Known for providing ‘very sound guidance’ and taking ‘a commercial approach’, the banking and finance team fielded by Blake Morgan LLP is vastly experienced across a broad suite of lending arrangements including corporate refinancing, acquisition finance, real estate finance, development finance, asset based lending, asset finance, syndicated finance and inter-creditor arrangements. Thames Valley-based Paul Duggan jointly leads the practice alongside esteemed banking and finance practitioner Kath Shimmin, who works out of the firm’s office in Southampton. Duggan primarily represents clearing banks, lending institutions and corporate borrowers, while firm chairman Shimmin advises on the entire gamut of lending and finance transactions as well as securitisations and capital markets transactions.

Dentons is routinely engaged on a broad range of matters spanning syndicated and club loans, bilateral acquisition and leveraged finance, real estate finance and Islamic finance transactions. Practice head Christopher Colclough is particularly active in the real estate sector, advising on both lender and borrower-side transactions including investment and development loan facilities. Robert Wyatt is a key contact for real estate financings, as head of the real estate finance team. Elsewhere within the group, Faye Garvey acts for major UK banks and her practice emphasises leveraged and acquisition finance transactions. Matthew Exton is another important point of contact and chiefly advises borrowers in the automotive, insurance, real estate and infrastructure sectors.

DMH Stallard LLP‘s deal flow encompasses a wide range of lending arrangements, including acquisition, real estate investment, development, and bridging financings. The hotel and leisure, healthcare, charity and manufacturing industries are core sectors of focus for the ‘technically strong’ and ‘very efficient’ team. The ‘very capable and knowledgeable’ Sarah Naylor heads up the department and primarily advises lenders including major banks, ABL lenders and challenger banks. Ralph Crane‘s practice primarily focuses on secured lending work and the purchase, sale and refinancing of businesses. Anne Milne leads the real estate and property finance team in Gatwick and advises both major banks and charities on a broad range of financing transactions. Tyne Harman‘s practice includes debt finance and refinance matters, including acquisition and real estate financings, asset-based lending work and general corporate banking issues.

Osborne Clarke LLP remains a go-to firm in the South East for representing both lenders and borrowers on a broad range of mid-market financing and refinancing transactions, as well as possessing considerable strength in private equity work. Leveraged financings, investment funds and debt fund work are specialisms of the group. Practice head Hugh Jones has considerable expertise in all aspects of corporate finance and banking work, but retains a particular focus on acquisition financings. Rebecca Scott routinely acts for major UK banks, while the ‘excellent’ Laura Hanley predominantly advises lenders, borrowers and sponsors on a range of debt finance transactions including corporate, acquisition and leveraged financings as well as venture and growth lending issues.

The team fielded by Shoosmiths LLP possesses ‘impressive depth of resource, experience and skill’ and primarily focuses on leveraged and acquisition finance transactions, real estate financings and ABL transactions. Alexandra Triptree leads the banking and finance practice group in the south and is also the national head of structured finance; her practice focuses on highly structured leveraged lending and complex PE-backed transactions. National head Rebecca Mauleverer lends her expertise to the core areas of real estate finance, asset based lending and leveraged, venture debt and corporate lending issues.

Stevens & Bolton LLP‘s extensive work portfolio encompasses both lender and borrower-side mandates, possessing demonstrable expertise in real estate finance, acquisition and leveraged finance, asset-based lending, trade finance, venture debt finance and general corporate debt financing and refinancing matters. Guildford-based Andrew Dodds spearheads the practice group and regards acquisition and leveraged finance, real estate finance, asset based lending and structured finance as core specialisms. Matthew Padian advises companies, insolvency practitioners, lenders and individuals, while David Steinberg is a key contact for insolvency work and the restructuring of insurance companies and other regulated financial institutions.

Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP‘s deal flow sees asset finance, receivables funding and ABL-related matters, alongside complex borrower-side project and real estate finance mandates. Graham Jeffries and John Connor jointly lead the practice: Jeffries predominantly lends his expertise to complex financing structures including project, asset and property financings, and corporate debt work. Asset finance specialist Nicola Walker is another important point of contact.

Birketts LLP acts on behalf of large institutional lenders and alternative funds, as well as a broad range of borrower clients including corporates, developers, councils and other entities. Head of banking and finance Alex Schaafsma handles a broad range of transactions, with a focus on the real estate sector. Real estate finance practice head Devreaux Gravell has a wealth of experience acting on both lender and borrower-side bilateral and syndicated transactions. The arrival of Tom Berisford from Osborne Clarke LLP in September 2023 bolstered the team at partner level, while legal director Susan Mitchell joined from Charles Russell Speechlys LLP in the same month.

Recommended for its ‘great breadth of expertise’, Cripps is home to a banking and finance practice group which is adept at advising both borrowers and lenders on all forms of financing including acquisition finance, asset finance and real estate finance work. Experienced banking and finance practitioner Craig Bowers is recommended for his ‘excellent service’ and jointly spearheads the practice in conjunction with Noel Ruddy, who is a specialist for receivables finance matters, and Dawn Shadwell, who is praised as an ‘attentive listener who is willing to explore a range of solutions where possible and assess the relevant risks’, and lends her expertise to asset based lending, invoice finance and acquisition finance mandates. Julie Hughes is notable for acquisition finance work, particularly on behalf of real estate borrower clients, while Victoria Symons is an expert in funds matters.

Field Seymour Parkes LLP routinely handles a broad range of work including corporate finance, acquisition finance, private equity and project finance mandates across the real estate, motor manufacturing and technology sectors. Practice head Alex Illingworth predominantly acts for major clearing banks, private investors and corporate clients on the full range of complex financing facilities. Legal director Daniel Barnhouse devotes much of his practice to representing bank lender clients and private equity houses, alongside other institutional investors.

Gateley Legal has a strong private equity and acquisition finance practice, acting for many of the major regional sponsors on a broad range of transactions. The group is also adept at both corporate banking and real estate finance work, acting for banks and corporate borrowers in the space. Patrick Long heads up the team based in Reading, garnering praise as ‘an excellent banking lawyer with first-class networking and communication skills’. Anna Mayfield is a key contact as the national head, while Rebecca North advises on leveraged transactions and commercial and corporate lending, as well as real estate finance mandates.

Paris Smith LLP splits its banking and finance department across acquisition finance, property finance and project and asset finance teams. Acting for retail banking groups, house builders and developers on real estate finance-related work is a core pillar of the ‘very efficient’ group’s practice, as well as advising UK clearing and challenger banks on leveraged finance issues, debt facilities and working capital facilities. Practice head James McNeil is a key name for all aspects of acquisition, asset, project and property finance transactions. Jonathan Roy has a wealth of experience in M&A and private equity transactions and specialises in acquisition finance mandates.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is known in the marketplace for providing specialist advice to clearing and overseas banks on the full range of project, real estate and leveraged finance issues. Recognised for his ‘clear, commercial advice and guidance’, John Chater heads up the practice group and routinely dispenses advice to commercial banks, specialist debt funds and alternative lenders on acquisition finance, leverage finance, real estate investment finance, development finance, loan servicing and general corporate banking matters. Andrew Rushfirth is another important port of call and acts on a broad range of lender and borrower-side mandates.

Trethowans LLP‘s team of ‘genuine banking and finance specialists’ draws on the wider expertise of the firm’s real estate, corporate, agricultural, and insolvency teams to provide a comprehensive service across acquisition finance, development finance, receivables and asset based lending, debt restructuring and Islamic finance mandates. The ‘outstanding’ Steve Cole lends his expertise to complex commercial and property finance matters, as well as Islamic compliant funding structures. Nick Gent is an important port of call for the entire gamut of corporate finance work.

Clarke Willmott LLP is equally adept advising both lenders and borrowers and places particular emphasis on work arising out of the healthcare and real estate sectors. Contentious banking and finance matters, including the mis-selling of interest rate derivatives and LIBOR rigging, is a key specialism of the ‘very professional’ team. Corporate banking head and health care sector expert Rich Eldridge is a key name for loan, security and inter-creditor arrangements. Joseph Campbell leads on the real estate finance front and lends his expertise to all aspects of secured lending real estate work.

Thomson Snell & Passmore acts for lenders and borrowers alike on the full suite of financing transactions including secured lending structures and asset finance, project finance and acquisition finance mandates, as well as loan note structures and deferred consideration arrangements. Joanne Gallagher and Matthew Grogan jointly lead the practice.