Our work with banks and financial institutions is central to our practice. When Stephenson Harwood was founded in 1875 one of our first clients was the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. This relationship still holds true today. Although our firm and banking practice has grown substantially from our beginnings our work with banks and financial institutions remains a key focus of the firm.
Our services include:
- public and private M&A
- joint ventures and other corporate advice
- litigation including experience of advising on LIBOR and FX related investigations, High Court cases and arbitrations and sanctions issues in France, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea
- debt and equity capital markets
- structured, leveraged and asset financing
- antitrust
- outsourcing
- data protection
- employment, pensions, investments and benefits
- restructuring and insolvency
- regulatory and governance (including litigation)
- tax
- IP
- corporate finance
- funds
- private wealth / private client matters
We offer pragmatic, commercial and timely advice and are committed to the banking industry.
"The firm has longstanding relationships with the main bank players in the market and understands the particular drivers and requirements of the relevant bank lender. The team’s ability to see both perspectives means that the team members are pragmatic and will not pursue a point for sake of argument, which wastes time."
The Legal 500 UK 2022
HSBC, RBS, Wells Fargo, Helaba, Sumitomo Mitsui, Credit Agricole and Barclays
Advised on a £540 million facility to Mount Eden Land Limited secured on the Langham Estate.
LIBOR and FX
Advising on a number of matters involving allegations of LIBOR manipulation and mis-selling. We have been involved in one of the major test cases on LIBOR issues and continue to advise on UK and international investigations. We are also advising on a number of matters involving allegations of misconduct and the use of anti-competitive devices in the FX market both in the UK and the USA. We have advised on a number of recent high profile international spot FX manipulation investigations.
The Co-operative Group
Advising the bond trustee on issues arising in relation to a liability management exercise involving an exchange offer and a scheme of arrangement in relation to nine subordinated bond issues by The Co-operative Bank plc aggregating in excess of £1.2 billion.
Wells Fargo
We advised Wells Fargo who provided financing to Cerberus Capital Management, LP in relation to its acquisition of Dutch SPVs owning 6 regional shopping centres across the UK.
We also advised Wells Fargo Capital Finance as lender and co-lead arranger (alongside Silicon Valley Bank) on a £45 million senior secured credit facility agreement to finance the take private acquisition of Kewill plc by Francisco Partners.
Securities litigation
Acting for a global asset manager in connection with litigation relating to a portfolio of RMBS and CMBS assets including noteholder claims in England and securities fraud claims in New York and California.
Regulatory reporting
Advising a Middle Eastern bank on compliance with the EU's Capital Requirements Directive and Regulations and the reporting framework established by the PRA in COREP to harmonise supervisory reporting standards.
BNP Paribas US$1.1 billion ship financing for Nigerian LNG Limited
Advised Bonny Gas Transport, a subsidiary of Nigeria LNG, on the purchase of six Korean newbuild LNG vessels partly financed by complex financing arrangements involving two separate ECA-backed tranches and a commercial bank tranche with pooled security. We represented each of the lenders of these facilities.
Deutsche Bank AG, $1.2 billion loan for 12 container ships
Advised on a multi-tranche syndicated K-sure backed loan facility for the partial financing of 7 14,500 and 5 18,800 TEU container ships for wholly-owned subsidiaries of United Arab Shipping Company
Directors and officers liability
Advising on claims following high profile corporate collapses. We also act for insolvency practitioners and others in investigating and pursuing recoveries from former management.