Search and find what you need faster.

Shahaab Kharal

Posted on: February 11th, 2026 by Ella Darnell

I joined Lawrence Stephens in February 2026 within the Real Estate Finance team. Prior to this, I was an SQE trainee for an international full-service law firm based in the City of London.

My experience is predominately within real estate, acting for both borrowers and bridging lenders on property transactions. I also have experience in landlord and tenant matters and acting for franchise clients on commercial lease transactions.

Outside of work, I enjoy keeping active and regularly play football and badminton.

Experience Highlights

  • Acted for a publicly listed oil company in the restructuring of their commercial real estate portfolio
  • Acted on a distressed refinance involving a multi-property secured lending arrangement, including supporting refinance arrangements and liaising with the lender in relation to enforcement risk
  • Supported a £1m corporate acquisition involving the share purchase of a property-holding company
  • Acted on a development finance transaction in connection with the development of a residential scheme comprising 10 dwellings for a corporate borrower
  • Acted on a £3.5m acquisition of a commercial office building in Bracknell

Indre Skackovaite

Posted on: January 13th, 2026 by Ella Darnell

I joined Lawrence Stephens in 2026, as a Partner in the Real Estate Finance department. I have extensive experience advising banks, alternative lenders, and funders on a wide range of domestic and cross-border financing transactions. My practice covers real estate investment and acquisition finance, offering strategic guidance to clients navigating complex funding structures. 

I have a deep understanding of lender priorities and structuring requirements, enabling me to provide practical, solutions-focused advice across all stages of a transaction. I work closely with mainstream and challenger banks, bridging lenders, mezzanine funders, and institutional investors, helping them structure and execute secured lending arrangements with confidence.

I regularly advise on financing across a range of asset classes, including residential and commercial developments, student accommodation, retail, office spaces, and mixed-use schemes. My commercial approach and ability to anticipate lender concerns make me a trusted advisor in the real estate finance sector.

Joel Wish

Posted on: November 11th, 2025 by Ella Darnell

I joined Lawrence Stephens’ Banking team as an Associate in October 2025. 

I have experience on a variety of finance transactions having acted for overseas banks, bridging lenders, funders, developers and corporate borrowers. I have a particular focus on real estate finance projects from investment/acquisitions, development and construction finance as well as short-term bridging loans often involving complex assets.

In terms of wider banking, I have assisted lenders restructuring deals, advised funders on participation agreements and drafted security arrangements including share charges, bank account charges and assignments of underlying borrower security.

Experience highlights

  • Acted for a private bank on a £4 million refinance of four South London properties involving both commercial and residential units
  • Acted for numerous property finance lenders on a variety of bridging and development finance loans
  • Acted for a corporate borrower on a £5 million plus refinance to support a residential apartment development project
  • Acted for an individual borrower on a £6 million refinance of 8 residential flats under the terms of a sharia compliant Murabaha facility arrangement

Sophie McCabe

Posted on: September 1st, 2025 by Natasha Cox

I joined Lawrence Stephens as a Trainee Solicitor in September 2025 and currently work in the Banking team, having also worked in the Private Wealth and Succession Planning team.

After graduating Northumbria University with a BSc in Psychology with Sports Science, I went on to complete the GDL and LPC with LLM.

Outside of work I play rugby and have travelled internationally to play rugby 7s. I also enjoy going to the gym and spending time with family and friends.

Asal Safarabadi

Posted on: February 20th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

I am an Associate in the Real Estate Finance Department having joined Lawrence Stephens in February 2025. Since qualifying as a solicitor in 2021, I have gained experience in acting for leading banks and lenders in relation to commercial and residential property development and investment, refinances and property portfolio financing arrangements.

I pride myself in providing clear and concise legal advice to clients to navigate their transactions effectively whilst providing commercially focused solutions when required.

Experience

  • Acting for a lender on a £9.5million loan secured over a property acquisition on Bishops Avenue, Hampstead
  • Acting for a lender on a £8million loan secured over a hotel
  • Acting on the acquisition, planning, development and forward sale of a mix-used development with a gross development value (GDV) of £16.5million.
  • Acting for lender on numerous acquisitions, refinancing and development financing transactions over commercial property, land, residential portfolios, and hotels in high value prime locations.

Jules Doughty

Posted on: January 24th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

I joined Lawrence Stephens as a Paralegal in January 2025, with four years’ experience at multinational, Silver Circle, and American law firms.

I have worked with large commercial banks, investment funds and borrowers on multi-jurisdictional and UK-focussed deals, ranging from £150million to £1.2billion. I have extensive experience project-managing multi-jurisdictional transactions to ensure that local regulatory requirements and deadlines are met.

Outside of work, I enjoy design, skiing, and adding to my collection of leather-bound books.

Andy Wallis

Posted on: October 8th, 2024 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

I joined Lawrence Stephens as a trainee solicitor in September 2024. I currently sit in the Property Litigation & Banking Recoveries team, having completed seats with the Sports and Entertainment, Employment, and Banking teams. 

Prior to completing an LLM with SQE at BPP University, I graduated with a first-class degree in Spanish and Economics from Cardiff University.

In my free time, I enjoy both watching and playing a variety of sports, particularly rowing and rugby. I also like travelling and spending time with friends.

Alex Ruder

Posted on: October 4th, 2023 by Yvonne Uzoka

I joined Lawrence Stephens in 2023 and recently qualified into the Banking department, where I advise lenders, borrowers, and investors on a broad range of finance transactions.

I have a wide background in real estate, having worked in commercial real estate, non-performing lending, and as in house counsel at the UK’s fastest growing EV charging network.

Outside of work I usually spend my time on a motorbike, or golf course; two passions that teach a lot about balance, risk and always looking ahead.

Experience

  • Advising on and drafting investment and development facilities, security and intercreditor documents for a wide range of banking, corporate and real estate finance transactions.
  • Acting and advising receiver and lender clients on non-performing loans and the sale of various secured assets, often involving multiple secured and unsecured creditors.
  • Advising private individuals and family offices (in their capacity as a lender or borrower) in smaller loan and security arrangements.

Ashley Wright

Posted on: February 28th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I am an experienced finance lawyer, responsible for executing transactions on behalf of banks, alternative lenders, sponsors and borrowers. During my career I have acted for numerous leading underwriters and top-tier and mid-market sponsors in the European market and have spent time on secondment (in the loan finance and structured finance legal teams) at an international investment bank.

My practice encompasses all forms of lending. This ranges from leveraged finance transactions (acquisition financing, unitranche and PIK loans), real estate finance (investment, development and bridge lending), general corporate lending (RCFs and term loans) and more bespoke funding structures (margin lending, factoring, loan-on-loan and participation agreements).

To date, I have advised on hundreds of deals from term sheet stage, through document negotiation, to signing and completion and managing any post-close matters. I mix sensible legal advice on key risk points with an eye on the commercial imperatives and flow of a transaction.

Away from work, I enjoy all forms of sport (especially rugby and running) and spending time with family and friends.

Experience highlights 

  • Acting for a sponsor on a €100million term loan with a European credit fund
  • Acting for a sponsor on a unitranche and acquisition finance facility with private debt fund Eurazeo
  • Acting for a sponsor on £52million acquisition facility and RCF with the private debt fund arm of an international bank
  • Acting for a borrower in respect of a £25million loan-on-loan RCF with the fintech bank OakNorth
  • Acting for a London based developer on a bespoke £12million financing package (including with a crowd funding platform and a sales guarantee)
  • Acting for approximately 15 UK based lenders on real estate finance and general corporate lending matters

Ajoy Bose-Mallick

Posted on: February 15th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I joined Lawrence Stephens as Head of Banking in September 2022, having led the Real Estate Finance department at a Top 200 UK law firm for almost five years. 

I act for a wide range of different lenders, non-bank lenders, alternative lenders, entrepreneurs, private family offices, property companies, funds, sponsors, developers, joint venture vehicles, entrepreneurs and borrowers on real estate investment and development finance projects across the UK ranging from £100,000 to £75m.

The bulk of the transactions I advise on are between £1m and £50m and span a wide variety of asset classes including residential, office, PRS, student accommodation, mixed use schemes, hotel, retail and buy to let projects.  I also have extensive experience working on transactions which involve international elements and offshore jurisdictions and working for international based clients looking to invest in the UK on property transactions.

I enjoy working with a variety of different clients from the individual investor to the family office or corporate institution or variety of different lenders and no one client is the same.  I enjoy advising my clients on a wide range of issues (not exclusively related to just Banking and Real Estate Finance).  In addition to documenting and negotiating transactions, I advise on structuring deals and on real estate financing issues and have also been on secondment to a clearing bank.

Experience highlights 

  • Acting for a wide range of different bridging lenders, clearing banks, alternative lenders, private banks and non-bank lenders in respect of numerous investment and development facilities for numerous real estate transactions ranging between £250,000 to £75m for UK-based and international borrowers across different asset classes such as residential, PRS, commercial, office, student accommodation, retail and mixed use schemes
  • Advising a private equity fund in connection with a £200m investment in a UK development finance lending platform, to assist an alternative lender in providing development finance in the UK residential market
  • Advising a privately owned family property company based in the UK in connection with a £33m senior loan facility for a mixed portfolio of properties in Chelsea
  • Acting for a group of investors on the £5m bridging, £35m development finance, £35m investment finance and eventual sale of a 750 bed PRS scheme in North England to an international buyer
  • Advising the borrower on the £65m refinancing of an office development in the City of London and subsequent partial debt transfer to a senior lender
  • Advising a senior lender in respect of a £5m refinancing secured on a range of residential buy to let properties
  • Acted for an alternative lender providing a secured property finance facility for the development of a student accommodation block in North England with a gross development value of £20m
  • Acted for a lender in relation to the £20m refinancing of a student accommodation scheme in Bristol, which involved finance, real estate and construction advice
  • Advising various listed managed funds in relation to numerous financings totalling £500m with different lenders in respect of the purchase of over 100 properties ranging from residential, mixed use and commercial investments and developments in the UK
  • Advising a UK property development company in connection with a £5m term loan provided by a local authority to fund the forward purchase and development of an office building
  • Acting for a private family based property company on the £15m development finance of a student accommodation project with an alternative lender

Bola Kim

Posted on: February 10th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I qualified as a Solicitor in 2019 having previously worked in the property department of a City law firm for a number of years.  I joined Lawrence Stephens’ Real Estate Finance department at the start of 2023.

I have experience in dealing with a variety of matters related to real estate, for both freehold and leasehold properties as well as new developments advising individual and corporate clients.  I have focused on working with regulated and unregulated banks for property refinances, bridging loans and secured lending. My experience includes acting on behalf of lenders as well as borrowers and strives to understand the needs of my clients.

In my spare time, I enjoy travelling and exploring new cultures and foods and, in particular, a nature walk around the Cotswold’s.  I also love a friendly game of squash or tennis with my friends.

Experience highlights

  • Acting on behalf of various lenders for both purchases and refinances
  • Assisted in completing a large refinance deal with portfolio of 17 properties

Milana Katz

Posted on: February 10th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I am a banking and finance Partner specialising in real estate finance and corporate lending. My client portfolio comprises of major UK banks, alternative lenders, funds and borrowers.  

Since qualifying into the Banking team at Lawrence Stephens in November 2019, I have developed my real estate finance banking practice by acting for clients on term and bridging facilities on both a regulated and unregulated basis to enable the completion of purchases, refinances and developments across a variety of real estate asset classes including residential properties, hotels, student accommodations, nurseries and care homes. 

I have extensive experience in advising on bilateral and syndicated loans as well as funding lines and loan-on-loan facilities. I regularly complete deals with cross border elements where I instruct lawyers in jurisdictions such as the BVI, Jersey, Guernsey, Scotland and RAK ICC to provide capacity and authority legal opinions.

On the corporate lending side, I continue to assist lenders and borrowers alike on revolving credit facilities and other financial arrangements to help meet the businesses’ expansion plans and working capital requirements.

I have also undertaken a client secondment to OakNorth Bank Plc where I advised on a broad range of finance deals spanning both the UK and the US.

Lastly, I pride myself on being responsive, commercial, reliable and taking a solutions focused approach to my transactions.

When I am not getting deals over the line, I enjoy spending time with my two children, Leo and Goldie, as well as my husband (in that order).

Experience highlights 

  • Completed a £40million investment loan facility for a UK challenger bank to assist their borrower in the acquisition of several residential properties with a pre-let in place to registered care providers and to also fund minor refurb capex for properties as required
  • Acted on behalf of a bank to provide loan facilities in the aggregate amount of £7million to a residential and nursing home for older people provider to enable them to acquire a number of care homes in the counties adjoining Staffordshire and other key locations across the Midlands and South Wales, which was a deal that necessitated a collaborative approach from our corporate, banking and real estate finance teams
  • Advised a Danish limited partnership in relation to a £2.9million refinance secured against a purpose-built detached health and fitness centre currently operated by Nuffield Health
  • Advised a UK bank on a £7million trading business loan facility secured against a prominent hotel in Nottingham operating under a franchise agreement to a Guernsey registered borrower with a number of international shareholders to refinance its existing debt and provide equity cash-out to the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO)
  • Acted on a circa £2.5million loan-on-loan facility where I advised both the bank that was providing back-to-back financing and the lender that made the loan available to the ultimate borrower
  • Negotiated a £10million uncommitted revolving funding line facility on behalf of an established bridging lender
  • Advised a bridging lender on a circa £12million bridge loan to be used to purchase freehold land with vacant possession and finance development costs associated with the change of use from office to residential under permitted development rights with planning to provide 163 flats