Stephen is a partner of Maples and Calder's Funds & Investment Management team and leads the Financial Services Regulatory team in the Maples Group's Dublin office. His practice primarily involves representing investment firms and financial institutions in connection with Irish regulatory matters. Stephen's specialist areas include the regulation of investment services in Ireland under the MiFID regime and the UCITS / AIFMD regimes for management companies.

Stephen is a key member of the team at Maples focussed on sustainable finance and assists a wide range of financial institutions on the introduction of SFDR, the Taxonomy Regulation and associated EU sustainable finance measures.

His regulatory expertise captures matters of EU law including IFD / IFR, EMIR, SRD II, SFTR and the Securitisation Regulation.

From an Irish perspective, Stephen assists clients with various regulatory matters such as new entity authorisations and advisory work in areas including fitness and probity (and SEAR), client asset rules, AML / CFT and Central Bank of Ireland engagement across the supervisory spectrum. Stephen has extensive experience advising clients on the establishment and operation of Irish regulated investment funds with a particular focus on UCITS regulation as well as significant experience in AIFs authorised under the Irish AIFMD regime.

Stephen joined the Maples Group in 2010 from a large Irish corporate law firm, where he was partner and head of investment funds. He was also previously a partner in a leading Irish law firm, during which time he managed the firm's Tokyo office, with responsibility for Asia. Stephen has spent time on secondment working for a leading US law firm and in a leading law firm in Australia.

Stephen has been ranked in The Legal 500 as a "Leading Individual" and in IFLR 1000 as "Highly Regarded". He has also been recommended by Chambers Global where clients report that Stephen: "has exemplary technical knowledge, great communication skills and delivers very clearly and succinctly" "is an excellent problem solver who thinks outside the box" "is very pragmatic and commercially focused" and "is excellent in providing technical advice in a commercial way".

Stephen regularly publishes in various financial services and legal periodicals. He also presents at international conferences on Irish financial services regulatory matters. He is the Irish Funds representative on EFAMA's Fund Regulation Standing Committee.

Bernie Mooney has many years experience in consumer protection policy, having led Central Bank policy in this area as Deputy Head of the Consumer Policy & Research Division for 12 years and in other financial regulatory areas of the Bank previous to that role. In her role as Deputy Head, she was actively involved in the development of the Central Bank’s Consumer Protection Code, the Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arears, the Payment Accounts Switching Code, the SME Regulations and the Minimum Competency Regulations. Bernie represented the Central Bank at various domestic and European groups including the ESA Joint Committee Sub-Committee on Consumer Protection and other ESA groups in the area of consumer protection.

Since leaving the Central Bank at the end of 2022, Bernie is working as a Consumer Protection Consultant in the Department of Finance in developing a new national strategy on Financial Literacy. Berne is also an INED.

Caitríona currently holds the position of Chief Administrative Officer, Ireland at Northern Trust.

In her current role, Caitríona is responsible for overseeing the governance arrangements for all Irish Legal entities ensuring consistent high standards are being applied. Caitríona will be responsible for the planning and implementation of the Individual Accountability Framework and Senior Executive Accountability Regime which will come into force in Ireland in the near future.

Caitríona previously acted as Head of Northern Trust’s third-party Management Company and prior to that held the Risk Manager and Designated Person roles for the entity. Caitriona currently serves as a non-executive director on the company’s board.

Prior to this, Caitríona worked in Bank of Ireland Securities Services for six years as Risk Officer, overseeing the company’s Custody, Administration and Securities Lending activities. She joined Northern Trust in June 2011 as part of the acquisition of Bank of Ireland Securities Services.

Caitríona holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Mathematical Sciences from Dublin City University and holds the Certified Investment Fund Director accreditation.

Grace is the Ireland Conduct Specialist at Northern Trust.

In her current role, Grace is responsible for the development and enhancement of a sustainable framework to ensure the effective implementation of the fitness and probity regime, act as an SME to support the fitness and probity population and ensure the necessary requirements stipulated under the Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Act 2023 are incorporated.

Grace joined Northern Trust in July 2013 and worked as a Compliance Consultant until her move into her current role.

Prior to this, Grace worked in the Compliance Department in Genworth Financial Insurance and had worked for over 10 years with Irish Life and Permanent predominately within the Compliance Department.

Grace holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) with the University of Maynooth, Ireland.

Grace is a Qualified Financial Adviser and holds a Professional Diploma in Compliance. Grace has also completed the Professional Certificate in Consumer Protection Risk, Culture and Ethical Behaviour in Financial Services with the University College Dublin.

Karen is head of Maples and Calder's Employment team in the Maples Group's Dublin office. She has over 20 years’ experience advising clients on all aspects of employment law including contractual matters, sensitive investigations, employee privacy issues, GDPR, gender pay gap preparation, TUPE, HR aspects of corporate re-structuring and asset disposals, industrial relations, working time, equality issues, executive compensation, removal of directors and senior executives and the protection of confidential information. Karen’s recent cases include securing court orders to prevent the theft of confidential information, restraining a team move and defending a High Court challenge to the suspension and investigation of a senior employee. She regularly represents clients before the WRC and the courts and has extensive experience of successful mediation and dispute resolution.

Karen joined the Maples Group as a Partner and Head of the Employment team in 2019. Previously, she was a partner with a large Irish corporate law firm. Before that, Karen worked for Linklaters in their Rome office. She has been ranked and recommended by various independent legal directories:

"Practical, commercially focused and always available as a sounding board. She keeps to the point and does not mess around with unnecessary costly time."  (Chambers Europe 2023)

"She's excellent, calm and detailed. She explains things clearly, making the items easy for us to understand."  (Chambers Europe 2023)

"Outstanding employment lawyer – very knowledgeable, commercial and level-headed."  (Legal 500 EMEA 2023)

"Her quality of being focused and professionalism. She runs her team with obvious ease of practice and experienced mentoring."  (Legal 500 EMEA 2023)

’‘Emblematic of everything Maples aspires to be. She is singularly and distinctively impressive."  (Legal 500 EMEA 2023)

’‘Excellent at her work. She is highly responsive and meets the deadlines she sets forth. Her turnaround times are surprisingly quick, and come prepared with sample scripts, forms and other advice that advances the matter much further."  (Legal 500 EMEA 2023)

"She has excellent knowledge in all areas of employment law."  (Chambers Europe 2022)