Industry focus
Clifford Chance LLP is a key advisor for major investment managers, global banks, and other financial institutions on their most significant real estate financing transactions. The firm’s real estate finance practice is built around two key pillars: complex, pan-European work and market-leading CMBS transactions. Practice head Barry O’Shea oversees the department and is a primary contact for complex, multi-jurisdictional refinancings. The firm’s renowned CMBS offering is jointly driven by Emma Matebalavu, a leading figure in European transactions, and Will Sutton, who handles commercial mortgage loans and CMBS deals for investment banks. In other asset classes, Laura Smallcombe is noted for her detail-oriented approach to logistics acquisitions, while Claire Fawcett is a go-to for the refinancing of build-to-rent properties. Andrew Carnegie further bolsters the team, leveraging his expertise in all deals involving assets and restructuring. Dmytro Orendarets departed from the firm in 2024, joining Ropes & Gray LLP.
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Profile
Work Department
Global Financial Markets
Position
Emma Matebalavu is Head of Global Financial Markets and specialises in Real Estate Finance and all types of structured debt. She specialises in real estate related senior and mezzanine debt, intercreditor arrangements, restructuring and enforcement.
Emma advises on CMBS and RMBS transactions, acting for servicers, borrowers, noteholders and other stakeholders. She also has significant experience of securitisation of personal loan, credit lenders, whole businesses and residential mortgages.
Emma is a member of European Securitisation Forum/Association for Financial Markets in Europe and Commercial Mortgage Securities Association and speaks regularly at conferences.
Career
Joined Clifford Chance 1999
Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales 2000
Partner since 2008
Global Head of Financial Markets since 2022
Memberships
Member of the European Securitisation Forum/Association for Financial Markets in Europe
Member of the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council (Europe) (Regulatory Committee, CMBS 2.0 Committee)
Education
University College, Oxford University (Law with French law at Panthéon-Assas Paris II) 1997
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Barry O'Shea, Emma Matebalavu and Andrew Carnegie are recommended.'
Key clients
- Ares Management Ark Data Centres BentallGreenOak Carlyle Cale Street Partners Castleforge Partners Limited Helical Fortress Investment Group Galaxy Data Centers Morgan Stanley Rothesay Life United Overseas Bank Société Générale Standard Chartered Bank Vantage Data Centers
Work highlights
Advised Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, on the first Data Centre ABS in EMEA.
Advised Citibank, Royal Bank of Canada, Societe Generale (as mandated lead arrangers) on Blackstone Real Estate's acquisition of an 80% stake in a pan-European logistics portfolio owned by the Johannesburg-listed Burstone Group.
Advised Ares Management on the refinancing of the Langham Estates portfolio, which covers a large number of commercial real estate located in West End, London.