Gráinne "has provided excellent service" and is "very efficient, precise and fast".
Chambers Europe
Expertise
Gráinne Callanan leads Matheson’s Cork office and is a partner in the Financial Institutions Group. Gráinne advises a wide range of leading domestic and international financial institutions doing business in and from Ireland including life and non-life (re)insurance companies, captive insurers and intermediaries on corporate transactions, regulatory and compliance and corporate governance. Gráinne has extensive expertise in the areas of new authorisations, portfolio transfers, cross-border mergers, corporate restructurings, distribution arrangements and health insurance. She has advised on a wide range of innovative transactions in the insurance market in recent times and has taken a leading role advising clients on a number of significant acquisitions of closed books of life insurance businesses.
Gráinne lectures at the Law Society of Ireland and the Insurance Institute of Ireland.
Gráinne is also a member of the Cork Financial Services Forum.
Gráinne has advised:
- On a significant number of authorisations for insurers and intermediaries as a result of Brexit contingency plans.
- AXIS Speciality Europe SE in relation to a cross border merger with Belgische Maatschappij Voor Luchtvaart Verzekeringen NV Compagnie Belge D’Assurances Aviation SA (“Aviabel”), a Belgian authorised non-life insurance undertaking.
- A large domestic bank on its key non-life distribution arrangements, which include its arrangements with AXA in respect of home, motor and payment protection insurance.
- LCCG on the consolidated transfer of three of its life assurance portfolios to Harcourt Life Ireland dac as part of its internal re-organisation. This was the first ever consolidated transfer of insurance business approved by the Irish High Court.
- Utmost Ireland dac, an Irish authorised insurer, on the acquisition of a close book life-insurance portfolio from Athora Ireland dac and management of the related Schemes in Jersey and Guernsey.
- DubliMont dac on the disposal of its closed book insurance business to a Finnish entity.
- Laguna Life on its acquisition of a life insurance portfolio from MetLife dac.
- National Grid Insurance Company Ireland, an Irish authorised insurer, on the transfer of its insurance business to Zurich Insurance plc.
Insurance: The European Legal 500 2023
"providing excellent
regulatory guidance on key principles" and "Gráinne Callanan
is calm and methodical."
Insurance: Chambers
Europe 2022
Gráinne Callanan has a "practical understanding"
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2021
Gráinne Callanan "knows how the regulator will react"
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2021
Sources have stated that Gráinne Callanan and her team "have a very personable approach", and "they really take their time to build relationships with you and make the legal experience enjoyable", ensuring the client is "very comfortable" if they ever have a question.
Insurance: The European Legal 500 2021
Gráinne Callanan is recommended.
Insurance: The European Legal 500 2020
Gráinne Callanan is recommended.
Insurance: The European Legal 500 2019
Gráinne is very "knowledgeable on that side of the Irish regulatory landscape, a very good communicator".
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2019
Gráinne Callanan is recognised in the Influential Women in Re/Insurance Report
Intelligent Insurer 2018
Gráinne "has provided excellent service" and is "very efficient, precise and fast".
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2018
University College Cork (BCL, Law and German)
University College Cork (LLM)
IPMA Certified Project Management Associate (Diploma in Project Management)
Law Society of Ireland