Patrick Sweetman

Patrick is a lead partner in the Commercial Property Department at Matheson. He is also head of the firm's Development Land Group and joint head of the Environmental and Planning Law Group. He practises property development law and negotiates related sale and purchase contracts. He advises on all areas of property, with particular expertise in the design of privately managed schemes. He has prepared innovative structures for joint ventures both with public bodies and in the private sector, particularly in the provision of housing. Patrick has also built up a considerable expertise in all areas of planning and environmental law. Patrick has, for the last 30 years, acted for a number of leading developers in Ireland. He has wide experience in the acquisition of development land and the planning issues, easements and wayleaves, and other property issues that arise in those transactions. He is familiar with various structures to maximise tax efficiency, and has advised extensively in relation to social and affordable housing issues. Patrick has also advised on planning applications and appeals, and environmental issues arising on the acquisition and disposal of land. Patrick is working with all the leading receivers and banks in Ireland in relation to their development land portfolios. Patrick is a member of the Law Society of Ireland, a longstanding member and former vice-chairman of the Conveyancing Committee of The Law Society of Ireland and a former secretary and council member of the Irish Environmental Law Association. Patrick has lectured regularly on property, planning and environmental matters for The Law Society of Ireland, as part of its Continuing Professional Development programme, and has lectured at the University Industry Centre, Dublin on environmental issues. He has contributed a regular feature to the Irish Planning and Environmental Law Journal and has contributed a chapter to 'Irish Planning Law and Procedure' by Eamon Galligan.