Addleshaw Goddard‘s banking and finance team in Leeds is led by the ‘excellent’ Andrew Fordham, a prominent finance lawyer in the region with experience advising both lender and borrower clients. The team acts as the core panel firm for all UK clearing banks, and has specific expertise regarding real estate finance. Nick Barlow has a particular focus on social, sustainable and green finance. Legal director Geoff McGinley and general counsel David Handy are also key team members.

The banking and finance team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP sits on the corporate panel of all clearing banks, and is also instructed by a number of listed PLCs and large private companies in the region. Paul Castle leads the team, with clients benefiting from his nationally-recognised education finance expertise. The team has extensive experience advising both borrowers and lenders, with particular strength regarding real estate finance, sustainability-linked loans, and investment trusts.

Pinsent Masons LLP‘s banking and finance team, based in Leeds, is led by Matthew Clayton-Stead, whose practice spans large corporate financings, issues relating to non-bank lenders, and structured finance matters. The team has particular expertise in the asset-based and structured finance spaces, and also has notable experience regarding sustainability-linked loans. Legal director Sean Houlihan leads the team’s real estate finance offering. Tom McHugh joined the team in December 2022 from Addleshaw Goddard, bringing a particular specialism in social housing finance to the group.

Anna Robson leads the banking and finance team at Shoosmiths LLP in Leeds. The team has experience assisting a range of borrower and lender clients with leveraged and acquisition financing, venture debt, real estate financing and general corporate financing, often with international elements. Principal associate Parin Galaiya is developing the team’s expertise in sustainability-linked loans in the real estate finance space. Director Charlotte Thomas and senior associate Kat Raanan are also recommended.

Philip Scott serves as the the practice head at Walker Morris LLP. The Leeds-based team is noted by one client as ‘a single office firm with a concentration of talented, high calibre lawyers’. The firm has particular strength in the sports finance area, and is also noted for its expertise regarding sustainability-linked loans and private equity-backed transactions. ‘First-class’ director Laura Lister is another name to note. Former co-head Michael Taylor has left the practice.

The Leeds-based banking and finance team at DLA Piper is particularly well regarded for its ‘extremely strong understand of real estate finance’. Kirstie Allerton and Sarah Day jointly head up the practice, with expertise in complex, often cross-border transactions for banks. Additionally, the department fields a dedicated energy and infrastructure project finance team. The team has recently seen an increasing focus on green and sustainable finance work, headed up by legal directors Robert Cockburn and Laura Gordon.

Paddy Sturman leads the Leeds-based banking and finance team at Irwin Mitchell, and also acts as the national client partner for a number of high-profile names from the banking sector. The team has long-established expertise working for both borrower and lender clients on issues including corporate banking, real estate investment and development, and cross-border finance. Clients benefit from the team’s national reach, and consequent ability to ‘utilise resources across difference offices’.

Squire Patton Boggs' Leeds-based banking and finance offering is jointly headed up by Nicholas Bell, who is an expert in real estate finance, and Tom Telford, who is a specialist in complex asset-based lending structures. Clients benefit from the team’s ability to collaborate with other departments within the firm, notably the property and corporate teams.

‘Inspirational leader’ John Connor spearheads the national banking and finance practice at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP from firm’s base in Leeds. The team has particular expertise assisting with real estate, corporate and public finance for both borrower and lender clients, including major high street banks and corporate clients local to the Leeds area. Associate Jake Unsworth is also recommended.

The banking and finance team at Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is led by Nick Scott, who is based in Hull. Scott is a specialist in advising overseas lenders, and leverages his experience in financing arrangements involving assets across different jurisdictions to that end. The team works with the firm’s corporate, real estate, agriculture and shipping departments to advise clients on a range of issues, from corpoate refinancing to specialist shipping finance matters.

Marie Pugh leads Clarion's Leeds-based banking and finance group. The team specialises in alternative finance, real estate development and investment finance, as well as corporate banking work. Ben Slack spearheads the team’s asset-based lending work, including refinancing and debt restructuring work.

Jenny Crew co-heads the Leeds-based banking and finance team at DWF, alongside Chris Ramage, who also leads the national offering. The team is experienced in development and investment finance projects, and has notable expertise advising on financing issues realting to the healthcare sector. Additionally, the group is known for advising lenders on the funding of employee ownership trusts. The firm regularly assists North American entities with transactions, advising on the relevant local law elements.

The secured real estate and banking team at Schofield Sweeney in Bradford is led by ‘exceptional practitioner’ Manjit Virdee , who is particularly noted for his acquisition finance expertise. The team also has specialisms in development funding and asset-based lending work. Clients range from clearing banks, to challenger banks, to private equity fund specialists.

Imogen Holland heads up the banking and finance team at Ward Hadaway LLP in Leeds. Key areas of expertise include acquisition finance, development funding and security structures, with the firm also fielding a strong real estate finance practice. The team also has a growing practice advising non-bank lenders and debt funds. Lucinda Peters is another key team member, with notable strength advising clearing banks and corporate borrowers on property portfolio acquisitions. Kathryn Walters left the firm in August 2023.

Gateley Legal‘s Leeds-based banking and finance team is headed up by Anna Mayfield. The group also fields noted practitioner Kerry Gibbons, whose workload ranges from real estate finance to acquisiton finance, as well as general banking transactions. The team works with clients from major national banks to real estate developers, with the ability to support clients’ wider needs through the firm’s strong real estate and corporate offerings.

The Hull-based banking and finance team at Gosschalks is jointly led by Paul Plaxton and Stephen Dillon. The team’s transactional lending offering, overseen by Plaxton, is experienced in asset-based lending and bridging finance instructions. Banking enforcement work is Dillon's area of expertise; in this capacity, the team regularly advises lenders on recovery strategy and borrowers on contingency scenarios.

The Sheffield-based banking team at Wake Smith Solicitors Limited is led by John Baddeley, whose practice focuses on transactional work, corporate refinancing and facility documentation. Neil Salter and Paul Gibbon specialise in commercial property work.