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Key banking and finance services
Banking and finance work examples
Key banking and finance clients

Services

For your business to grow, you require creative and innovative financial products which are tailored to your individual business’s needs.

We have market leading financial lawyers who have industry-specific experience and a clear understanding of today’s business environment which will give you a critical competitive advantage when you are structuring and negotiating financial transactions. We have forged a strong reputation amongst banks, building societies, other major financial institutions and sophisticated borrowers due to our extensive experience and responsiveness across a diverse range of finance-related matters.

Key banking and finance services

We can assist in the following banking and finance areas:

Asset finance
Leveraged finance
Real estate finance
Project finance
General corporate lending and borrowing

Banking and finance work examples

Below are some work examples of where we have acted for lenders and borrowers in the banking and finance world.

Advising lenders

Santander UK plc in connection with the provision of term loan, invoice finance and supply chain finance facilities to The DB Food Group Limited and its subsidiaries;
HSBC Bank plc on its financing of the leveraged management buyout of a specialist engineering business in the petro-chemical sector using LMA-based documentation;
Interbay Funding Ltd on its largest acquisition financings, such as a £19m facility to a borrower in order to finance its acquisition of 130+ residential properties in London (which had to be completed within a month) and £22m of fixed and variable rate term loan facilities to finance the incorporation of a general partnership holding a portfolio of over 100 investment properties around Southampton;
Lloyds Bank plc on a £5m management buyout and demerger of a multinational media and PR agency, involving invoice discounting and working capital facilities from the bank;
Santander UK plc on all manner of property, acquisition and working capital facilities (with a focus on education, healthcare and hotels), such as the term loan and multi-currency overdraft facilities to finance the management buy-out (by way of a s.110 IA 1986 demerger and reconstruction) of Group Tiger plc (with subsidiaries in the UK, US, Dubai and Germany); the £10m revolving credit facility to AIM-listed Vislink plc to support the £15m acquisition of two US-based companies.

Advising borrowers

Corrotherm International Limited on the refinancing of its existing NatWest and RBS debt facilities by Clydesdale Bank plc, with a term loan, multi-currency overdraft facility, a forward forex facility, a performance bond / guarantee facility, an import / letter of credit facility and a confidential invoice discounting facility;
Richmond Cars Limited on £22m of term loans from Metro Bank plc in order to facilitate the expansion of its Hyundai car dealership business and to subsequently finance its acquisition of The Sparshatts group;
Haskins Garden Centers Limited on a £22.5m refinance funded by HSBC Bank plc, involving a package of development term loan, overdraft and bond facilities;
Comland plc and its subsidiary, Alfred Homes Limited on senior and mezzanine facilities provided by NatWest and other banks in respect of the construction of developments in the South of England;
Livingstone Leisure Limited on the HSBC-funded leveraged acquisition of Lightwater Valley Attractions Limited from a Jersey-based company;
Purple Parking group on a (Sharia-compliant) acquisition facility provided by Bank of London and The Middle East plc to finance a management buy-out and reorganisation and subsequently on a £12m debt facility from NatWest to finance the acquisition of a competitor;
My Local Group on the contested disposal of more than 40 convenience stores across the UK (as going concerns) to multiple buyers in the retail sector; and
RB Sport & Leisure Holdings plc and its subsidiaries on the £27m refinancing led by Omni Capital Partners Limited to finish the construction of a 175-bedroom Hilton hotel.

Key banking and finance clients

Below is a list of some of the key banking and finance clients we have worked with over recent years:

Santander UK plc
National Westminster Bank PLC / The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Interbay Funding Ltd and OneSavings Bank plc
Hampshire Trust Bank PLC
Yacht Havens Limited
Haskins Garden Centres Limited
S.H.B Hire Limited
Millbrook Healthcare Limited
Proseed Capital Limited
Dolphin Homes Limited
PCF Bank Limited
Proplend Ltd
Saffron Building Society
RB Sport & Leisure
Marwell Zoo
Corrotherm International Limited

How we’ve helped our clients

“James McNeil not only has excellent expertise but is very commercially minded and always determined to secure the right result. His ability to resolve issues laterally leads to swift solutions.”

Santander

Chambers and Partners Legal Directory 2021

The Banking and Finance team are known for being highly active on debt finance transactions, offering a full spectrum of banking expertise encompassing acquisition, asset and property finance. Regularly sought after by retail banking groups, house builders and developers for real estate finance-related work. Also acts for UK clearing and challenger banks on leveraged finance, debt facilities and working capital facilities. Experienced advising shareholders on the sale of corporate share capital.

One client praises the team for being “very knowledgeable, thorough and customer-focused,” adding that the lawyers “can be relied upon to get the job done within the desired timeframe, often going beyond expectations.”

Another source reports: “I find Paris Smith very prompt and detailed in their responses.”

Legal 500 Directory 2021

Described as ‘friendly, professional, and approachable’, Paris Smith LLP’s Banking and Finance team is experienced in acquisition, project, property and asset finance. The firm’s lender clients include both major and challenger banks, while on the borrower side the firm advises retail and leisure clients. The practice is led by James McNeil; M&A finance specialist Jonathon Roy is also recommended. Liam Doughty was made up to partner in January 2020 and handles all areas of banking and finance work. The banking and finance team frequently acts alongside the wider firm’s property practice.

Sources say:

‘Knowledgeable, thorough, customer-focused and can be relied upon to get the job done within the desired timeframe, often going beyond expectations.’
‘Professional yet personable.’
‘Personalised service, know their clients well and understand needs. Amazing service.’
‘Friendly, professional and approachable – always available to resolve issues.’
‘They build strong relationships with clients to provide an effective working partnership.’