Addleshaw Goddard has announced its 7th lateral partner hire of 2018.  Andrew Fordham, partner in Squire Patton Boggs' Financial Services practice in Leeds, will join Addleshaw Goddard later this year.  Andrew adds important additional bandwidth to a busy transactional team, and will play a significant role generating new opportunities in the local market, where he is highly regarded.

Andrew's appointment comes during an intensive period of targeted investment by AG which has included the high profile hires of Paul O'Kane, DWF's National Head of Construction, Paul Barge, DWF's Manchester Head of Construction, Corporate specialist Richard Hunt from Squire's Leeds office, Consumer finance specialist Clare Hughes from Eversheds, and from Burness Paull, Lorna Finlayson, former head of its financial services regulatory practice and Ross McKenzie, Head of Privacy.

Amanda Gray, Addleshaw Goddard Finance & Projects Divisional Managing Partner said:

"Andrew is a highly respected finance partner.  When we sounded out the local market he was consistently singled out as the banker's lawyer of choice. Our national finance practice has been going from strength to strength and Andrew will be an exciting addition to our business."

She added:

"We are seeing a consistently high volume of mid-market deals through our close relationship with each of the UK clearing banks, as well as a range of other lenders. In that context Andrew will a welcome addition to the team who will help to deepen existing relationships and, in collaboration with colleagues, to secure new ones."

Andrew Fordham has particular expertise in acquisition finance, real estate finance and general corporate banking, both in the UK and overseas. He acts for both borrowers and lenders, and has experience with invoice discounting and other asset-based lending. Andrew's practice involves particular experience in advising on Loan Market Association-based documentation and private-equity transactions. Recent deals include:

• Advising Perwyn LLP – who provided funding via a debt facility on Cloud Savings Company's acquisition of Invitation Digital Ltd (IDL), owner of Bristol based Vouchercloud and Giftcloud, following a management buy-out from the Vodafone Group.
• Acting for Yorkshire Bank on Giacom's management buy-out with private equity investment from Livingbridge.
• Advising Lloyds Bank who provided senior debt and working capital facilities on the management buy-out of Hampshire-based aggregates and recycling business, Raymond Brown Minerals and Recycling, backed by Elysian Capital.

Andrew is singled out in both the Legal 500 and Chambers UK, with clients reporting that he is "balanced, commercial, pragmatic and extremely sensible," and that he is "very good at managing the overall execution of the deals."

Addleshaw Goddard's Finance & Projects Division comprises more than 50 partners and over 200 other fee earners across its six UK offices in London, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

The team advises on the full range of financial issues, including corporate banking, leveraged finance, real estate finance, projects/infrastructure finance, housing finance, asset finance, asset based lending, funds finance and capital markets.

Drawing on the wider firm's sector expertise, the team has particular experience and expertise in funding in the retail and consumer, healthcare, digital and technology, housing, transport, renewables, real estate and professional practices sectors.