Firm news

Steven Bernstein
July 2026

We are pleased to announce that we have secured a bespoke funding package from Shawbrook to fuel our next phase of growth. Lawrence Stephens has grown significantly in recent years and this enables us to refinance our existing facilities and provide the financial headroom to maintain our growth.

Founded in 1997, Lawrence Stephens has grown from a founder-led practice into one of London’s most ambitious law firms. In the last five years we have achieved a compound annual growth rate of 30% with turnover now approaching £30m and employing around 200 people. Our client base spans entrepreneurs, SMEs, financial institutions and high-net-worth individuals, with particular strength in real estate finance, corporate, commercial and residential real estate and dispute resolution, alongside growing practices in sports and entertainment, crypto and technology disputes, and tax.

The growth has been deliberate and carefully managed: built through organic recruitment and the development of specialist teams, supported by meaningful investment in our leadership, systems and brand.

Shawbrook structured a facility combining a cashflow loan with a revolving credit facility, tailored to our specific needs rather than a standard template. The result provides us with a more flexible funding base and the working capital headroom to continue investing in our people and client offering.

The deal was introduced by Mantra Group, part of advisory group BTG, and led by Nirav Patel and Nimesh Sanghrajka.

“As Lawrence Stephens continues to grow, we remain focused on the clients and sectors where we can deliver the greatest value. This bespoke funding solution provides the flexibility and headroom required to support our long-term growth ambitions. Shawbrook and Mantra took the time to understand our business, adopting a collaborative and flexible approach to structure a facility tailored to our needs. The result is a solution that supports our current position while providing a strong platform for future growth.”

— Steven Bernstein, CEO and Co-founder, Lawrence Stephens