Laura Ho > Ashurst > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Although it is less visible on the jumbo financings that require both loan and high yield offerings, Ashurst has excellent market traction within the mid to upper mid-market on behalf of lenders and sponsors. While it also has excellent relationships with traditional banking clients, the firm has been particularly visible within the private credit space. In this regard, Ross Ollerhead is a popular choice for key investor clients which are appreciative of his ability to advise on new money deals, as well as on more distressed situations. Laura Ho is also very adept at handling credit-fund-led leveraged finance deals as well as acquisition finance work in the infrastructure space for both borrowers and lenders. Douglas Murning is well-versed at handling work in the private debt space, as is Helen Burton, who maintains a very strong relationship with a global asset manager. Senior partner Nigel Ward has vast experience in infrastructure financings, among other types of lending mandates, and is part of the overarching global loans group headed up by Mark Edwards.

Ashurst retains a prominent position in the London infrastructure market, advising a deep roster of global asset managers and energy developers on a litany of energy transition and infrastructure transactions, both domestically and overseas. The group’s multifarious focus spans telecoms, battery storage, EV charging, district heating networks, ports and ferries, and social infrastructure builds. Jason Radford and Michael Burns co-lead the practice; Radford is reputed for the breadth of his company and asset portfolio deal sheet, while Burns is a trusted adviser to a wide array of infrastructure focused funds and asset managers. Gaby Jones handles both buy-side and sell-side instructions pertaining to renewables, digital infrastructure, and energy transition projects, while Laura Ho‘s acquisition finance skillset is routinely sought by private equity sponsors and institutional investors. Other key figures include Dallan Pitman, who is chiefly recognised for his private M&A proficiency. The firm deepened its offering through the hire of M&A specialists Julia Derrick and Sanja Udovicic, both of whom came from legacy firm Shearman & Sterling in May 2023.