Zahir Nayani > Foot Anstey > Bristol, England > Lawyer Profile

Foot Anstey represents a blend of banks, private lenders, and companies on a range of transactions including corporate lending work, real estate investments, debt finance issues, and development financings. The team also distinguishes itself through its dedicated Islamic finance team, led by real estate expert Imam Qazi and supported by Zahir Nayani. The wider banking and finance team is led by Katie-Jane Rees, who has a range of experience advising on acquisition, property, and project finance work; based in Bristol, she is also a key contact for Nordic bank clients. Toby Larkham excels in structured real estate finance and corporate lending work, and in November 2023, Emma Earp joined the firm’s Southampton office, providing assistance on security structures and intercreditor agreements.

Foot Anstey‘s real estate team assists regional and national retailers, housebuilders, energy companies, lenders, developers and landowners with transactions, portfolio management work, and development and infrastructure mandates. With broad sector expertise, the group has seen recent growth into the space and satellite sectors. John Catchpole, who focuses on large development and infrastructure mandates, leads the team from Truro, where Rachel Langley is noted for her affordable housing and residential development work. In Exeter, Philip Brown leads the developer team, and Richard Sutton has experience acting on mixed-use developments, with Philip Parrott advising on acquisitions and disposals. The firm also has an office in Bristol which houses infrastructure, transport, and portfolio management expert Mark Li, renewable property specialist Kutahya Cherry, and Zahir Nayani, who advises on Islamic finance matters. Plymouth’s Kate Dawe is another key name. Paul Butterworth joined from Ashfords LLP in September 2024.

Leveraging ‘great strength and knowledge across the board’, Foot Anstey has, since it established a standalone Islamic finance practice in 2011, continued to grow its credentials in the space among both banks and borrowers, and is appreciated for its ability to ‘effortlessly explain the concept of Islamic finance’. Under the leadership of Imam Qazi, the firm has also successfully broadened its scope to include an increasing volume of work in the capital markets space, as well as fintech, and has played an active part in promoting the use of Islamic finance in the UK, including lobbying for stakeholders seeking to effect change to ensure a more favourable tax status for Islamic finance structures. Real estate, however, remains the primary driver for the team, and it acts for investors and the majority of Islamic banks active in the UK on both new money and refinancing mandates. Appreciated for his ‘very pragmatic and commercial approach’, Zahir Nayani has, along with Qazi, been key to developing the firm’s expertise at handling Shariah-compliant real estate transactions for a growing roster of creditor clients, as well as investors, where he adds value due to a previous role at a privately owned investment advisory firm. Exeter-based retail financial services head Alan Hughes assists with advice to credit providers and Islamic banks. Kate Heard provides ‘very knowledgeable and proactive’ advice to Shariah-compliant banks on transactions involving commercial and residential assets; Ayah Snober is ‘responsive and collaborative’ when working on complex financing transactions as well as product development projects; and Aziz Deen has a ‘deep understanding of the various Islamic products’. Aside from when mentioned, all named practitioners are based in Bristol.