Expertise
Nick is a highly-regarded member of our Finance and Projects Group, specialising in non-contentious transactional finance. Over the past thirty years he has developed key relationships with many of our major financial institution clients.
Nick is widely recognised for his deep knowledge of the Social and Affordable Housing sector, offering strategic insight and handling complex social housing finance transactions with exceptional expertise. Independent legal directors consistently acknowledge Nick's outstanding work in this area. In recent years, he has named among the "Topy 10 Influential UK Finance Lawyers Shaping Social Housing" and holds a top-tier Legal 500 (UK) ranking as a Hall of Fame lawyer for social housing.
Recent social impact, sustainability-linked and/or housing finance transactions he has led include advising:
- each of Barclays Bank, National Australia Bank, National Westminster Bank, Nationwide Building Society, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and BNP Paribas on their respective 'sustainability linked loan' transactions, with metrics linked to the relevant borrower meeting certain environmental and/or social impact key performance indicators
- each of AIB Group, Lloyds Banking Group, National Westminster Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland and Santander UK on facilities totalling £720m to the Catalyst housing group and the Rosebery housing group as part of the merger of these housing groups
- each of Barclays Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Santander UK plc in respect of their existing loan facilities to LiveWest group totalling £525,000,000 in relation to the conversion of LiveWest Treasury
- each of Barclays Bank, Barclays Bank UK, The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, Santander UK and Triodos Bank UK on the restatement of £196,000,000 of loan facilities to the Citizen housing group in connection with its group amalgamation
- each of Barclays Bank, National Westminster Bank, Nationwide Building Society and Santander UK on facilities and bonds to the Torus62 Limited
- Testimonials
"Nick Barlow "helps to put matters into layperson's terms, has tactical foresight and is always available."
Chambers 2023
"Nick Barlow is an authority on social, sustainable and green finance."
Legal 500 2023
"Nick Barlow - senior partner but always approachable and available to provide informal advice and counsel on any matters pre/post deal. Provides considered and pragmatic advice and seeks solutions and importantly speaks clear English - always essential for non-legal experts! Nick has tremendous sector knowledge and always delivers a good outcome for clients."
Legal 500 2023
"Nick Barlow is the "go-to person for anything complex" in the social housing sector."
Legal 500 2025
"Nick Barlow has vast experience in refinancing and sustainability-linked loans."
Legal 500 2026
