Richard Miller (Partner and Head of Property) is our dedicated Banking client care partner. His role is to develop and maintain the best possible relationships with our lender clients, at all levels across their businesses. Richard is ultimately responsible for the lending services we provide to you and your customers, and his focus is on ensuring that we are the “go to” firm across all sectors. Richard also has a “hands on” role providing expertise on complex agricultural matters.

Sarah Willshire (Partner and Head of Banking) is the day to day point of contact for all banking matters and for general advice about potential deals or structures. With a background in both property and banking, Sarah combines impressive technical legal expertise with the ability to take a commercial view in order to drive the transaction forward. She is also our construction expert and regularly reviews building contracts and advises on collateral warranties for development deals.

Nicola Nutley (Legal Director) brings 23 years of banking experience to the team, having previously worked at Womble Bond Dickinson and Muckle LLP. Nicola provides advice on all aspects of lending, including real estate, healthcare and social housing. Her particular area of expertise is drafting bespoke loan agreements and security documents, and also advising on inter-creditor arrangements. Nicola has a calm, reasoned approach and works with the relationship manager and the customer’s solicitor to get documents agreed quickly and easily.

Maria Wright (Legal Director) is a well-respected commercial property and agricultural solicitor, with a loyal client following. She joined us in September 2021, having previously owned her own law firm in Cumbria. Maria is an expert in trust matters, particularly in the agricultural sector, and works closely with our lender clients to ensure the structure of these deals is correct and the right security is put in place.

Caroline Swift ­(Senior Associate) is an excellent corporate lawyer with experience of acting for a variety of trading businesses as well as lenders, having spent 12 years as a corporate lawyer at a national law firm. Having worked for a national specialist healthcare firm, Caroline is an experienced healthcare solicitor. She has an impressive understanding of partnership law and NHS contracts. Her speed and efficiency when reviewing share purchase agreements allows us to deliver a fast service even on the most complex business acquisition deals.

Rebecca Joy (Senior Associate) is a property solicitor who has focused on secured lending work since she qualified in 2007. She is experienced in handling both commercial and residential property refinances and purchases, including dealing with foreign companies, new developments and healthcare matters. Her great efficiency means that she is particularly adept at dealing with large portfolios.

Marc Caffrey (Banking Consultant) joined the team in June 2018 from Lloyds Bank, where he worked for 30 years, with the last 12 years spent in SME Banking. Having been both a relationship manager and an assistant, Marc has extensive experience of all bank processes and systems (from writing and submitting the credit proposal through to drawdown of funds). He fully understands a lending deal from the relationship manager’s perspective, which has allowed us to adapt and streamline our internal systems to make their lives easier.

Jane Jubb (Paralegal) combines almost 20 years’ experience of working within the Lloyds Bank Securities Centre with 15 years as a paralegal. Jane’s role is to liaise with the valuer, the bank’s securities centre and the customer’s solicitors to line up completion and to ensure that funds are released within the required timescales. She is also responsible for protecting the lender’s security after completion (by registration at Companies House and the Land Registry).

Chris Bell (Paralegal) also supports the solicitors in the team by lining up and completing transactions. With over 15 years’ experience of working within the Court service, Chris is extremely organised and focused on meeting completion and registration deadlines.

Sara Riddlesden (Paralegal) Previously our team assistant, Sara has recently been promoted to a paralegal role. She works closely with Jane to assist with post completion tasks. Her time is spent liaising with Companies House and the Land Registry to ensure registration of your security.

Callum Bell (Trainee) started his training contract with Burnetts in October 2021. He joined us from Norton Rose Fulbright, where he worked as a paralegal in the project finance team. With his previous experience of banking and finance matters, we are delighted to have Callum as a trainee in the team and to teach him more about the banking sector.