Addleshaw Goddard’s large, dedicated finance team covers the full spectrum of mandates for notable clients across the energy, finance, health, transport and retail and consumer sectors. The group covers corporate, leveraged and asset finance, as well as asset-based lending, project finance and derivatives-based transactions. The team is led by Martin O’Shea, an expert in real estate and corporate financing who recently advised JD Sports on the financing aspects of their $1bn acquisition of rival Hibbett. Among the other experienced partners in the team are Richard Oman, who focuses on corporate lending and acquisition finance, Andrew Maskill, who specialises in asset finance, and Katie Ridehalgh, a key contact for real estate finance transactions. Ben Edwards, Elizabeth Wareing, Sarah Jay and Lauren Priest-Stephens are further key names in the department, with the latter two having been promoted to partner in May 2024.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Addleshaw Goddard's unique selling point is that the team is undeniably the largest and most diverse in terms of areas of finance covered and experienced team in the Northern market. The advice we receive is always commercial, and the team is drilled to provide advice rather than just presenting an issue with no solution.'
- 'Standout individuals are Martin O'Shea and Sarah Jay, both partners who specialise in real estate finance at the firm. Martin focuses on delivering commercial advice. He knows and understands the market and is a very experienced lawyer. Sarah is an experienced lawyer and extremely personable. She understands our policy points and has a good knowledge of the market providing commercial advice.'
- 'The asset finance team is extremely knowledgeable of both the subject matter and the industry sector as a whole. Not only do they provide solutions for our questions, but they also offer alternative & innovative different ways of approaching matters.'
- 'The firm takes the time to understand what is important to us both in terms of finance and property but also to make sure our policy points are sufficiently mitigated.'
- 'Their knowledge of the players in our sector is second to none and they have put us in contact with many different finance houses/partners over the years, in which we have gone on to form valuable relationships.'
- 'Their knowledge and willingness to provide solutions which can often be a different approach than we originally started from. They don't just provide the answer, they apply the answer to our business and our risk appetite, having made the time to understand it and obviously the whole sector we operate in. Andrew Maskell and Ryan Gilmore in particular deserve the highest praise.'
- 'Experience spans a number of high profile deals across the North West, including both lender and borrower side. Active presence in the North West market at all levels.'
- 'Martin O'Shea is highly experienced and commercial. He plays a very active role in all the deals he works on for us as a lender. High levels of deal ownership and provides invaluable support throughout the process, irrespective of deal size or prominence.'
- 'Great team, flexible, give great advice and client outcome driven.'
- 'Key contacts are Martin O'Shea, Katie Ridehalgh and Sarah Jay. I would say they have the best profile in the Manchester market. Naturally they are all great at their job also.'
Key clients
- JD Sports Fashion
- Applied Nutrition
- Co-operative Group
- N Brown
- Peel
- Bruntwood
- Morgan Advanced Materials
- NCC Group
- Spirax Group
- Tata Chemicals
Work highlights
Advised JD Sports on its $1bn, six-bank facility to fund the acquisition of Hibbett, Inc.
Advised Co-op Group on its £400m sustainability-linked revolving credit facility with a syndicate of six banks.
Advised a syndicate of four banks on the provision of a £150m multicurrency revolving credit facility to Card Factory plc.
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.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Ben Edwards
Sarah Jay
Lauren Priest-Stephens
Elizabeth Wareing
Practice head
Martin O'Shea
Other key lawyers
Andrew Maskill; Richard Oman; Katie Ridehalgh; Ben Edwards; Elizabeth Wareing; Sarah Jay; Lauren Priest-Stephens; Ryan Gilmore