The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > Yorkshire And The Humber > Banking and finance

Addleshaw Goddard fields a broad and varied banking team, sitting on all major clearing bank panels and handling corporate, real estate and leveraged financing matters. The lender-focused practice is led by David Handy, who advises on high-value national and international lending agreements. He is supported by Andrew Fordham, who has particular expertise in working with private equity and debt funds; and managing associate Thomas Ward. The team also features social housing finance specialist Lee Shankland, Nick Barlow, who primarily works with funders on housebuilding projects; and consultant Jenny Cromack, who combines expertise in corporate and real estate financing matters. Managing associate Geoffrey McGinley continues to be highly regarded for his housing finance work.

DLA Piper has a proven track record across all financing work, encompassing debt finance work, acquisition and leveraged financing matters and asset-based lending issues, acting for national and international banks and other financial institutions. The practice is active across the region and nationally with further established capabilities in cross-border mandates. The practice also has dedicated real estate and project financing teams; the real estate group is led by Kirstie Allerton, who is joint practice head of the wider department alongside Sarah Day and Anna Robson, who handle major corporate financing matters on a national basis. Senior associate Laura Gordon takes the lead on project financing matters, primarily in the energy and infrastructure spheres.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP advises on a range of financing matters, encompassing loan facilities, leveraged finance work and investment-grade lending matters for national clearing banks. The team also advises high-profile corporates and challenger banks in Yorkshire, and also leads on complex national and cross-border transactions for borrowers and lenders. Practice head Kathryn Walters is an established expert in asset-based financings, notably structured invoice discounting, while Paul Castle specialises in education finance work acting for banks, universities and other education providers. David Parry works closely with the firm's national banking clients.

Walker Morris LLP acts on high-value financing matters for major banks and corporates, handling national and international mandates from the firm's single office in Leeds. The team advises on financing issues for international investors active in the UK, syndicated loan facilities, real estate financing work and private equity acquisitions for clients in the real estate, logistics, and food sectors. Practice head Michael Taylor focuses on corporate banking and acquisitions finance issues, with Peter Considine working on debt and equity instruments, alternative financing work and cross-border matters.

Clarion specialises in regional asset-based lending and bridging finance work for corporates and property companies; it is also acting for a growing number of secondary lenders and alternative finance providers, as well as clearing banks and private equity funds. Practice head Marie Pugh focuses on real estate and development finance work for lender and borrower clients, supported by legal director Phillip Dine; and Ben Slack takes the lead on asset-based lending work. Senior associate Andrea Unwin joined the team in late 2019 from Squire Patton Boggs, bringing experience in corporate banking and structured finance mandates

Irwin Mitchell handles a combination of national and regional financing matters from its Sheffield and Leeds offices, acting for major banks and corporate borrowers. Highlights include acquisitions, private equity transactions and construction financing work including secured and asset-based lending mandates. The practice is led by Paddy Sturman, who primarily acts on real estate matters for major bank lenders.

Squire Patton Boggs has notable strength in acquisition finance work and has handled a number of cross-border mandates, which leverage the firm's global platform. Practice co-heads Tom Telford and Nick Bell are active on corporate and real estate financing work respectively, acting for major national banks, international investors and private equity funds on a range of M&A transactions, equity investments and property developments. Jeremy Ladyman is a key contact for financial services work including derivatives, treasury issues and investment management matters for pension trustees and investment funds.

John Connor heads up the practice at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP, which focuses on real estate, corporate and public sector financing work with matters including commercial and residential development projects, loan restructurings and refinancing matters. The team works on a regional and national basis, with clients spanning major banks including HSBC and Santander, national and regional housebuilders, and several public sector and charitable organisations in Yorkshire and beyond. The practice also actively contributes to the thought leadership relating to consumer and business banking issues.

Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is active in corporate lending, energy infrastructure, agriculture and ship financing matters across East and North Yorkshire for borrower and lender clients. A particular area of interest is offshore wind mandates, with the team involved in several international financing projects in Singapore, Vietnam and China. The practice is led by banking head Nick Scott, shipping specialist Andrew Oliver, York-based head of agriculture Helen Mellors, and Paul Barker, who works on property finance matters.

Schofield Sweeney focuses on providing lender-side advice to national clearing banks as well as challenger banks, with particular expertise in secured lending for real estate finance purposes. Manjit Virdee leads the practice, which also advises banks on development and restructuring matters regionally and across the UK, alongside assisting the firm's commercial property team with transactional work.

Shoosmiths LLP is active in a range of financing matters, with a particular focus on property finance issues through practice head Tim McNamara. The team acts for major banks, regional and national property developers, and corporates, with recent work including student housing and care home developments, telecoms financing matters and syndicated loans. The practice is expanding its presence in Leeds and across the region, with financial services lawyer Debra Cooper and real estate-focused senior associate Emma Bissett joining from Squire Patton Boggs in mid-2020.

Ward Hadaway acts for lender and borrower clients on a range of matters, with a particular strength in real estate and development financings; the team advises several international banks on the financing of development projects in Central and Eastern Europe. Julie Harrison is the firm's overall head of banking and finance, while Mark Smith is a highly experienced partner in the Leeds office with notable expertise in the peer-to-peer funding market.

Keebles specialises in corporate financing work, primarily advising mid-market clients on acquisition financing mandates, refinancings and asset-based lending issues. The team regularly acts for banks as well as private equity and corporate clients. Matt Ainsworth leads the practice and focuses on fundraisings, institutional lending matters and private equity work. Paul Trudgill and Michael Hall are the key names for corporates.