Addleshaw Goddard is sought after by major lenders, lead arrangers, and investors to offer advice on the gamut of social housing finance mandates. This offering encompasses debt financing, refinancing, and restructuring matters, and notably, the group has also been active in some of the sector’s first green loan facilities, as well as key mergers. Taking an active role in a large volume of the team’s key transactions, housing finance head Lee Shankland-Gort also leads the firm’s social, sustainable, and green finance group, which assists clients with sustainability-linked lending; Nick Barlow chairs this group in Leeds with expertise in complex social housing transactions. Jennie Chilton heads up the firm’s social housing finance property security practice, and frequently assists clients with securing large portfolios of social housing stock, bond issues, and private placements. Head of the debt capital markets group Beth Collett is another key name, as well as Helen Hunter, who boasts strong relationships with key brokers and housing associations, and managing partner Steve Mackie, who leads the firm-wide finance and projects group with significant experience in large debt transactions.

For borrowers in the social housing sector, Devonshires Solicitors LLP is a go-to firm, with a large volume of registered providers in its impressive client base. The practice offers clients support with raising debt finance from banks or through the capital markets, as well as with ESG loans, borrowing from local authorities and funds, and joint venture funding arrangements. The ‘deeply knowledgeable’ Julian Barker sits at the helm of the banking and capital markets team with expertise in bond issues, private placements, and syndicated and bilateral loans, and Sharon Kirkham chairs the securitisation practice with significant experience in refinancing transactions. Gary Grigor and Chris Drabble head up the Leeds-based banking and securitisation teams respectively. Other key members of the team include Natalie Swales, who specialises in non-contentious transactional finance work, Rachel Orgill-Harris, who is especially skilled in advising issuers on high-value public bond issues and bond programmes, and Alice Overton, who is sought after by housing association treasury teams.

Bevan Brittan LLP’s housing team is well regarded for its expertise in transactions surrounding private placements, bank lending, derivatives, structured finance, and securitisations. Advice on new loans and existing facilities, refinancings, and joint venture arrangements are also a key area for the practice, and the group is active in assisting with the funding of local authorities investing and lending into housing. Louise Leaver chairs the department with expertise in representing both lenders and borrowers, and is ably supported by Sarah Greenhalgh, who handles mergers and general governance work, and Wendy Wilks and Jessica Church, who advises registered providers on the security elements of their finance projects. The group has undergone expansion with the addition of Katie Dyer from Trowers & Hamlins LLP and Rose Klemperer from Devonshires Solicitors LLP at the beginning of 2024.

London-based managing partner Adrian Carter leads the firm’s nationals banking and finance practice at Trowers & Hamlins LLP, which is skilled in advising for-profit providers on their financing mandates, as well as acting in some of the sector’s first green and sustainable financing arrangements. Large property portfolios used to secure housing finance transactions are a key area of work for Melanie Comer, who co-leads the national real estate finance security team from Manchester alongside Exeter-based Hannah Jackson, while Eleanor James heads up the Manchester-based banking and finance group. In team news, Natalie Singh joined the firm from Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP at the beginning of 2024 with expertise in advising housing providers, while Neil Waller retired from the partnership, Naomi Roper joined Capsticks LLP, and Katie Dyer joined Bevan Brittan LLP.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP predominately acts for borrowers in the social housing sector, and the team boasts expertise in capital markets, the funding of joint ventures, and the use of treasury vehicles. The group is also known for advising on refinancings and restructurings with a specialist property charging team, as well as on mergers and property development finance mandates. Birmingham-based consultant Ashley Allton and Julia Robertson, who joined the firm from Trowers & Hamlins LLP at the end of 2023, jointly sit at the helm of the team. Robertson’s client base includes high-profile national housing associations and national and challenger banks. Adriana Klincova is skilled in project and property finance, while Michael Nutman has expertise in transactional, regulated, and unregulated finance matters. Natalie Singh joined Trowers & Hamlins LLP in January 2024.

Clarke Willmott LLP boasts specialist commercial property and banking lawyers who focus on the social housing arena. The group acts for a significant number of registered providers, as well as funders, on a wide range of funding arrangements, encompassing bilateral and syndicated facilities, private placements, and aggregated bonds. Head of the Cardiff office Vicky Kells and Lindsay Felstead in Manchester jointly lead the practice; Kells specialises in social housing lending and large-scale stock rationalisation mandates. Fraser MacRae, also in Manchester, sits as joint head of the firm’s banking and finance team, and he is especially skilled in secured funding matters.

At Clifford Chance LLP, the social housing finance group predominately acts for funders and investors, including high-profile banks, as well as security trustees. The group is also instructed by new debt funders and equity investors. The department is co-led by Angela Shepherd and Paul Deakins; Shepherd advises clients on the property and project side of social housing transactions, while Deakins is sought after for his expertise in capital markets.

The social housing finance team at Winckworth Sherwood LLP is led by Lucy Grimwood. The group advises new investors in the sector, as well as for-profit registered providers, on the entire range of debt funding, including bank loans, development finance, private placements, bonds, and bespoke funding arrangements. Sustainable finance is a core element of the group’s practice, and a key focus for Grimwood especially. Other notable members of the group include Ruby Giblin, who acts for funders and borrowers in securing high-value loans, notes, bonds, and hedging arrangements, and Rosanagh Herries, who is experienced in debt capital market issues and bank facilities.

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP's real estate finance team assists managers and investors in the social housing arena on the structuring, establishment, marketing, and operation of investment funds. Michael Newell and Duncan Hubbard jointly lead the practice; Newell is skilled in the establishment and reorganisation of investment vehicles, while Hubbard has expertise in advising on large, high-profile real estate-related transactions.

Chris Brierley leads the banking and finance team at Gowling WLG, which assists clients with their refinancing projects, ESG loans and financings, and treasury arrangements. Its client base includes banks, funds, and large providers of social housing. Corporate banking facilities and bond issues are a key area of expertise for both Navin Prabhakar and Angela Rawlins, both of whom are key members of the group.