "Concise and to the point"
2018 Chambers Global & Europe Guide - (Capital Markets: Debt) A Notable Practitioner. "Very good with soft skills and good at cultivating relationships."
2018 IFLR 1000 - Highly Regarded
2017 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer: "Noeleen Ruddy is 'methodical'."
2017 Chambers Global & Europe Guide - (Capital Markets: Debt) A Notable Practitioner. "Noeleen Ruddy is 'deeply informed about all topics and has a deep understanding of business.' She has a strong focus on structured debt, including asset-backed securities and collateralised debt obligations."
2017 IFLR 1000 - Leading Lawyer
2016 Legal 500 - Recommended Individual: "Noeleen Ruddy is ‘very considered and responsive’."
2016 Chambers Global - Noeleen Ruddy advises on a comprehensive range of structured finance transactions. Clients say: "She is phenomenal - I wish all lawyers were like her. She understands what we are trying to achieve and is a pleasure to work with."
2015 Chambers Global - "Incredibly capable and hard-working. She is diligent, thorough and detailed in her advice."
2015 Legal 500 – "Ranking among the best internationally’, Walkers Ireland’s ‘top-league team’ stands out for its ‘impeccable service levels’...Noeleen Ruddy is a key name."
2014 Legal 500 – "Walkers’ ‘dedication, pragmatic approach and close industry links are outstanding’. It is a market leader in insurance-linked securities and distressed asset investment. Garry Ferguson and Noeleen Ruddy are recommended."
2013 Legal 500 – "Debt capital markets is the focus of Walkers’ flourishing practice, where Garry Ferguson and Noeleen Ruddy provide ‘efficient, extremely responsive and technically excellent advice’, and are ‘a pleasure to deal with’."
Team Members
