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Kathryn Witton

Senior Associate

Email

kathryn.witton@aoshearman.com

Phone

+44 20 3088 4238

Offices

London

V-CARD

Kathryn advises on a wide range of real estate practice areas, including acquisitions and disposals, social housing finance transactions, commercial leasing and borrowing and lending secured against real estate assets.

Kathryn also advises clients on loan portfolio sales and purchases of both secured and unsecured debt.

Kathryn is part of the Property Finance Working Group, made up of representatives from the social housing sector (including lawyers, borrowers and valuers) – this group of professionals in the social housing sector collaborate to provide standardised drafting and processes in relation to social housing finance transactions.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Representative matters

  • Loan Portfolio Sales and Purchases, Residential Mortgage Back Securitisations and Bank of England’s Discount Window Facility.
  • The arranger and joint lead managers on the circa GBP10bn securitisation of a portfolio of buy-to-let mortgage loans originated by Bradford & Bingley and Mortgage Express on the sale of a portfolio of loans by Bradford & Bingley following a competitive bidding process arranged by United Kingdom Asset Resolution.
  • The financing banks on the acquisition by Cerberus Capital Management of GBP13bn Northern Rock Mortgage assets from UKFI. The sale comprised of performing and non-performing residential mortgages and unsecured loans from the legacy book of NRAM, the former Northern Rock mortgage business.
  • A British Retail Bank on the sale of circa GBP 4bn residential mortgage portfolio to a large financial services organisation.
  • A multinational company on the sale of substantially all of the assets and business of one of their subsidiaries, a UK provider of first and second charge mortgages and unsecured loans. Various banks and building societies – asset due diligence for participation in the Bank of England Discount Window Facility.
  • Various banks and building societies – asset due diligence and regulatory advice on the establishment of covered bond programmes and updates and issuances of residential mortgage backed securities. 
  • An institutional investment management firm on the acquisition and financing of a circa EUR930m portfolio of Spanish mortgage loans.
  • Real Estate Finance Private Equity Firm in connection with a circa €800m purchase of hotels and hostels across Europe.  An international bank in connection with the circa £175m financing of a portfolio of commercial units and the subsequent securitisation of the assets. 
  • Various lenders in providing finance for acquisitions and development projects with borrowers. Social Housing Finance Transactions Advising Fiera Infrastructure Inc on its establishment of Domus Housing Social Ltd, a newly created social infrastructure platform and the related acquisition of a portfolio of properties.
  • London & Quadrant and East Thames in connection with a £2.6bn refinancing (the largest ever refinancing in the UK social housing sector). 
  • The security trustee and joint lead managers in connection with the establishment of the L&Q £2.5 billion EMTN programme. 
  • The security trustee and joint bookrunners in connection with The Guinness Partnership £400 million bond.
  • The security trustee and joint lead managers in connection with real estate assets provided as security by a range of social housing providers for both the issuances of bonds and further charging exercises.
  • Real Estate The real estate fund of a global investment bank on a number of acquisitions and disposals of retail and office parks in England. 
  • A private equity real estate business on the purchase, management and subsequent disposal of a retail park for circa £55 million.
  • A subsidiary of a sovereign wealth fund on lettings and property asset management. 
  • An international beverage company in connection with the purchase of its purchase of a property in London for its HQ for circa £30 million.

Pro bono

  • Working with other advisors to provide free legal advice across a range of topics including housing, consumer and debt claims at Toynbee Hall Legal Advice Centre.

Recognition

“Kathryn Witton is my go-to lawyer – knowledgeable, experienced and always delivers. Brilliant person to have on a deal team”
Legal 500 UK, 2021

Qualifications

Admissions

Solicitor, England and Wales, 2013

Academic

The College of Law (now The University of Law), Guildford Branch, LPC, 2010 - 2011 

The College of Law (now The University of Law), Guildford Branch, GDL, 2009 - 2010 

BA (Hons), University of Nottingham, 2006 - 2009

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.