Banking & Finance

Providing tailored legal advice for both lenders and borrowers across a wide range of bilateral, club and syndicated loan facilities.

The Banking & Finance lawyers at Teacher Stern possess a depth of cross-border expertise which allows us to cater for the domestic and cross border needs of our clients. On cross border transactions, we work closely with trusted advisors in other jurisdictions who we know we can depend on to deliver the results we know you expect.

In a fluctuating lending market, we recognise that the efficient delivery of commercially viable solutions to complex financial issues is essential to our clients’ success. The size and structure of our banking & finance team allows us to do this by providing a personal, responsive and dynamic service to our clients.

As lawyers, we appreciate that our role is not just about protecting your interests; it’s also about being proactive and formulating solutions to make sure the deal actually happens. As such, we take a proactive role in seeking to know and understand our clients’ businesses and to help them capitalise on opportunities afforded to them.

We work with many of the main international and domestic banks, building societies and finance houses operating in the UK market. So, whether you are financing a small start-up or a multi-million pound transaction, you will have a team of lawyers on your side who not only understands the banking and finance arena in which you find yourself but also understands your needs.

Our client base includes overseas and domestic banks, bridging lenders, institutional investors, limited partnerships, corporates, investment trusts, structured funds, entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals and private equity firms.

What we do

The areas covered by our Banking & Finance lawyers include:

Our banking & finance lawyers have extensive experience in advising lenders and borrowers on the funding of a wide range of acquisitions including corporate acquisitions, business acquisitions, leveraged buy-outs and buy-ins, restructurings, and exits.

With traditional bank lending difficult to come by, asset based lending and receivables financing has become an attractive alternative for many businesses in need of finance. This is particularly so for businesses which have capital tied up in tangible assets such as property, equipment and inventory; as well as for those which have receivables due from financially strong debtors.

We frequently act for many of the largest commercial banks in the London market, as well as smaller lenders, financiers and equity investors, in advising on matters ranging from secured and unsecured vanilla loan facilities to more sophisticated bespoke secured funding arrangements. We also regularly act for established and new to market borrowers.

We have a specialist team of financial Dispute Resolution experts at Teacher Stern with a wide range of experience in resolving high-value and complex banking and financial disputes. Our advice spans a broad range of domestic and international disputes.

Our cross departmental private wealth team advises a number of ultra-high net worth clients, family offices, owners of closely held businesses, fiduciaries, trusts and banks across a broad spectrum of private banking and wealth management matters. Our team encompasses lawyers from across the firm and together, we understand the various assets owned by, and needs of, our high net worth clients and can provide them with bespoke advice on a wide range of matters.

By acting for both borrowers and lenders, we have an in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of the requirements of both our lending and borrowing clients. This enables us to provide timely commercial advice to our clients, which is essential to ensuring that deals get done.

Our restructuring lawyers have extensive experience in advising on a wide variety of corporate restructurings and reorganisations, as well as on debt restructuring. We have acted for a number of UK companies, multinational corporate groups and financial institutions in connection with the reorganisation of their group structures. Many of these reorganisations were carried out to streamline corporate structures following an acquisition or disposal and necessitated the transfer of debt and extension of security intra-group. Others were carried out in response to specific commercial, legal, insolvency or tax requirements.

Meet the Banking & Finance lawyers

Photo of Claire Gibson

Claire Gibson

Partner Banking and Finance
Work 37 – 41 Bedford Row WC1R 4JH Tel: +44 (0) 20 7611 2322

Biography

Claire is head of the Legal 500 ranked Real Estate Finance team and has a wealth of experience in general lending and security matters including complex intercreditor arrangements. She acts for a wide range of UK and international financial institutions, as well as a variety of borrowers, in relation to domestic and cross-border finance transactions on a bilateral, club or syndicated basis. Claire’s particular expertise is property finance and corporate lending. Claire has a wealth of experience in drafting and reviewing the full suite of lender standard form loan and security documentation.

Claire also regularly deals with senior funding lines for her lender clients borrowing from institutional lenders as well as participators and investors funding underlying facilities with end borrowers. This involves Claire advising on various structures (such as senior loan agreements and participation agreements); security arrangements (either with security trustees; sub-charges; charges over bank accounts; and/or assignments of the underlying borrower security package) and identifying the inherent potential risks with such structures. She always seeks to improve her client’s position whilst respecting the commercially agreed terms and aligned interests of the parties.

Claire’s clients value her commercial advice combined with her technical knowledge and guidance. She ensures she has an in depth understanding and knowledge of our client’s business objectives to ensure she achieves this. She is driven, committed, personable, and always aims to exceed client expectations when it comes to service delivery and deadlines. Claire works proactively with all parties to a transaction to achieve a smooth closing. Her clients appreciate her responsiveness and attention to detail. Claire is a trusted advisor to many leading property and finance professionals in the market. This reputation is demonstrated in the client testimonials she has consistently received since being listed as a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 in 2016.

Testimonials

Legal 500 2025 500 directory:

‘Claire Gibson has a wealth of commercial and technical knowledge, using her skill set to go above and beyond for her clients.’

Legal 500 2024 500 directory:

‘Teacher Stern’s team, led by Claire Gibson, has advised us on real estate finance for the last couple of years on various deals. The team is of the highest calibre for this sector in the London market. They are very professional and always responsive. All matters were dealt with, with attention and great flexibility. The team has proven to consist of highly skilled professionals, all of whom have very extensive knowledge of legal issues and an actual understanding of our needs, making it possible for them to provide advice and solutions, which are always individually tailored for the issues and goals in hand.’

‘Claire Gibson is our well-trusted advisor. Claire helps us resolve challenges that we, and our business, face. Claire is highly praised for providing the highest quality advice.’

‘Phil Berry and Claire Gibson both offer a wealth of knowledge in their field. Clients are central to the team’s work ethos, and they are undoubtedly people you want to have in your corner.

2023 Legal 500 directory: Claire Gibson “understands what her clients need; she combines her wealth of knowledge with a commercial outlook to deliver a stellar service time and again.’

2022 Legal 500 directory: recommended laywer.

2021 Legal 500 directory: Claire Gibson “has a wealth of knowledge in her field; her commercialism and dedication to her clients sets her apart from others”

2020 Legal 500 directory: Claire Gibson is ‘pragmatic, commercial and a pleasure to deal with.’

2018/2019 Legal 500 directory: Claire Gibson is praised for her ‘unparalleled professionalism and diligence’.

2017 Legal 500 directory: The ‘super-efficient’ Claire Gibson is ‘always on top of things’.

2016 Legal 500 directory: recommended figure of the ‘top-notch’ Claire Gibson.

Year qualified

Solicitor, 2003

Career History

Claire qualified in 2003 and joined the firm as a partner in 2014.

Testimonials

Legal 500 2024 

‘Teacher Stern’s team, led by Claire Gibson, has advised us on real estate finance for the last couple of years on various deals. The team is of the highest calibre for this sector in the London market. They are very professional and always responsive. All matters were dealt with, with attention and great flexibility. The team has proven to consist of highly skilled professionals, all of whom have very extensive knowledge of legal issues and an actual understanding of our needs, making it possible for them to provide advice and solutions, which are always individually tailored for the issues and goals in hand.’

‘Claire Gibson is our well-trusted advisor. Claire helps us resolve challenges that we, and our business, face. Claire is highly praised for providing the highest quality advice.’

‘The real estate finance team offers in inimitable service to their client. They are always a pleasure to work with, offering pragmatic advice in a professional, personable style.’

‘Phil Berry and Claire Gibson both offer a wealth of knowledge in their field. Clients are central to the team’s work ethos, and they are undoubtedly people you want to have in your corner.

‘The Teacher Stern team are knowledgeable, responsive and commercial in their approach. Those are three traits that most clients will have at the top of their wish list when instructing legal counsel.’

Legal 500 2022

‘The Property Finance team delivers exceptional service to its clients.’

‘They are always a pleasure to work with; dedicated, commercial and personable.’