Banking & Finance: Fund Finance
UK Guide 2025 : London (Firms)
Band 2
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
(020) 7786 9000About
Provided by Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Based in London for well over a decade, our finance team includes lawyers qualified in many jurisdictions working at the cutting edge of the European finance market. Our international experience and on-the-ground New York law capabilities means we regularly help European clients access finance from further afield, and bring developing market practice from other parts of the world to a European context.
Our team primarily represents private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, large corporates, and debt funds. We give our clients “total coverage” in every single aspect of their financing needs. This includes acting for companies on all aspects of the leveraged/acquisition finance market together with debt capital markets and corporate facilities, fund financing transactions, and ongoing financing needs of portfolio companies. For debt funds, that includes support on direct lending transactions, and subscription financing lines.
We believe that this “total coverage” approach (combining downstream and fund level financing work driven always by sponsor needs) is unique. The work we do is global in nature; we follow our international clients wherever their needs arise.
Chambers Review
Debevoise & Plimpton is a well-regarded finance practice noted for its expertise in acquisition and fund financing matters, demonstrating particular sector expertise in private equity. It regularly acts for a range of international sponsors while complementing its practice with prominent UK corporate borrowers. The department has additional expertise advising on bond financings and financial restructurings.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"They're highly commercial and at the forefront of fund finance. They also have a deep bench of talent with a highly motivated and skilled team."
"Their team are very reliable and I often turn to them when I need a sounding board on complex matters. Their guidance and advisory is always well appreciated."
"They are very knowledgeable across a wide variety of legal matters, and their service levels and responsiveness are very strong."
"They're highly commercial and at the forefront of fund finance. They also have a deep bench of talent with a highly motivated and skilled team."
"Their team are very reliable and I often turn to them when I need a sounding board on complex matters. Their guidance and advisory is always well appreciated."
"They are very knowledgeable across a wide variety of legal matters, and their service levels and responsiveness are very strong."
Notable Practitioners
Thomas Smith is well regarded in the market for his strong fund finance practice. His diverse client base includes both mid-market and high-end sponsors as well as lenders, for whom he acts on complex cross-border transactions, including NAV facilities, subscription lines and portfolio acquisition financings. He has additional experience advising corporates on big-ticket bank borrowing matters.
"Tom Smith is fantastic. Probably the best all-round fund finance lawyer in the market."
"He's a leading lawyer in the fund finance space."
"Tom's commercial focus and depth of knowledge is second to none."
Alan Davies acts for domestic and international clients on a range of transactions. His finance practice spans structured, acquisition and asset finance matters, in addition to fund financing.
"Alan was always straight-talking and focused on what would deliver the best value for our business."
"He has a very good understanding of the LevFin market as well as structuring and documentation."
Felix Paterson is international counsel at Debevoise and is well-known for his fund finance expertise.
Ranked Lawyers at
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
London (Firms)