Capital Law Limited has a ‘wide knowledge of financial transactions’ for a balanced roster of lenders and borrowers. Reshma Jogia leads the firm’s corporate banking offering which has expertise advising stakeholders throughout the capital structure and continues to pick up financing work from the firm’s growing private equity client base on their investments. Consultant Huw Thomas is well-versed in commercial property finance mandates, while Rachel Hillier takes the lead on financial regulatory matters, including advice to fintech providers.
Banking and finance in Wales
Capital Law Limited
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Testimonials
‘Wide knowledge of financial transactions, specifically for us being able to understand the additional implications of charity law and factor this into their advice.’
‘Reshma Jogia and Chris Lewis have assisted us on a number of financial transactions. They are notable for a thoroughness and attention to detail.’
Key clients
Tai Calon Community Housing Limited
Julian Hodge Bank Limited
Ascona Group Holdings Ltd
Development Bank of Wales
HSBC UK Bank plc
Wales Council for Voluntary Action
WestBridge Fund Managers Limited
Insurami Finance Ltd
Work highlights
- Advised a fast growing roadside retail specialist on its funding requirements through a number of significant expansion focused projects.
- Advising Hodge on its development loan facilities to Morgan Developments Wales Limited to fund the phase 1 development of 15 houses in the village of Llanon, Ceredigion and to finance the acquisition of the land for their intended phase 2 development for an additional nine houses to be constructed at the site.
- Providing continued advice to WestBridge in connection with the variation to its £9.6m senior facilities agreement with Shawbrook Bank to deal with a switch from LIBOR benchmark to a SONIA-based interest rate.
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP
Under the leadership of the 'commercial and pragmatic' Joanne Canning , Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP has cultivated very strong relationships with a range of lenders including traditional clearing banks, as well as alternative capital providers. The scope of the work is broad and includes new money mandates, as well as refinancings and traverses through the capital structure. Property finance is a particular strength with the firm handling mandates throughout the UK including a recent complex lender-side engagement to fund the acquisition and development of a purpose built student accommodation project in Scotland. Senior associate Melissa Hellio has gained an excellent lender-side perspective as a result of several bank secondments during her time at the firm, experiences which she deploys to good effect in relation to both real estate and corporate lending transactions.
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Testimonials
‘Joanne Canning is commercial and pragmatic.’
Key clients
Barclays Bank
HSBC Bank
Royal Bank of Scotland
Santander UK
Maslow Capital
QSix Real Estate Finance
ABC International Bank
Bank Leumi (UK) Plc
Homes England
Work highlights
Geldards LLP
Geldards LLP provides a 'very customer-focused service' to lenders and borrowers across a range of regional and UK-wide transactions, including in the context of development and acquisition finance. Under the leadership of the 'very responsive' Karl Baranski, the team has, however, gained most visibility for its finance work for public sector clients, including Warrington Borough Council, which the team continues to advise on the financing of a £35m solar plant and batter storage facility.
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Andrew Morris; Mike Jeffs; Adam Thomas ; Alex Butler ; Harriet Morgan ; Ewelina Wagiel
Testimonials
‘The service provided to us is very customer focused and provided with excellent diligence.’
‘They provide a prompt and professional service.’
Key clients
Warrington Borough Council
Newport Transport Limited
Development Bank of Wales
Santander UK plc
Lloyds Bank plc
Handelsbanken
Principality Building Society
Kingdom Bank
Work highlights
- Advised Warrington Borough Council on the financing of a £35m solar plant and batter storage facility.
- Advised Newport Transport on the financing of an electric bus fleet and infrastructure.
- Advised Development Bank of Wales in relation to a debt and equity investment of a transport logistics company based in Pontypool.
Hugh James
Often handing the financing requirements for many of the firm's institutional corporate clients, including the Welsh Rugby Union and Celtic Manor, and also drawing upon strong lender ties with both challenger and clearing banks (including Metro and Lloyds Bank), Hugh James has an excellent perspective from both sides of the table on local and UK-wide transactions. 'Responsive and commercial' team head Dominic Marshall has vast experience handling bilateral and syndicated financing arrangements from a working capital and event-driven perspective and has also been very active of late advising on Covid-related CLBILS loans and RLS loans. Rowena Downie is also a key member of the team and is now responsible for leading on the finance work for the firm's roster of social housing clients following Robert Morgan's recent retirement. Kelly Davies is the key contact for real estate finance.
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Testimonials
‘Dominic Marshall is quick, effective and takes a commercial viewpoint not just the least risky standpoint.’
Key clients
Metro Bank
Arbuthnot Latham
Welsh Government
Development Bank for Wales
HSBC Bank
Lloyds Banking Group
NatWest
Welsh Rugby Union
Hodge Bank
FEI Foods Limited
Work highlights
- Advised the Welsh government on the provision of debt finance to the Newport Bus Company to assist with the electrification of the company’s bus fleet.
- Advised Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association on new debt facilities provided by THFC (The Housing Finance Corporation Limited) by way of an aggregator facility funded through a private placement.
- Advising a start-up bank on its lending documentation and its saving terms and conditions.
Acuity Law
The ‘strong and well-balanced‘ team at Acuity Law provides ‘technically and commercially astute’ advice to a fairly balanced mix of borrowers and lenders across a range of transactions, including in corporate, project and asset finance settings. On the lender side, the firm has particularly strong ties with a number of specialist lenders/building societies and is regularly engaged across a range of real estate finance mandates. ‘Approachable’ team head Beverley Jones takes the lead on many of the most significant mandates and as well as her real estate finance expertise, is also well-versed in advising on healthcare-related finance transactions. The arrival of Christopher Agius enhances the team’s real estate finance credentials, in particular, following his arrival from Capital Law Limited in September 2021.
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Steve Morris; Sam Clarke; Edward Finley; Damien Cann; James Kilgour ; Christopher Agius ; Cassian Goode
Testimonials
‘They offer value with specialist advice at reasonable rates.’
‘A strong well balanced team of lawyers.’
‘Technically and commercially astute – understand that there are risks in many deals but that there are often ways of mitigating and minimising those risks to an acceptable level.’
‘Beverley Jones is approachable and displays an open, honest and clear approach.’
Key clients
Bluestone Resorts Wales Limited
OakNorth Bank plc
IQE plc
LifeCare Residences Limited
Principality Building Society
Warwick Capital Partners
Hodge Bank
Development Bank of Wales
Secure Trust Bank
Work highlights
- Advising Principality Building Society in connection with its involvement in funding the development of The Mill, Cardiff, an ambitious £100m residential led urban regeneration project on the site of an old paper mill.
Blake Morgan LLP
Blake Morgan LLP's 'knowledgeable' team displays a 'sureness of touch' on behalf of a range of borrowers and lenders which has been cultivated as a result of longstanding involvement in many high-profile Wales-based debt finance mandates, including within the healthcare and hospitality sectors. A 'consummate professional', team head Paul Duggan has been pivotal to the firm's success in the area and regularly advises core lender clients including Development Bank of Wales, as well as many of the firm's social housing clients on the debtor side.
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Testimonials
‘Blake Morgan is home to a comprehensive and knowledgeable team with a longstanding reputation and a sureness of touch which inspires confidence.’
‘Paul Duggan is the consummate professional and we have not yet come across an issue where he cannot provide a sensible solution.’
Key clients
HSBC
National Westminster Bank
Zip World
Cyden Limited / iPulse Limited
Julian Hodge Bank
Development Bank of Wales
Metro Bank Plc
Caredig (previously Family Housing Association)
Grwp Cynefin
ClwydAlyn Housing
Santander UK Plc
Investec Bank Plc
Vista Retail Support Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Metro Bank on the management and development of, and ongoing updates to, the Metro suite of loan and security documentation and administration of the Metro extranet containing loan, security and other transaction documentation.
- Advised Grŵp Cynefin on an award of funding for a housing development site.
- Advised ClwydAlyn Housing Limited on an award of funding for the collaborative scheme with Grŵp Cynefin and a further award of funding for a separate site for a housing development site.
Clarke Willmott LLP
Clarke Willmott LLP's Cardiff office has a niche focus on social housing finance, including development funding. Team head Fraser MacRae has a balanced practice that sees him advising both borrowers and lenders across a wide range of secured funding, including in the context of syndicated loans and bond issuances. Bethan Evans is also recommended.
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Morgan LaRoche
While it lacks a standalone banking practice, the business services and property/projects teams at Morgan LaRoche regularly handle finance mandates for lenders and borrowers, including for many of the firm's registered social landlord clients. William Barletta is the main contact.
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