Sharon Kirkham
Partner
Areas of Expertise
Sharon is Head of Securitisation at Devonshires. Her work involves advising Social Housing Providers on the property aspects of giving security. She is an expert in dealing with:
- largescale charging to Loan Facilities, Bonds and Private Placements
- refinancing exercises
- carrying out property charging due diligence for merger transactions
- dealing with uplifts in value on LSVT portfolios
- preparing the property information for asset and liability registers
- reviewing properties for acceptability for charging and maximising funding capacity
Sharon is seeking to achieve ‘stress-free securitisation’ in the sector by giving free Security Training Seminars to her clients throughout the whole of England and Wales.
Experience
Sharon joined Devonshires Solicitors as a Trainee Legal Executive in 1994, having previously worked as a Legal Secretary for a number of years. Since she has risen to become a Senior Partner and Head of the Securitisation department. She celebrated 25 years with the firm in 2019.
Directories
Sharon is ranked as being in the Hall of Fame in the field of Social Housing Finance in the Legal 500 and is ranked in Band 2 in Chambers and Partners.
Chambers and Partners states that “Sharon Kirkham is organised and gets the job done.”
The Legal 500 highlights Sharon for her “commitment, understanding and support in securitisation work which is second to none” and includes a testimonial stating “never came across anyone like Sharon Kirkham; she is always available no matter what and she remembers everything from every charging exercise” as well as “She is an absolute expert and we can trust her completely”.
Conferences
Sharon regularly gives Security Training Seminars and Asset and Liability Register presentations to Registered Providers and Registered Social Landlords around the country in both England and Wales.
She has also spoken on a number of occasions at the NHF Finance Conferences and in Seminars held by S-D-S with the most recent speaking slot being at the virtual Liverpool Finance Conference in March 2021 entitled “Thinking Strategically about your Secured and Unsecured Assets” and chaired a session at the NHF Treasury in Housing Conference in October 2023 entitled “How to maximise Valuations in an uncertain housing market”.
Education
Sharon joined Devonshires Solicitors in 1994 as a Trainee Legal Executive and studied part-time in the evenings, qualifying as a Solicitor in October 1998 and winning the Law Society Prize for Outstanding Performance.
Personal
Sharon enjoys horse-riding (when she isn’t falling off and breaking something!)
Testimonials
Clients state that Sharon is a “highly motivated sorter-outer of anything property charging. Tremendous energy and commitment to the task”
A lawyer for the Bond Trustees has said that “Sharon has really first rate knowledge of the sector and has a great reputation for closing deals within time critical deadlines”.
