CMS's real estate finance practice is built around a team of partners with distinct specialisms, enabling it to advise both lenders and borrowers, including international banks and major hospitality operators. Practice head Clive Swillman often leads on European transactions involving term loans and revolving facilities for banks, debt funds, and sponsors. Ian McGarr boasts expertise in hotel and leisure-related transactions, Simon Johnston handles development and structured real estate finance, and Andrew Besser contributes a strong practice that is focused predominantly on lenders. The practice also benefits from the expertise of Mike Delaney, who handles cross-border finance and loan restructurings and has a specialist focus on green and sustainability-linked loans.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
'The team have recently advised our company on the legal aspects of refinancing our senior loan for hospitality operational real estate. They assisted with structuring, negotiating, and documenting loans, mortgages, and other funding arrangements; their role also included due diligence, risk assessment, and ensuring compliance with all financial and regulatory requirements.'
'The CMS Property Finance London team provides a high level of legal advice combined with a flexible and commercially-oriented approach. This makes them a great fit for any financial institution seeking assistance with a UK real estate finance deal, from initial negotiations through to closing.'
'The team is diverse, inclusive, and very personable, which makes them a pleasure to work with.'
'Andrew Besser is an excellent partner, combining comprehensive legal knowledge with a commercial approach to negotiations.'
- 'CMS have a great Property Finance team that I have worked with over many years. They are able to identify, retain, and promote excellent associates and, from my client's perspective, appear to be a very well-run team with the client at the heart of their corporate ethos.'
- 'The team are always responsive, and there is very good partner engagement. Their advice is always solid, considered, and commercial, and they don't seek to raise issues simply to score points.'
Key clients
- Morgan Stanley
- Redevco
- Alpha Bank
- UBS
- Veld Capital
- Leumi Group
- NatWest
- Santander
- Nuffield Health
- Shojin Property Partners
- Nykredit Realkredit
- The Bank of East Asia, Limited
Work highlights
Advising Redevco on an acquisition of a portfolio of retail parks from Oxford Properties/ M7, one of the largest retail park portfolios in Europe.
Advising Primary Health Properties and their group on refinancing certain variable rate bonds with a facility from Barclays.
Advising Value Retail on their refinancing of Fidenza Village with Apollo Real Estate Europe.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Clive Swillman
Other key lawyers
Ian McGarr; Andrew Besser; Simon Johnston; Mike Delaney