James Godfrey

James is a banking lawyer with experience in advising on a wide range of finance transactions, including real estate finance, syndicated corporate financings and leveraged acquisition finance. He has built strong relationships with several leading funds and banks in helping them to develop their real estate finance businesses, particularly with respect to highly structured, cross-border deals.

James was seconded to a global investment and securities bank for nine months in 2018 and 2019, where he worked in the loan negotiation group.

Work highlights

James has advised on many market-leading real estate financings. These include advising:

• A global investment and securities bank on various structured and loan-on-loan real estate financings in Europe.
• Apollo on various transactions, including various loans advanced against both UK and pan-European real estate assets on both a senior and mezzanine basis, and the financing of an Italian hotel completed by way of a listed mini-bond structure.
• KKR on various transactions on both a senior and mezzanine basis, including the financing of pan-European real estate assets.
• Macquarie on various transactions, including a structured holdco financing provided to a large Asian REIT for the acquisition of a portfolio of UK and Polish logistics assets.
• Royal Bank of Canada on various UK office and student accommodation financings on both a senior and mezzanine basis.
• Blackrock on a €160m mezzanine financing in respect of the acquisition of a large portfolio of Finnish office and retail properties.

James is a regular presenter at the Loan Markets Association (LMA), principally with respect to the Real Estate Finance Certificate Course.

James is recognised as a “Rising Star” by Legal 500.

James studied social sciences at Durham University.

He speaks English and French.