Corporate and Investment Grade Lending
We are a recognised market leader in corporate and investment grade lending, known for our technical excellence, commercial pragmatism and attentive, client-focused approach. The breadth of our client base, combined with our multi-specialist approach, gives us a unique and comprehensive understanding of the market.
- We deploy smaller, more versatile teams, allowing our lawyers to develop an in-depth and holistic knowledge of our clients’ financing arrangements and preferred terms.
- We advise corporate borrowers, public sector entities and financial sponsors as well as leading banks and non-bank investors on corporate lending of all types, from investment grade loan facilities and private placements to more bespoke and complex leveraged arrangements.
- Our lawyers’ broad experience and versatility mean that we are adept at developing, and working on, sophisticated and innovative structures and solutions to meet each client’s individual needs.
Our team takes an active role in helping shape the legal and regulatory framework and market documentation terms for the benefit of our clients.
- As long-standing advisers to the Association of Corporate Treasurers we have been involved in the drafting of the Loan Market Association lending templates for more than two decades and produce the ACT’s Borrower’s Guide to the LMA’s Investment Grade Agreements.
- Our team contributes to a range of legal and regulatory working groups including on LIBOR transition and the developing ESG-linked loan market.
Key experience
Slaughter and May advised ASOS plc in relation to various debt financing arrangements in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of a high-speed integrated response including both debt and equity.
Advising INEOS Group Ltd on the raising of approximately €141 million by way of a secured Schuldschein assignable loan.
Slaughter and May advised John Wood Group plc (“Wood”) on its US$600m facilities agreement supported by an 80% Transition Export Development Guarantee from UK Export Finance (“UKEF”). The transaction was the first ever green transition loan backed by the UK government and provides Wood with the financial resources to enhance its clean growth plans. Under the agreement Wood commits to increasing its clean growth portfolio and significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions over the five-year tenure of the facility.
Advising Equiniti Group plc on the amendment and extension of its existing unsecured senior facilities agreement. The facilities agreement provides for both term and revolving facilities and was extended to 2024.
Advising Derwent London plc in relation to its new five-year £450 million revolving credit facility. The financing include a ‘green’ tranche of £300 million, which Derwent and the arrangers have stated makes it the first revolving credit facility provided to a UK Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) that meets the LMA Green Loan Principles (“Green Loan Principles”)
Advising Impala Terminals Group S.à.r.l., an independently managed logistics venture between Trafigura and IFM Investors with a global freight forwarding and logistics business and Paraguayan, Peruvian, Mexican and Spanish assets, in relation to its entry into a term loan and revolving credit facility agreement.
Drax Group plc on the entry of Drax Corporate Limited, its wholly owned subsidiary, into two new senior debt facilities agreements: a £375 million private placement agreement and a £125 million Environmental, Social and Governance facility agreement.
Advised Telenor ASA in connection with entry into a EUR 2,000,000,000 multicurrency and sustainability linked revolving credit facility with a syndicate of 12 banks.
