The ‘responsive and extremely knowledgeable’ team at Clarke Willmott LLP has a notable roster of Wales-based housing association clients, particularly in the context of social housing finance work. Team head Vicky Kells is very skilled at advising on secured lending matters for RSLs, and, alongside Charlotte Lord, regularly handles large-scale charging exercises. Kells also often works alongside banking and finance partner Fraser MacRae, who advises on syndicated and bilateral bank facilities, as well as bond issuances. Outside the firm’s finance work, Clare Gregory provides advice to RSLs on acquisitions, disposals and developments.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The team is super responsive and extremely knowledgeable.'
- 'Charlotte Lord and Vicky Kells are experts in advising on charging exercises.'
- 'Collectively this team delivers everything they say and on time.'
- 'Vicky Kells and Fraiser Macrae both fantastic partners operating out of the Cardiff office. For me they treat me like an equal and work to the clients timescale and not the other way around.'
- 'The team is very experienced in social housing security matters. Their advice on what is acceptable to lenders cuts through much of the discussions to move matters forward more efficiently. Their systems and processes are very slick.'
- 'A firm that working in partnership and collaboration with us to ensure the right outcome is achieved.'
Key clients
- Hafod Housing Association
- Orbit Group Limited
- Bromford Housing Association Limited
- Merlin Housing Society
- RHA Wales Group Limited
- Gloucester City Homes
- Linc-Cymru Housing Association
- Caredig
- RHA Wales Group
- Taff Housing Association
- United Welsh Housing Association
Work highlights
Acting for Orbit on the sale of almost 400 shared ownership homes with a value of £35m to Legal and General Affordable Homes Limited.
Advising Linc Cymru on the sale of Penylan House, a 75-bedroom residential/nursing home, to Hallmark Luxury Care Homes.
Advising Lloyds Bank on drafting and negotiating a £50m revolving credit facility made available to Trivallis and acting on the allocation of circa 1500 homes under security trust arrangements and the deallocation of around 6,000 properties.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Vicky Kells
Other key lawyers
Fraser MacRae; Clare Gregory; Bethan Evans; Charlotte Lord; Scott Keddle; Harvinder Kandola; Amanda Whatmore