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Tim Shannon

Posted on: February 20th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

I have accumulated seven years of experience in the legal profession, starting with barrister clerking and currently working as a paralegal. Over the past four years, I have been actively involved in real estate finance transactions, contributing to high-value deals and collaborating with lawyers from a wide range of jurisdictions as needed. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside distinguished professionals, including my current supervisor, Steve Clinning, and Laura Brown, whose guidance have been instrumental in my professional development.

I am currently working towards qualifying as a solicitor, with the goal of enhancing my ability to provide more effective assistance to clients and ensuring I can offer the highest level of professional support. Outside of work, I enjoy various hobbies, including traveling and watching football.

Experience

  • Acted for the lender on an acquisition and development loan for a large residential site in west London with a total loan amount of £5million
  • Acted for the lender on a refinancing and refurbishment loan for a boutique London property with a gross development value of £8.2 million

Claire Gao

Posted on: February 17th, 2025 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

I am a Banking and Finance solicitor specialising in real estate finance and corporate lending. Before joining Lawrence Stephens, I spent several years at a leading international law firm, where I advised on a broad range of complex financing transactions, including real estate, ship and trade finance.

Over the years, I have built a strong track record of advising both lenders and borrowers on domestic and multi-jurisdictional financing projects, ranging from £100,000 to £40 million. My clients include UK and international banks, investment firms, housing associations, leasing companies, asset management companies, and other businesses who share a footprint in the UK and EU.

I have had the privilege of working on several notable transactions, from financing student accommodation projects to large-scale refinancing deals for housing associations, involving more than 100 properties. I have also supported financial institutions through the challenging Libor transition period, assisting them in updating facility agreements and security documents to accommodate risk-free rates.

I truly enjoy both the technical drafting and client-facing aspects of my work. I believe that being reliable, responsive, and open-minded is key to building long-lasting relationships, not just with my clients, but with everyone I work with.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with Piano (my black-and-white furry companion), skiing, reformer Pilates, and reading in cafés around the world.

Steve Clinning

Posted on: February 17th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

I am a Director in the Banking team with specialist experience having spent 12 years in the finance industry before deciding to retrain as a solicitor. I qualified in 2002 and have acted on matters across a mix of borrower and lender work. I joined Lawrence Stephens in February 2025, having spent three years at Memery Crystal.

I advise both borrowers and lenders on a range of transactions including general property finance, corporate acquisition work, hotel finance, trading business finance, development finance and asset finance, and have established long-term partnerships with several high-volume lending clients.

The experience I have gained from working for lenders gives me a unique insight into how they approach questions of risk and security. This insight brings an extra dimension to my advice on transactions to both lenders and borrowers and ensures that transactions progress smoothly from instruction through to completion.

I aim to understand and anticipate my clients’ requirements and to develop longstanding relationships with all of them. I always adopt a commercial and pragmatic approach giving sensible advice on often complex transactions.

Experience

  • Acting for Octopus in a facility of £60million to finance the acquisition of a potential gigafactory site in Somerset called ‘This is Gravity’. A particularly exciting matter as the site has recently been acquired by Jaguar Land Rover/Tata and was featured on BBC News
  • Acting for a lender in a £100million+ facility to finance a series of static caravan sites in the West Country and including the funding of an amusement park in Cornwall
  • Acting for a borrower in the funding of two hotels in Liverpool and Manchester being funded by HSBC and Lloyds, total debt involved was circa £170million
  • Confidential matter acting for a lender on a £26million funding of a large development site in Liverpool. The land in question was split into two parts with the first being used for the construction of a student hall of residence and the second for a boutique hotel
  • Acting for a lender in the funding of a site with planning in Swindon involving an advance of £66million, this was the biggest transaction in respect of single asset security for the lender in question.

Mithushan Sivagurunathar

Posted on: February 17th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

I joined Lawrence Stephens’ Banking team in 2025, having gained valuable experience from city firms across a broad range of finance matters.

I have experience acting for overseas and domestic banks, bridging lenders, alternative lenders and non-bank lenders in respect of secured lending transactions, including investment and development finance matters; property refinance and security release matters; and in dealing with security arrangements in corporate acquisitions. I also have experience acting for individuals and SMEs on smaller lending projects throughout the deal cycle.

Away from work, I am an Indian classical percussionist, specialising in Morsing, Ghatam and Konnakol. I am also a hopeful Arsenal fan.

Experience

  • acting for bridging lenders on numerous bridging loan transactions for domestic and overseas real estate assets
  • acting for banks on loan agreements, amendment agreements, intercreditor agreements, security arrangements and releases in connection with real estate assets and corporate acquisitions
  • acting for various alternative/private credit lenders on real estate acquisition and development finance transactions
  • acting for individuals (in their capacity as a lender or a borrower) in smaller loan and security arrangements

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.

Henry Duncan

Posted on: July 1st, 2024 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

Prior to joining Lawrence Stephens I developed finance experience and commercial acumen across a variety of deals in the West-End and Top 200 Law Firms and spent time in house at a property development group. I bring a pragmatic and versatile approach to clients and take a long-term view of relationships.

I have a strong technical focus and have regularly acted for both upcoming and established lenders on product launches, standard template documentation and ‘special situations’. I am experienced in a range of transactions with particular familiarity with loan-on-loan arrangements, peer-to-peer structures, syndicated loans and mezzanine financing. I am happy to deal with non-standard situations where robust advice and urgent action is required to reach the best result.

The real-estate transactions I have worked on include lending to major hotel groups, ‘ground up’ and airspace development, purpose built student accommodation, service stations and care homes. Broader clients include IVF clinics, independent car manufacturers, music studios and car wholesale groups.

I value a commercial and outcome focused attitude to transactions, taking into account the broader needs of parties and adopting a collaborative approach where possible. My experience in house assists in understanding and anticipating what my clients need and ensuring that advice is clear, timely and jargon-free.

Outside of work I enjoy golf, live music, history and good food.

Experience highlights

  • Acting for a major alternative lender on a £65m refinance of student accommodation.
  • Acting for a challenger bank on a £15m loan-on-loan arrangement for a hotel development.
  • Advising an established bank on their participation in a £700m master platform agreement for care home funding and loan purchase arrangements.
  • Acting for a borrower on a £50m revolving credit facility with a high-street bank.
  • Advising a corporate lender on a £30m secured loan facility to a distressed borrower.
  • Reviewing and revising standard lending documentation for a national buy-to-let lender prior to syndication.
  • Acting for a specialist lender in relation to a £1.9m mezzanine loan across a four block development site with two senior lenders with a transactional timeframe of one week from instruction to completion.
  • Negotiating an intercreditor agreement between an alternative lender and the Greater London Authority.
  • Advising on the launch of a new development finance lender, advising on regulatory requirements, operations, funding structure, drafting standard transactional documents and acting on subsequent senior and mezzanine transactions.

Lucy-Jane Barnett

Posted on: June 25th, 2024 by Yvonne Uzoka

I joined the Lawrence Stephens’ Banking team in July 2024. Prior to this, I worked at a Magic Circle firm specialising in real estate finance.

I have a breadth of experience acting for large commercial banks, investment funds, property management companies and borrowers on multi-jurisdictional and UK-focused deals involving commercial real estate, including office space, BTR, hotels, retail, warehouse and logistics. I also have extensive experience working on international transactions, including various offshore jurisdictions and the many intricacies associated with these deals.

My primary focus is on secured lending transactions, including investment and development finance matters, from deal originations to refinancing and loan/property management assistance. 

Outside of the office, I love to travel, exploring different cultures and trying different cuisines, but when in London I enjoy spin classes and reading.

Alex Edwards

Posted on: June 21st, 2024 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

I have over 10 years’ post qualification experience of acting for a wide range of lenders, financial institutions, sponsors and corporate borrowers on all forms of finance transactions ranging from £100,000 up to £80m, with a particular focus on real estate finance.

I advise on senior and mezzanine loan origination, equity investments, loan restructuring and enforcement across a wide variety of asset classes and often with cross border elements, regularly working with lawyers in off shore jurisdictions such as the BVI, Guernsey and Luxembourg. 

I advise developers and funders on real estate development projects and in addition to documenting and negotiating acquisition and development finance documents, I also advise on joint venture agreements and the preparation and negotiation of industry standard and bespoke construction documents.

Ashley Wright

Posted on: February 28th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I am a Senior Associate in the Lawrence Stephens Banking team, having previously spent over half a decade working as a banking associate at international law firms.

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

My practice ranges from advising individuals and SMEs on smaller lending projects through to syndicated transactions for a club of investment banks. I enjoy working on a variety of lending products and getting to grips with the different pressures and markets for each deal.

Away from work, I enjoy all forms of sport (increasingly from the comfort of my sofa) and spending time with family and friends.

Experience highlights 

  • Acting for a family office on a £3.5million loan for a family office lender on land which included a vineyard
  • Representing a dental business on its corporate facilities (acquisition/capex and RCF) with a mainstream lender
  • Advising bridging lenders on numerous bridging loan transactions for predominantly UK-based real estate assets
  • Representing a number of mainstream banks on loan products, largely for UK-based property transactions
  • Acting for a private equity sponsor as borrower in respect of a €100million facility from a structured lender

Ewan Ooi

Posted on: February 27th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I joined Lawrence Stephens’ Dispute Resolution team as a paralegal in October 2022. I am now a trainee solicitor in the firm’s Banking team, having completed seats in the Dispute Resolution and Corporate and Commercial teams.

I graduated with a law degree from the University of Bristol in September 2020, before going on to complete the Bar Practice Course with LLM in 2021.  I was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in March 2022.  After completing the Bar, I had a change of heart and completed the LPC at BPP University in September 2022.

Outside of law, I enjoy my wine, having completed my WSET Level 2 award in wines.

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

Milana Katz

Posted on: February 10th, 2023 by Natasha Cox

I am a banking and finance senior associate 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