Hugh James has excellent traction among UK clearing banks, alternative financiers as well as private and public sector borrowers, ensuring that it has good insight on behalf of clients as debtors and creditors across a range of new money and refinancing matters. Team head Dominic Marshall is well-versed on bilateral and syndicated financing structures to facilitate a range of activity, including for M&A, general corporate lending and real estate purposes. Rowena Downie handles a significant amount of the day-to-day work for core client Metro Bank, and is in more general terms noted for her skill at handling public sector-related financings as well as financings to facilitate renewable energy projects.

Led out of Cardiff but regularly working as part of a cohesive nationwide team alongside its growing London office, Acuity Law is best known for its work for funders and borrowers in relation to commercial real estate projects. Christopher Agius has, over many years in practice, developed strong ties with lenders, regularly advising them on the funding arrangements on new money deals, as well as in an insolvency setting with regard to “bad book” arrangements. Stephen Morris also regularly handles financing work as part of his broad real estate practice, while the ‘very client-focused’ Beverley Jones is the key contact for more general corporate lending matters.

Acting on its own as well as, should the need arise, alongside practitioners from the firm’s offices in south-east England, the ‘knowledgeable and commercially minded’ team at Blake Morgan LLP regularly advises banks/alternative lenders and private/public sector borrowers on local and UK-wide financings. Team head Paul Duggan is across most of the highest-profile work, offering a versatile service to lenders providing funding and borrowers seeking finance for the purposes of working capital, for event-driven financings and refinancings. Clients are reassured by Duggan’s knowledge of different financing techniques throughout the capital structure, ensuring that he is able to provide the most appropriate finance package for each transaction.

Although it does handle some corporate lending, the majority of Clarke Willmott LLP‘s financings relate to the real estate sector. Here the work is split between social housing and commercial property matters, with instructions coming from both lenders and borrowers. ‘Outstanding’ team head Fraser MacRae is very skilled at handling secured lending for banks and housing associations, including on the provision of revolving credit facilities and private placement bond issuances. In addition, MacRae has niche experience in relation to education finance. Bethan Evans also handles some social housing finance work, but is best-known for her work in relation to property development finance, including within the healthcare sector.

Forming a part of the firm’s overarching business services team, which is led by William Barletta, Morgan LaRoche handles a range of finance work for both creditors and debtors. Drawing upon additional resources from the firm’s real estate offering, the team is best-equipped to handle property finance, including for registered social landlords seeking finance for social housing purposes.