Nicola is a partner in the Real Estate team based in London, specialising in real estate finance. She has 20 years of experience, acting predominantly for UK lending institutions on all aspects of real estate finance transactions. 

Nicola’s extensive experience covers various specialised sectors including retail, student accommodation, hospitality, housebuilding, institutional funds and healthcare sectors. She has extensive experience in advising leading UK financial services institutions on a broad range of real estate and finance transactions, including financing a number of sizeable UK commercial, residential and mixed-use properties both on an investment and development basis.

Nicola has acted for The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited, HSBC UK Bank plc, Wells Fargo, Santander Bank plc, Clydesdale Bank plc, HSBC Private Bank Limited, Barclays Bank, Lloyds Bank plc and National Westminster Bank plc.

Nicola also advises clients on environment, social and governance (ESG) principles in the real estate sector. She contributed to a report commissioned by Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research (CCHPR), 'ESG: Investing in the built environment', which explores the impact of ESG principles on the operations of companies operating within the UK built environment sector.

Experience

Examples of experience include advising (all deals listed were at previous firms):

  • Leading on a syndicate consisting of four UK financial institutions in connection with a £220,000,000 facility made available to a national housebuilder. Continuing instructions since 2015
  • A bank in connection with numerous term loan facilities to fund the acquisition and refinance of several retail parks
  • Leading on a £400,000,000 syndicated RCF provided by four UK banks for the refinance of a portfolio of properties for a UK plc
  • A bank in connection with providing development and bridging facilities to a housebuilder
  • A syndicate of banks in connection with the restructuring of two leveraged finance facilities in the healthcare sector
  • A bank providing several facilities to high net worth individuals to refinance central London residential and commercial investment properties
  • A bank funding the development of prime high-value residential properties
  • A bank providing funding of £108,000,000 to support the acquisition of a large freehold tenanted pub estate made up of 386 properties.