Excelling across a host of financing mandates including debt financing, fund financing, refinancing, acquisitional financing, and capital markets and securitisation mandates, the extensive team at Brodies LLP is revered for its work across a multitude of sectors with an extensive lender and borrower practice. Bruce Stephen has a growing body of funds finance work that sees him receive instructions from multinational financial institutions, while practice head Marion MacInnes is chiefly recognised for her adept skill in capital markets and structured finance transactions. Peter Kelly has recently been active in the healthcare and real estate sectors, whereas Michael Stoneham is highly experienced in the energy and infrastructure space. Chris Dun provides trusted counsel to many of the firm’s clearing banks, and Alan Knowles provides further expertise in fund finance. Neal Richardson drives transactions from Aberdeen and also sits as the head of the marine finance team.

Helming high-profile deals for a mix of leading industry players, Burness Paull LLP demonstrates expertise across an array of financing transactions with a particularly robust acquisition and leveraged finance practice. The real estate and energy industries continue to be at the forefront of the firm’s sector focus, and its highly experienced integrated funds team attracts instructions from a wide host of investors and major pension funds. Paula Kennedy and Jonathan Heaney co-head the practice, with the latter noted for his real estate related activity. Dawn Reoch compliments her cross-border prowess with expert knowledge of leveraged finance, while John Kennedy is a ‘very experienced lawyer’ in the energy space, handling project financings, corporate financings, and restructurings. Alan Cassels has a broad lender and borrower practice and is often sought out for his loan portfolio sale and securitisation expertise. Sophie Coffey and Gemma Young support on an array of financings.

CMS has a ‘team of outstanding lawyers who drive to get deals done in a commercial manner’. The firm is well known for its expertise in cross-border matters and provides tailored advice on a wide variety of financial transactions, with a particular focus on project finance, fund financing, real estate financing, and derivatives mandates. Gordon Hay heads up the team and has a practice that largely concentrates on borrower instructions in the energy sector. Caryn Miller has recently acted for major clearing banks and real investment trust managers on complex refinancings, while Stephen Phillips is a trusted adviser to a host of trade bodies. Alan Fulton is a leveraged and acquisition finance specialist, and Jenny Allan is another key name for the firm’s energy sector clients. Darren Craig is prolific in the real estate and renewables space, while Michael Urquhart predominantly engages with the financing aspects of PFI projects. Fiona Henderson was promoted to partner in 2024 and has notable fintech and digital asset expertise.

With extensive experience in cross-border transactions, Pinsent Masons LLP regularly advises high-profile clients across a wide range of industries with a ‘great manner and approach to deals‘. The practice is particularly skilled in handling large-scale project financings, predominantly in the energy sector, as well as real estate finance, debt capital markets, securitisations, and asset-based lending work. Group lead John Maciver covers the entire spectrum of financing transactions and is a trusted adviser to a host of private equity houses and debt funds. Richard Scott is noted for his oil and gas sector specialism and has established strength in acquisition financings. Gillian Frew is an energy and infrastructure expert, with a practice that spans both conventional and renewable asset types. Howat Duncan, who handles the financing aspects of a range of multi-faceted structural projects, was promoted to partner in 2024.

Addleshaw Goddard fields a ‘great banking team’ with a ‘perfect track record’ dealing with a wide scope of banking and financing matters with clients that including major clearing banks, global investment firms, and leading industry players, particularly in the real estate and energy spaces. Spearheading the practice is Alan Shanks, who has over two decades of experience handling acquisition and project finance transactions. Tom Speirs is the go-to in the firm for lenders and borrowers seeking financing advice in relation to health and social care matters, while the ‘pragmatic’ Addi Spiers acts for banks and funds on real estate deals. Gaenor Cassell has recently acted as borrower counsel on a range of credit facility agreements and refinancings, and John Waller focuses on real estate finance work. Kimberley Forman joined from Brodies LLP in November 2023 and Euan Cluness  and  Peter Smartt departed to TLT in 2024.

Dentons has experience working with financiers and borrowers, demonstrating a ‘very wide range of expertise’ and a ‘commercially aware and pragmatic’ approach towards transactions. Cross-border deals continue to be a major aspect of the group’s work, as well as real-estate centred mandates; the team attract instructions from notable corporates and global investors. Stuart Fitzsimmons heads up the practice and excels at asset-based lending and investment trust work. Susan Kelly is a seasoned adviser across a wealth of sectors and acts for a host of clearing banks and notable industry players. James Wilson is a key contact for real estate finance work, active on leveraged finance, fund finance, and restructuring mandates, as well as Shariah-compliant structures. Lorna Henderson has recently focused on borrower and lender instructions in the food and drink and real estate sectors, while Kirsty McBirnie works alongside real estate investors and investment trusts. Pamela Gilmour joined from Pinsent Masons LLP in November 2023.

Shepherd and Wedderburn covers an extensive range of banking and finance-related matters, including debt capital markets, project finance, real estate finance, receivables finance, and refinancing mandates, with ‘appropriate technical and sector expertise, ensuring a robust and commercial approach’. The firm has a balance between financial institution and borrower work, as well as an active referral practice. Helming the team is Fiona Buchanan, who has a broad remit that has recently focused on warehouse fundings and securitisations. Hamish Patrick oversees bespoke debt capital market structures for a wide range of public and private companies, while Andrew Kinnes retains key relationships with a number of clearing banks. Clare Foster focuses on project finance work in the clean energy sector, and Neil Cowan, who was promoted to partner in May 2023, is adept at cross-border structured finance matters.

Anderson Strathern has an extensive track record in the energy and renewable sectors, working with a cohort of funders and borrowers on high-value, complex work. Recently, the team has handled refinancings relating to luxury hotel groups and PFI projects, energy project financings, and the provision of credit facilities for both private corporates and private institutions. Spearheading the firm’s offering is Gillian Anderson, whose far-reaching practice attracts instructions from clients across the real estate and energy spectrum, from developers to investors, as well as those engaging with transactions in the healthcare, leisure, and charities spaces.

Burges Salmon LLP leverages a strong real estate and energy practice to act for a host of lenders and borrowers on debt financings, acquisition financings, project financings, and restructurings; the firm has also advised on renewables and digital infrastructure financings in Europe and Africa. Team lead Stuart McMillan is the go-to for energy and infrastructure-related mandates and has close connections to a number of clearing, challenger and development banks. Amy McVey has an extensive domestic and cross-border practice and is notably proficient in real estate finance, leveraged finance, and distressed debt matters. Stephanie Lynch works with a variety of funds in the real estate space, while Samir Younes is also recommended.

With a finance practice widely lauded for the ‘consistently high level of service and quality delivered throughout the team’, DLA Piper is routinely called upon by a roll-call of banks and financial institutions for a wide variety of transactions, including asset-based lending, venture debt funding, refinancing and restructuring mandates. Large multinationals in the food and drink, real estate, and hospitality sectors are also prevalent in the firm’s diverse client roster. Allan Leal heads up the team and delivers advice to a range of lenders and borrowers and has been particularly active for key client Virgin Money’s Venture Debt team. Also highlighted for his venture debt work, William Reid is well versed in acquisition, leveraged, and real estate finance work. Craig Hunter is recommended for his broad array of capabilities.

‘Attentive, commercial and client-focused’, Harper Macleod LLP is a notable player in the Scottish banking and finance market with a deep bench of advisers acting for a client roster encompassing major clearing and challenger banks, alternative lenders, and multinationals. The firm's strength in the real estate, agriculture, healthcare and energy spaces has been enhanced by growth in the marine sector, where the firm handles a range of debt financings, acquisition financings, and refinancings for clients domestically and abroad. Tony Cameron helms the practice and handles complex transactions for banks, funds and corporates, while Ricardo Matteo is frequently sought out for marine work. Jacqui Fraser is active in the real estate, healthcare, hospitality and agriculture sectors, and Andrew Ronald, who is the principal point of contact for notable lender clients, is well reputed for his property expertise. Kirsty Watson is also recommended.

Active across a host of financing mandates including project finance, real estate finance, refinancing and restructuring mandates, and receivable purchase facilities, the team at Morton Fraser MacRoberts provides ‘exceptional legal guidance combined with commerciality and first-class communication and service’, acting for lenders and borrowers across the UK and beyond. Beverley Wood and Norman Martin head up the team and are highly reputed for their respective asset based lending and corporate finance expertise. The ‘very experienced, pragmatic and responsive’ Andrew Meakin is principally noted for his strong work in the real estate sector, while Ross Caldwell, who also possesses real estate financing capabilities, is well-positioned to advise on leveraged and acquisition finance transactions. Billy Kay joined the firm from Burness Paull LLP in November 2023, adding further project finance expertise, while Lauren Hart enjoys close connections to a number of clearing and challenger banks.

Shoosmiths LLP advises on real estate and development financing mandates, and works with a number of key developers, investors and multinationals in the Scottish market. The firm also has a growing body of work relating to asset based lending, and is also a notable name in the market for Islamic finance matters. Team lead Fiona Cameron has a broad national offering and is well versed in all manner of financing deals, frequently acting as a port of call for major clearing and challenger banks. Sheelagh Cooley leverages long-standing real estate finance expertise to advise a growing roster of lenders and borrowers on multi-jurisdictional transactions.

TLT expanded its offering with the hire of Euan Cluness in May 2024 from Addleshaw Goddard, who is a proficient debt finance specialist who is particularly skilled in leveraged finance and asset based finance transactions. Cluness joins group lead and real estate specialist Douglas Gourlay in a practice that is well-placed to act on a litany of UK-wide mandates, particularly in the real estate, hospitality, healthcare and energy spaces. The firm is also well-renowned for its loan portfolio transactions, acting for a series of national banks. Catharine MacDonald has a notable supporting presence across a range of domestic and cross-border mandates, and Fiona Armour specialises in property finance work. Peter Smartt, who has expertise in asset-based lending work, also joined the team in 2024.

Based in Aberdeen, Blackwood Partners LLP has a ‘highly responsive team with huge experience in the banking and finance arena’, with a strong focus on advising a range of domestic and global corporates and PE clients active in the energy sector on acquisition financings. The ‘highly experienced’ Scott Swankie leads the team and is noted for his ability to adopt ‘a pragmatic approach in the best interests of the client’. Swankie primarily advises sponsors and borrowers on M&A and PE transactions.

BTO Solicitors LLP demonstrates expertise across a broad spectrum of finance mandates, delivering counsel to clients prominent in the energy, industrial, leisure and real estate sectors. Spearheading the practice is Nicolas McBride, who advises a host of clearing and challenging banks active in the region, notably sought out for his property finance expertise. Fellow co-head Jeremy Glen‘s work concentrates on corporate finance instructions, while David Gibson is a key name in the team for property finance matters. Further practitioners of note include Scott Buchan, who focuses on development financings, and Emma Barclay, who acts across a wide variety of lender and borrower-side mandates.

With a ‘strong reputation in the local and wider market’, Gillespie Macandrew LLP is well-positioned to act on a mix of multi-jurisdictional transactions, particularly excelling in the real estate, energy and agricultural sectors. Property finance specialist Kenneth Irons heads up the practice and has recently been active on a range of refinancings and asset-based lending transactions. Co-head Ross MacRae, who was promoted to partner in 2023, is lauded for his ability to find ‘pragmatic solutions’ for both borrowers and financiers and has a growing body of work that includes acquisition financing and real estate financing issues.

Acting for challenger banks, lenders and property developers, Lindsays has an established banking and finance practice in the Scottish market, which handles an array of transactions across bridge loans, refinancings, and mezzanine financings. A ‘go-to’ practitioner for banking advice, the ‘commercial and knowledgeable’ Gavin Buchan leads the team and advises both domestic and overseas borrowers and lenders on a series of mandates, particularly in the real estate and hospitality spaces.