Gary Grigor

Partner

Areas of Expertise

Gary has extensive experience in advising borrowers, issuers, lenders, bondholders and trustees alike on a range of financial arrangements, including syndicated and bilateral loan facilities; facility restructurings; group collapses; intra-group funding; interest rate derivatives and private shelf facilities, but is particularly renowned (in the legal directories and amongst clients) for his extensive experience of high-value private bond issues. Gary also advises on security arrangements and works very closely with the firm’s securitisation team.

Experience

Prior to taking up Partnership at Devonshires, Gary was a Legal Director in the Banking Team at Addleshaw Goddard.

Directories

Gary is recognised in the legal directories as a leading practitioner in social housing finance. Clients highlight his “excellent customer service” and describe him as “technically very knowledgeable.”

Gary is “is an expert in his field and is very approachable and always happy to help”. Legal 500.

Gary “performed extremely well and did a fantastic job for us.” Chamber and Partners.

Conferences

Gary spoke at the NHF Housing Finance Conference in Liverpool in March on the transition from LIBOR to SONIA and has subsequently run a series of roadshows up and down the country with Altair Ltd speaking to treasury advisors on the implications of the move to SONIA.

Gary recently spoke at the Treasury Management Conference in London in October on alternative funding streams for smaller housing associations.

Education

Gary graduated from Durham University with BA (Hons) in Economics and Politics, before completing his CPE at the College of Law in York and the LPC at BPP in Leeds.

Personal

Testimonials

‘Gary is noted for his great stakeholder management when negotiating deals for clients, as well as his very personable and easy-going manner.’ Chambers and Partners

‘Gary is acknowledged for his excellent sector knowledge.’ Chambers and Partners

One RP client recently said “I’m really impressed by the level of service provided by Gary Grigor and Natalie Swales for the latest loan we have just finalised. They were both proactive, available (email and to speak with) and went through the relevant bits / paperwork ‘in English’. In short they were fabulous!!!”.

Get in touch

0113 733 7027

07590444844

gary.grigor@devonshires.co.uk

Leeds Office
Devonshires Solicitors LLP
First Floor, No 1 Whitehall Riverside, Whitehall Road
Leeds
LS1 4BN

PA: Karen Dillon

0113 733 7030

karen.dillon@devonshires.co.uk

Notable Cases

Gary led a team that advised 5 major financial institutions on the refinancing of circa £300m of loans (and associated ISDA documentation) in connection with the rationalisation of a major RP.

Gary advised BAe on the well-publicised private placement with More Homes Bromley LLP, established in partnership between Bromley Council and Mears.

Gary jointly figureheads the firm’s Northern operations in Leeds.

Gary recently advised a debut corporate Issuer on two Private Placements with US Investors.

Gary advised on the Notting Hill Genesis merger and refinance of circa £1.98bn of debt which involved obtaining consent to the merger from Notting Hill Housing Trust and Genesis’ existing funders and restructuring certain of their existing financing arrangements.

Gary advised North Wales Housing Association on the refinancing of its £35,000,000 banking portfolio which involved three new facilities totalling £62,000,000. Four of the five legacy banking relationships were refinanced in full through a new £39,000,000 long-term fixed rate loan from Scottish Widows.

Gary advised on the refinancing aspects emanating out of the merger between Coast & Country Housing and Yorkshire Coast Homes, which formed Beyond Housing.