The ‘extremely approachable and knowledgeable’ team at Hogan Lovells International LLP provides ’exceptional client service’ to a creditor-focused client base that includes a high proportion of credit funds engaged in lending within the mid to-upper-mid market. Team head Paul Mullen has been instrumental to the firm’s growth in this area, and his broad transactional nous, that includes expertise across a range of direct lending products, means the firm is also regularly instructed to advise clients on developing new and innovative products in the market. Jo Robinson also has significant experience in the space, particularly in relation to the unitranche product, as does the ‘very user friendly’ Francis Booth. The firm also continues to handle work for conventional banks, with vastly experienced practitioners Penny Angell , who also serves as UK managing partner, and Matthew Cottis particularly skilled in relation to the financing of regulated insurance companies.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Extremely approachable and knowledgeable. Strong ability to distil more complex legal points in to more simple explanations.'
'Strong commercial acumen and willing to tell us as clients when to push harder, and understanding of counterparties to get the best deal for us.'
'Exceptional client service is provided by everyone from the London managing partner down; vastly experienced and thoroughly professional. I could not rate them highly enough.'
'Penny Angell and Scott Gibson have been truly exceptional on our latest transaction. Their devotion to delivering client service, finding solutions and getting the job done could not be praised highly enough.'
'Francis Booth is very user friendly and has great market knowledge.'

Key clients

HSBC
Ares Management
Macquarie
Intermediate Capital Group
Five Arrows
Ardian
Tikehau Investment Managers
Park Square Capital

Work highlights

Advising Ares Management as lender on the £790m financing for a consortium of the CareTech founders and Three Hills Capital Partners to acquire CareTech Holdings plc.
Advising AshGrove as lender in relation to term facilities provided to Zift in connection with its refinancing of existing indebtedness and advising in relation to the roll-through of the AshGrove facilities on the acquisition of Zift by Investcorp.
Advised Ares as new lender to Sykes Cottages group for the refinancing of existing facilities provided by Bridgepoint Credit (formerly EQT) and the acquisition of the Forest Holidays group .

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