At Ashtons Legal, the team ‘quickly gets to the crux of issues and provides pragmatic solutions’. ’Experienced, professional, approachable and commercial‘ practice head Ron Clare in Bury St Edmunds manages the firm’s panel relationships, among them HSBC UK and Clydesdale Bank, as well as handling high-value secured lending transactions. He acted for Handelsbanken in the refinancing of one of its investor customers with a portfolio exceeding £11m. Ipswich-based corporate partner Geoff Hazlewood frequently acts for the firm’s panel bank clients. Agriculture specialist Jeanette Dennis in Cambridge acts for many regional banks and farmers in finance transactions. The firm hired senior associate Greg McCurday in Norwich from Birketts LLP to handle real estate finance matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘A strong, experienced team with good depth which is very well-led by Ron Clare. The team is commercial and they quickly get to the crux of issues and provide pragmatic solutions. Very good value for money given the high quality of service provided.’
‘Ron Clare is very experienced, professional, approachable and commercial. He is readily available, will always give his opinions and views and is a pleasure to work with. We are very pleased to have him undertake legal work and provide guidance and advice for us. He is a great sounding board.’
‘Ashtons Legal are a well-organised and professional firm. They deliver advice in a timely and, importantly, clear manner. They have a broad depth of experience within the team.’
‘I primarily work with Ron Clare and Hannah Jones on the corporate banking team. Ron is extremely experienced and a valued member of the team. He provides timely advice and understands what is important to the bank. He is very approachable and accessible when required. Once deadlines are agreed, Ron ensures they are met.’
‘They give excellent corporate advice, have local knowledge, good response times and transparent billing.’
‘Mark Watson provides excellent advice and provides common sense solutions to complicated scenarios. Mark is quick to respond and is always willing to go the extra mile to help both the bank and our customers.’
‘The staff at this practice are always particularly willing to provide advice and guidance. They are truly friendly and passionate about sharing their knowledge with banking partners.’
‘I regularly work with Ron Clare and Jeannette Dennis on various matters ranging from property acquisitions to agricultural landed estates matters. Both individuals are incredibly approachable, passionate about providing a fantastic service and committed to ensuring excellent work for reasonable costs.’
Key clients
- Handelsbanken plc
- HSBC UK Bank plc
- NatWest Bank plc
- Clydesdale Bank plc
- C Hoare & Co
- AFP (Asset Finance Partners)
- Unity Trust Bank Plc
- Abbey International Finance Limited
- State Bank of India
- Lloyds Bank plc
- Paragon Bank
Work highlights
- Acting for Handelsbanken in connection with the refinancing of one of its investor customers, secured by legal charges over a portfolio of mixed-use commercial and residential investments in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk valued at over £11m.
- Acting for HSBC UK Plc on a range of commercial property refinancing matters across the region, each coming with its own complications some of which included rights of access, registration of title and alterations to listed premises for which appropriate permission had not been sought.
- Acting for the Unity Trust Bank on taking a legal charge in connection with a £10m facility they have provided to a well-known regional charity.
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Practice head
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Ron Clare