Addleshaw Goddard is adding a fifth partner to its banking practice in Scotland. Gaenor Cassell, currently a partner at Burness Paull, joins the team in Edinburgh, bringing more than 20 years’ experience advising lenders and borrowers on all aspects of funding, both domestic and international.

Gaenor's practice blends borrower work for large corporates and private equity funds, specialist local counsel work (including cross border securitisations) and advising international investors on funding for UK investments as well as advice for banks operating in Scotland. She also works with non-bank lenders, recently advising OakNorth on its three last deals in Scotland.

Her appointment follows a flurry of partner appointments in Scotland in the last two years including in Aberdeen, David McEwing (corporate oil and gas) and Ross McKenzie (data protection) and in Edinburgh, Lorna Finlayson (financial regulation), and Peter Anderson (litigation). 

Qualifying in 1998, Gaenor spent eight years in Allen & Overy’s London banking team in 2000, and enjoyed a successful spell in-house at Lloyds Banking Group before returning to private practice.

Alan Shanks, partner and head of finance and projects for Addleshaw Goddard in Scotland, said: “Gaenor's practice is an exciting addition to our existing practice and will unlock new opportunities. Our team goes from strength to strength and clients are acknowledging this in the scale and complexity of the transactions they trust us with.” 

Gaenor’s appointment follows a strong year for Addleshaw Goddard's banking team in Scotland. Highlights for the team, which has more than doubled in size in the last 18 months, include advising:

• PNC Business Credit and Bank of Scotland on £80m facilities to Ian Macleod Distillers Limited (known for their Glengoyne Whiskey and Edinburgh Gin) (led by Euan Cluness);
• a Luxembourg fund on facilities from German bank Heleba to fund the acquisition of a prestigious property in Edinburgh's St Andrew's Square (led by Euan Cluness); and
• Red Rock Power on the £104m debt funding by Nat West of Afton Wind Farm in Lanarcshire (led by Alan Shanks)

Addleshaw Goddard's Finance & Projects Division comprises more than 50 partners and 150 other fee earners who are leaders in corporate banking (from investment grade to highly leveraged transactions), real estate finance (including social housing finance), asset finance (including aviation and shipping), asset based lending and trade finance and debt capital markets and structured finance. It enjoys panel positions with all the UK clearing banks.