Laura Keatley

Laura is a Partner in our Real Estate team and specialises in Real Estate Finance.

Within her Real Estate Finance specialism Laura provides specialist advice to banks and other lending institutions and borrowers on all Real Estate Finance matters. Laura has particular experience in large scale complex residential and mixed-use development financing, large property portfolio financing and re-financing, and short term bridging loan facilities for which there are often tight deadlines.

Laura acts for senior lenders on a bilateral basis and for mezzanine lenders on all aspects of conventional senior and mezzanine lending. This includes the negotiation of complex intercreditor arrangements, syndicated loans, and security agent and bifurcation loan structures. Typically loan sizes are between £2m – £40m. Laura works closely with the Firm’s Banking & Finance, Construction & Engineering and Real Estate Dispute Teams to ensure the needs of our clients are expertly met. Her approach is to work collaboratively both within the TS&P Team and with the other lawyers and professionals engaged to ensure completion is delivered smoothly and within the expected timeframes.

Laura trained at Thomson Snell & Passmore and qualified in 2011, being promoted to Partner in 2019. Laura is responsible for the trainee solicitors in the Real Estate team.

Commercial and Residential Development Finance
Bridging Finance
Portfolio Finance and Refinancing.

Acting for a Senior Lender in connection with a revolving credit facility

Of £12,000,000 to fund the development of brownfield site to create 191 houses. The development had a gross development value of circa £32,000,000.

Acting for a Mezzanine Lender in connection with loan facilities

Totalling circa £6,800,000 in connection with the development of a mixed-use commercial and residential development in central London.

Advising a new lender in the market on the creation of their standard suite of finance documents

And assisting the lender with completion of their first development finance loan facility. The loan was a circa £4,800,000 development loan to find the refurbishment of an existing commercial premises.

Acting for a Bank in respect of a £3,200,000 portfolio refinancing to a borrower landlord

With security being taken over a large industrial estate in Kent. The due diligence review involved a review of circa 17 leasehold titles, freehold titles, and advise from the Construction team on the provision of collateral warranties.

Acting on the acquisition of a large secured loan portfolio

By one lender from its former lending partner. The transaction included restructuring and transferring the existing loan portfolio, unravelling highly complex existing security structures and the creation of additional security. In addition new intercreditor arrangements were negotiated and completed.

Education

Laura read Law and American Law at the University of East Anglia where Laura spend a year studying at the Louis D Brandeis School of Law in Louisville, Kentucky and also working as Law Librarian.

Laura went on to complete the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Guildford where she was awarded the Gellhorn Prize for academic achievement after obtaining the highest marks in both her Property and Commercial Property exams.

Laura joined Thomson Snell & Passmore in 2011 and became a partner in 2019.

Awards & Accreditations

Laura is recognised by The Legal 500 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’.

Insider media property awards - shortlisted- 2023

Partner, Real Estate

Specialisms & expertise

Examples of work