United Kingdom > North West > Finance
Banking and finance
Banking and finance
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- Addleshaw Goddard LLP Manchester
- DLA Piper UK LLP Manchester, Liverpool
- Eversheds LLP Manchester
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- Pinsent Masons LLP Manchester
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- DWF LLP Liverpool, Manchester
- Squire Sanders Hammonds Manchester
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- Brabners Chaffe Street LLP Liverpool,Manchester
- Cobbetts LLP Manchester
- Hill Dickinson LLP Liverpool, Manchester
- McGrigors LLP Manchester
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- Gateley Manchester
- Pannone LLP Manchester
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- George Davies Solicitors LLP Manchester
- Kuit Steinart Levy LLP Manchester
- Weightmans LLP Liverpool, Manchester
Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s three-partner team has deeply entrenched relationships with a strong cadre of lender clients including Barclays, HSBC and Santander. The ‘accessible and sensible’ Martin O’Shea is ‘one of the best banking lawyers in the region’, and advised Lloyds on providing the financing on LGV’s acquisition of Snow + Rock: one of the few leveraged finance deals completed in 2010 in the region. ‘One of the most technically respected lawyers in the North’, Amanda Gray is also recommended for corporate banking and real estate financings.
DLA Piper UK LLP’s ‘highly responsive’ three-partner team provides ‘sensible and insightful advice’ to an increasingly balanced array of banks and corporates. The firm is on the panels of all the clearing banks, and, despite a paucity of new-money deals, acted for Barclays as lead bank in the syndicated financing provided to the management team on the buyout of Total Fitness, led by the ‘personable and professional’ Matthew Christmas. Refinancings have accounted for many of the team’s mandates, most notably Matalan’s £525m refinancing and bond issuance. Hans Scheiwiller is recommended for real estate finance.
Leveraging off an impressive corporate client base, Eversheds LLP is best known for its borrower-side financing capability, and has started to pick up some new-money deals, such as advising Bodycote International plc on its £110m syndicated finance agreement with a related accordion facility of £15m. On the bank side, the group has an excellent reputation for invoice finance and asset-based lending, with the ‘able and amenable’ Simon Prendergast particularly well regarded.
Led by the ‘user-friendly’ Matt Morgan, Pinsent Masons LLP provides ‘robust and commercially focused advice’ to an expanding portfolio of banks including Barclays, HSBC and Lloyds. Particularly accomplished in real estate finance, its credentials were recently underscored by its representation of HSBC on the provision of a £90m loan to MGP Harbour Exchange II for the purchase of Exchange Tower in the Isle of Dogs, London. The group regularly combines with the corporate team on leveraged finance transactions.
Although it lacks the deeply entrenched banking relationships of some of its peers, the recruitment in August 2010 of the ‘approachable and dependable’ Jonathan Edwards from Squire Sanders Hammonds was a major boost for DWF LLP. Edwards advised Yorkshire Bank on the £22m MBI of Dunham Leisure. The firm also has a strong asset finance capability, with the ‘very knowledgeable’ Tony Bochenski well regarded.
Weakened somewhat by the loss of Jonathan Edwards to DWF LLP, Squire Sanders Hammonds’ team is undergoing a period of consolidation. Team head Claire Shepherd handles a range of instructions from banks and corporates such as the Stobart Group, which she advised on its ten-year £100m financing by the Prudential Fund. Senior associate Graham Ball has handled a number of mandates for RBS, and is praised for the ‘clarity of his advice’.
Brabners Chaffe Street LLP’s five-partner banking team, across Manchester and Liverpool, provides a ‘good service’ to a lender-focused client roster that includes Lloyds, RBS and Santander. Team head Tony Harper has an excellent reputation for corporate finance and, along with Charlotte Round, recently advised a major bank on the acquisition finance facilities provided to a healthcare provider.
Led by Paul Brown, Cobbetts LLP’s three-partner team provides ‘fast and pragmatic advice’ to a strong roster of banking clients across a range of financing activity. ‘Very knowledgeable and easy to deal with’, Richard Berry is particularly accomplished in property finance, and recently advised the Co-operative Bank on the financing for the redevelopment of Lewis’s Department Store in Liverpool.
Bolstered by the arrival of Richard Capper and Beverley Bentley from Halliwells in July 2010, Hill Dickinson LLP is able to provide a ‘strong service’ across a range of financings out of Liverpool and Manchester. The team is gaining increasing market share, and was included on Nationwide Building Society’s rationalised panel, among other panel appointments.
Headed by Samantha Rollason, McGrigors LLP’s nascent group has been particularly active in renewable energy projects for banks and borrowers. The team was also involved in the refinancing/restructuring of £600m-plus of real estate debt in 2010.
At Gateley, Susan Molloy heads a two-partner team advising an impressive banking client roster including AIB, HSBC and Yorkshire Bank.
At Pannone LLP, Rob Fawke has ‘excellent all-round knowledge’ and is an integral member of a team with a strong lender-side client roster; panel appointments include Lloyds, HSBC and Santander.
George Davies Solicitors LLP was recently bolstered by the arrival of Shaun Rearden from Cobbetts LLP.
Kuit Steinart Levy LLP’s team head George MacMillan is recommended for real estate financing.
Weightmans LLP’s practice head Mike Yardley is recommended.
Insolvency and corporate recovery
Insolvency and corporate recovery
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1
- Addleshaw Goddard LLP Manchester
- DLA Piper UK LLP Liverpool, Manchester
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2
- Eversheds LLP Manchester
- Pinsent Masons LLP Manchester
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3
- Cobbetts LLP Manchester
- DWF LLP Liverpool Manchester
- Gateley Manchester
- Hill Dickinson LLP Liverpool, Manchester
- Squire Sanders Hammonds Manchester
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- Bermans Manchester
- George Davies Solicitors LLP Manchester
- Kennedys Manchester
- Pannone LLP Manchester
- Turner Parkinson LLP Manchester
- Weightmans LLP Liverpool, Manchester
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- Aaron & Partners LLP Chester
- Brabners Chaffe Street LLP Liverpool
- Freeth Cartwright LLP Manchester
- Gorvins Stockport
- Irwin Mitchell LLP Manchester
- JMW Solicitors LLP Manchester
- Laytons Manchester
- Nexus Solicitors Manchester
John Joyce’s three-partner team at Addleshaw Goddard LLP acts for the majority of the main banks including Barclays and HSBC, as well as IPs such as Grant Thornton and Deloitte, and provides an ‘exceptional service’.
Ged Barnes has an excellent reputation, and in 2010 advised on some of the region’s highest-profile mandates including the administrations of Ethel Austin Investment Properties, and Thompson (Blackpool) Limited. The recently promoted Sonia McMahon is ‘a credit to the firm’, and specialises in the employment aspects of insolvency.
Bolstered by the arrival of Robert Russell from Leeds firm Walker Morris, DLA Piper UK LLP’s three-partner team focuses on the creditor side and excels at big-ticket restructurings and insolvencies. On the panels of all the UK clearing banks, and renowned for its asset-based lending expertise, it successfully brought the high-profile Zavvi administration to a conclusion, a matter led by John Vickery. Martin Keates heads the team and has an excellent reputation for high-profile restructurings, such as his work for Barclays and KPMG, as administrator, on Total Fitness’ pre-packaged sale.
At Eversheds LLP, David Gray is the sole partner in the team and is at the forefront of its most significant mandates, including advising the Co-Operative Bank on the restructuring and solvent sale of Sheffield Wednesday FC. ‘Technically strong and robust’ senior associate Michelle Shean advised KPMG as administrator on the sale of Antler Luggage to a newco backed by LDC.
Benefiting from panel relationships with four of the largest UK clearing banks, Pinsent Masons LLP is regularly involved in significant restructurings and insolvencies in the region. Led by Jamie White, the team has also handled a raft of pensions-related restructuring matters, such as advising the trustees of the Singer & Friedlander Pension Scheme on litigation arising out of the collapse of Icelandic bank Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander.
At Cobbetts LLP, team head Sean McGrath handles property finance restructurings and insolvencies for a number of banks including the Co-operative Bank and Bank of Ireland. A recent arrival from
Instructed by an even mix of IPs and banks, DWF LLP is ‘commercially realistic and proactive’ and was significantly strengthened by the hire of the ‘client-focused’ Gavin Jones from Halliwells. Jones’ arrival has already started to pay dividends, and the team recently gained some notable panel appointments, including the Lloyds Banking Group panel for corporate insolvency and distressed real estate. Praised for his ‘wealth of knowledge and experience’, Andrew Gregory is also recommended, as is James Szerdy, who has ‘strong connections in the motor and real estate industries’.
Gateley inherited much of Halliwells’ insolvency team, although it remains to be seen whether it can build up the same level of banking panel appointments at the new firm. Andrew Buchanan is recommended across a broad array of matters, including distressed M&A.
Hill Dickinson LLP’s Liverpool office was strengthened by the arrival of Paul Spence from Halliwells. Spence and his team’s arrival has strengthened the firm’s lender-side practice, with clients such as Bank of Ireland and Anglo Irish Bank coming with him. In Manchester, Jeremy Reilly is the lynchpin of the group, and successfully picked up Zolfo Cooper as a new client.
Susan Kelly heads Squire Sanders Hammonds’ practice nationally as well as in Manchester. With a broad level of expertise advising banks, ABLs and accountancy firms, the Manchester team is particularly strong in pensions-related matters, and a multi-disciplinary team of eight lawyers recently advised the trustees and administrators of First City’s pension scheme on its defined benefit scheme deficit and insolvency recovery options. The team also has particular expertise in distressed property matters.
Finance firm Bermans has a good reputation in the market, and is instructed by IPs and ABLs.
At George Davies Solicitors LLP, Mark Hovell has particular strength in sports-related insolvencies, and has been involved in some 50 football club insolvencies/restructurings.
Kennedys’ nascent practice has rapidly picked up market share under Gareth Dodds, who is ‘one of the best insolvency practitioners around’. Active in both contentious and non-contentious matters, the team acts for most of the local IPs and accountants, and also benefits from the firm’s panel appointments with lenders including AIB and RBS Invoice Finance.
Headed by Richard Glithero, Pannone LLP has an ‘excellent reputation for acting as a team to deliver solutions’, advising a raft of IPs and a growing cadre of lender clients. ‘A top guy to have in your corner’, Richard Drinkwater is also recommended, as is Dylan Quail.
At Turner Parkinson LLP, department head Mark Lund has an excellent reputation in both contentious and non-contentious matters.
Recently enhanced by the firm’s merger with Mace & Jones, Weightmans LLP’s team advises a robust mix of banks and IPs including Bank of Ireland, PKF and Baker Tilly. Dominic Vincent and Michael Green are recommended.
The ‘practical and incisive’ Nick Clarke at Aaron & Partners LLP is noted for insolvency litigation.
Brabners Chaffe Street LLP’s Paul Lunt ‘understands the law and gets results’.
The ‘technical and commercial’ Joey Byrne is recommended at Freeth Cartwright LLP.
The team at Gorvins is ‘strong and knowledgeable’.
Chris Jones at Irwin Mitchell LLP is ‘knowledgeable and experienced’.
Practice head Richard Wolff at JMW Solicitors LLP added to his nascent department with the addition of associate Hannah Wightman from Halliwells.
Laytons acts for a range of IPs and directors.
Andrew Tonge at Nexus Solicitors is recommended.