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Addleshaw Goddard LLP maintains a strong reputation, recently picking up new clients Canada Life and Credit Suisse. Work highlights included advising KCOM Group on its £200m facilities with a group of banks including Barclays Corporate, Lloyds TSB, HSBC and RBS. It also advised HSBS in connection with facilities made available to a newco backed by LDC to acquire Xirtam Group. David Handy oversees the department.

The team at DLA Piper UK LLP is ‘very experienced and hugely commercial in its approach’. In addition to the refinancing and restructuring work dominating the market, the team has been active in MBO financings, mixed debt and bond financings, project finance and some structured property finance. It recently advised on a loan to part-fund the £75m secondary buyout of Allied Glass Holdings by Barclays Private Equity and management and to provide working capital facilities. Sarah Day heads the team, and has an excellent reputation in the market.

Eversheds LLP continues to advise large plc borrowers and banks, often on an international basis. Recent instructions include a number of high-profile leveraged transactions including ‘new-to-market’ deals and complex local and national restructurings. Among its highlights was its advice to RBS on the facility renewal and refinancing of equipment rental specialist VP. Jason Wurzal and Kathryn Walters are the key contacts.

Under the leadership of John Cleland, Pinsent Masons LLP continues to act on significant transactions, including advising a syndicate of banks on revolving credit facilities for KCOM. It also advised Babcock Pension Trust on a longevity swap with Credit Suisse; and Barclays Private Equity on the debt aspects of the secondary MBO of Allied Glass.

Squire Sanders Hammonds provides ‘good value’ and a ‘good service’. 2010 saw a steady flow of activity for the team, with significant highlights including acting for Phoenix Equity Partners on the MBO of Andrew Page, involving facilities totalling £48m. Simon Owen is ‘very practical, pragmatic and client focused’.

Michael Taylor heads the practice at Walker Morris, which works closely with the firm’s cross-departmental property finance team. Alongside a number of refinancings, restructurings and reorganisations, the team advised Crédit Agricole Commercial Finance in structuring and providing substantial facilities to support the acquisition of WaverleyTBS from Heineken by Manfield Partners. Other clients include Lloyds and Dyson.

Cobbetts LLP continues to impress with its ‘extremely professional service’. It was recently reappointed to Barclays Bank’s lending services panel, and recent instructions include advising RBS in relation to the MBO by two previous divisions of Flow Group, showcasing the team’s cross-border capabilities. Chris Ramage heads the department.

Nabarro LLP recently recruited Dean Gormley from Halliwells as head of its practice, and is noted for its ‘in-depth knowledge’. The team was instructed by PH Investments on the negotiation of funding documents relating to the site acquisition and development of a GP surgery and pharmacy. Ben Hendry is ‘very commercial’ and ‘superb in negotiations’.

Led by Christian Hunt, Clarion’s clients include HSBC, which recently appointed the firm to its commercial panel. It also acted for Co-operative Bank in relation to the provision of acquisition finance for the buyout of British Thornton Direct.

Gordons LLP is a ‘high-class firm that delivers what clients want’ and sits on the panels of a number of banks including HSBC, RBS, Bank of Ireland, and Santander. Practice head Paddy Sturman is ‘a great banking lawyer’ whose ‘best skill is creativity in solving problems’.

Irwin Mitchell LLP’s team is led by James Bullock, a ‘valued business partner’ who is ‘excellent at finding solutions in an efficient manner’. Recent mandates include acting for Clydesdale on the £16m funding of a major property development.

Lupton Fawcett LLP’s team comprises lawyers from the firm’s property and corporate departments, with sector expertise including health and social care. Bob Harrap is the key partner contact.

Andrew Jackson acts for a mix of UK and overseas banks. Clients value the team’s ‘approachability’ and ‘commercial advice’.

HLW Commercial Lawyers LLP’s practice is led by Roger Dyson. It advises clients including Santander, Lloyds and Bank of Ireland.

Keeble Hawson’s ‘strong and proactive’ practice is particularly active in venture capital finance and fund work.

The Needle Partnership LLP advises in all areas of banking law, with particular expertise in Islamic finance.

Rollits LLP advises banks and businesses on secured lending and other matters. Richard Field ‘provides good-quality support’.

Wake Smith & Tofields’ clients include Yorkshire Bank and HSBC. John Baddeley is the key contact.

Ward Hadaway recently secured a number of panel appointments following the addition of Nick Bell in 2010 from Pinsent Masons LLP.

Watson Burton LLP regularly handles matters including transactional corporate finance funding and large-scale development funding. Key clients include Lloyds TSB, HSBC and RBS.

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