

Related Sectors
Related Services
Memberships
- Law Society of Ireland
Education
- Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland 1995
- Bachelor of Law LL.B., Trinity College Dublin, Ireland 1990
- Postgraduate study of German civil law, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany 1990 – 1991
Jonathan has been a partner in Philip Lee since 2002 and the firm’s managing partner since September 2020.
He works on a wide range of corporate and financing transactions, with particular focus on the infrastructure, energy, media and real estate sectors. He has advised both public and private sector clients in relation to a number of the largest infrastructure projects in the State, including many public private partnerships (PPP). He is also recognised as a leading practitioner in the area of film and television finance.
Representative Matters
Jonathan’s recent transactions include advising:
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- The Health Service Executive on the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital to Elm Park medical campus, including the governance and management arrangements for the charitable company which will operate the new hospital facility, approved by the Irish government in May 2022.
- The Element Pictures film and television group and its founding shareholders on the May 2022 sale of a majority shareholding in that company to Fremantle Media Group, a subsidiary of RTL Group (majority owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA).
- Leading service station and fuel distribution business Corrib Oil on its 2021 acquisition of H2 Group, adding 13 new sites to the Corrib Oil retail portfolio, and the simultaneous refinancing of Corrib Oil’s working capital and term debt.
- Digital 9 Infrastructure plc on the April 2021 acquisition of the entire share capital of Aqua Comms DAC, a Dublin-headquartered operator of sub-sea cable infrastructure. Also advised on aspects of Digital 9’s initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange immediately preceding that acquisition.
- The shareholders of seafood business Breizon on the sale of that company to Groupe Mericq, a major French seafood supplier.
- Hire Purchase Information DAC in relation to the December 2021 acquisition by CRIF S.p.A. of a majority interest in that company.
- RWE AG in relation to aspects of the Dublin Array offshore wind energy project.
- O’Flynn Group in relation to the financing of various real estate development portfolios.
- Sustainable Development Capital (SDCL) on the refinancing of two energy efficiency retrofit projects in the hospitals sector. Also advising on the financing of a new energy efficiency project at Tallaght Hospital.
- Ireland’s sovereign wealth fund ISIF on debt financing transactions with borrowers in the renewable fuels and office accommodation sectors.
- Several major US studios, including MGM, Warner Bros., Disney and Amazon Studios, on the financing of large film/television productions.
- Media lender Cofiloisirs in relation to the financing of numerous film and television productions.
- The producers of the forthcoming feature film “Marlowe”, starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger and Jessica Lange.
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Jonathan has been a partner in Philip Lee since 2002 and the firm’s managing partner since September 2020.
He works on a wide range of corporate and financing transactions, with particular focus on the infrastructure, energy, media and real estate sectors. He has advised both public and private sector clients in relation to a number of the largest infrastructure projects in the State, including many public private partnerships (PPP). He is also recognised as a leading practitioner in the area of film and television finance.
Representative Matters
Jonathan’s recent transactions include advising:
-
-
- The Health Service Executive on the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital to Elm Park medical campus, including the governance and management arrangements for the charitable company which will operate the new hospital facility, approved by the Irish government in May 2022.
- The Element Pictures film and television group and its founding shareholders on the May 2022 sale of a majority shareholding in that company to Fremantle Media Group, a subsidiary of RTL Group (majority owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA).
- Leading service station and fuel distribution business Corrib Oil on its 2021 acquisition of H2 Group, adding 13 new sites to the Corrib Oil retail portfolio, and the simultaneous refinancing of Corrib Oil’s working capital and term debt.
- Digital 9 Infrastructure plc on the April 2021 acquisition of the entire share capital of Aqua Comms DAC, a Dublin-headquartered operator of sub-sea cable infrastructure. Also advised on aspects of Digital 9’s initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange immediately preceding that acquisition.
- The shareholders of seafood business Breizon on the sale of that company to Groupe Mericq, a major French seafood supplier.
- Hire Purchase Information DAC in relation to the December 2021 acquisition by CRIF S.p.A. of a majority interest in that company.
- RWE AG in relation to aspects of the Dublin Array offshore wind energy project.
- O’Flynn Group in relation to the financing of various real estate development portfolios.
- Sustainable Development Capital (SDCL) on the refinancing of two energy efficiency retrofit projects in the hospitals sector. Also advising on the financing of a new energy efficiency project at Tallaght Hospital.
- Ireland’s sovereign wealth fund ISIF on debt financing transactions with borrowers in the renewable fuels and office accommodation sectors.
- Several major US studios, including MGM, Warner Bros., Disney and Amazon Studios, on the financing of large film/television productions.
- Media lender Cofiloisirs in relation to the financing of numerous film and television productions.
- The producers of the forthcoming feature film “Marlowe”, starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger and Jessica Lange.
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Related Sectors
Related Services
Memberships
- Law Society of Ireland
Education
- Solicitor, Law Society of Ireland 1995
- Bachelor of Law LL.B., Trinity College Dublin, Ireland 1990
- Postgraduate study of German civil law, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany 1990 – 1991
Recent transactions and projects

Advanced Medical Solutions Group
Cheshire based Advanced Medical Solutions Group plc (AMS) has acquired Dublin counterpart Connexicon. AMS is a world leading specialist in the design, development, manufacture and distribution of novel, high performance tissue-healing technologies. It is an AIM listed...

Apleona
Apleona, a European market leader in real estate and facility management based near Frankfurt am Main, has signed an agreement to acquire Acacia Facilities Holdings Limited and its subsidiary Acacia Facilities Management Limited. Dublin head-quartered Acacia, which...

Element Pictures
Award-winning Irish film and drama production company Element Pictures has sold a majority stake in its business to global production and distribution giant Fremantle. Completion of the deal took place on 10 May 2022. Co-founded by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe in 2001,...
News and insights

Philip Lee LLP moves to new Dublin headquarters
Key Contact: Jonathan Kelly - Managing Partner Philip Lee, which currently employs almost 160 people in its Dublin office, has relocated a short distance from Wilton Terrace to a new 2,500 square metre headquarters on Burlington Road. The lease deal was the largest...

Philip Lee LLP – change in legal status
Key Contact: Jonathan Kelly - Managing Partner With effect from 17 January 2022 Philip Lee has been authorised by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority to operate as a limited liability partnership (LLP) under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. We will now...