The Legal 500

United Kingdom > London > Real estate > Social housing: finance

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Index of tables

  1. Social housing: finance
  2. Leading individuals

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is ‘the law firm of choice’ for social housing finance. It advises on ALMO transfers, and ISDA and LSVT transactions, and recently acted on a three-layered secured loan facility. It acts extensively for Yorkshire Building Society. National head of banking Richard Papworth is recommended, as is social housing team head Lee Shankland, who has a ‘pragmatic, commercial’ approach. Knowledgeable legal director Nick Barlow is also recommended.

Clifford Chance’s ‘proactive’ team ‘has its finger on the pulse’ of the sector. It advises funders on facilities and reorganisations, and recently advised Genesis Security Trust Structure on a £1bn loan facility. The ‘excellentRobert Smith heads the team, and Ruby Giblin and Despina Pantelia are ‘first class’.

Devonshires advises on private placement and own-name bond issues for housing associations, with recent work including Circle Anglia Group’s £124m tap issue. Practice head Andrew Cowan is ‘a mine of useful information’. He and Julian Barker are outstanding.

Trowers & Hamlins LLP’s ‘strong’ and ‘sensible’ team advised London & Quadrant Housing Trust on its £300m bond issue. The Housing Finance Corporation Limited exclusively instructs the team in relation to its loan portfolio and funding arrangements. Practice head Adrian Carter is highly regarded, and is recommended along with Ralph Picken. Anna Clark joined from Winckworth Sherwood.

Winckworth Sherwood advised Alie Street LLP on a £100m development joint venture, and is advising on drawing down the loan. It advised Genesis Housing Group on property aspects of its £250m own-name bond issue. Housing Solutions, Howard Cottage and Notting Hill Housing Trust are new clients. New practice head Louise Lever joined from Clifford Chance, and is ‘commercially and legally astute’. New partner Patricia Umunna is also recommended.

Allen & Overy LLP’s ‘exceptional’ bond issue practice represents arrangers, trustees and bookrunners. It advised TradeRisks on its novel secured bond joint issue for Circle Anglia Social Housing plc. Geoff Fuller, Simon Hill and Greg Brown are recommended.

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP advises on ‘a wide range of issues’. It acted for the HCA on mezzanine finance facilities for the Clapham One project, and advised Notting Hill Housing Association on private sector guarantor and joint venture provisions. Former practice head Simon Kildahl moved to Simmons & Simmons in May 2011.

Norton Rose LLP’s team ‘engenders trust and respect’. It is advising Scottish & Southern Energy plc on its solar panel joint venture, and advised Hyde Housing Association Limited and Brent Co-Efficient on the Brent Social Housing PFI project phases one and two. David Coulter and Richard Hill are recommended.

Stephenson Harwood is advising Gentoo Housing Group on the ‘Gentoo Genie’ purchase scheme, and advised Lloyds TSB on a £120m loan utilising a SPV treasury vehicle. Practice head Natalie Elphicke and rising star Kate Higgins are recommended.

Clarke Willmott LLP was appointed by Paradigm Housing Group and The Guinness Partnership to undertake charging work. It also acts for venture capital firm M3. Anne Hayward heads the team.

Eversheds LLP acted for Places for People on a $165m private placement and £25m loan facility. Other clients include Lloyds TSB, Nationwide and Barclays. Philip Vaughan heads the team.

Wragge & Co LLP advised Sanctuary Housing Association on its £120m tap issue, and acted for US investors on a $200m note issue by Places for People. Paula Laird heads the team.

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to