Clare Gregory > Clarke Willmott LLP > Cardiff, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile

While it remains best-known for its financing prowess in the social housing sector, Clarke Willmott LLP also handles a considerable volume of more conventional commercial property mandates and was recently strengthened, particularly for developer work, by the arrival of Julia Morris  from Le Gros Solicitors Limited in November 2022. Clare Gregory  is one of the principal contacts for work in the space, including as it relates to acquisition and disposals (including exclusivity agreements, promotion agreements and option agreements), joint venture and collaboration agreements.

The ‘brilliant’ team at Clarke Willmott LLP provides a ‘very efficient’ service to a range of stakeholders on housing management, property and development matters, as well as its core specialism in relation to social housing finance. Drawing upon a ‘great deal of knowledge of lender requirements’, team head Vicky Kells  is effectively able to advise housing associations on the relevant due diligence required for securing loan facilities, as well as in the context of private placements. Drawing upon his expertise of acting for both lenders and borrowers, the ‘very knowledgeable and personable’ Fraser MacRae has an excellent perspective of what is acceptable to both parties when negotiating loan facilities (bilateral and syndicated) and bond issuances. Outside of the financing arena, commercial property partner Clare Gregory handles a considerable volume of transactional property work in the space, including on acquisitions and disposals, as well as development work.