Asset Finance & Asset Based Lending
Service overview: Asset finance solicitors
- Asset finance can be a great way of securing the funds you need to invest in things for your business, without having to dig into your savings or working capital. As an alternative to traditional bank lending, we work with you to find innovative financing structures for complex needs.
- You can finance any asset, but asset finance is most common in shipping, aviation, plant and machinery, and the film industry.
- The main types of asset finance structures are secured lending, and leasing, or a combination of both. Operating leases and finance leases are the most common forms of lease.
- International transactions may be sourced and supported by export credit agencies.
What we do: Asset finance solicitors
Our finance solicitors can support you from the credit and underwriting process, through to drafting the facility agreement and making sure security is in place.
We regularly advise clients on multiple factors of asset finance and asset-based lending. It’s vital that you understand the legal implications which are commonly involved with these lending facilities, as well as the relevant tax and accounting issues.
We’ve advised on a wide range of matters, including:
- Secured lending transactions and commercial debt financing
- Acquisition, disposal and financing of asset portfolios
- Lease agreements such as equipment leasing (including HP and sale and leaseback) and operating leases, maintenance and insurance standards, and residual value advice
- Incorporating special purpose vehicles (SPVs)
- Structured tax-based transactions
- Export credit agency (ECA)-supported financing and liaising with the ECGD
- Security arrangements including mortgages, assignments of rights and insurances, and share charges
- Regulatory and compliance advice
- Receivable finance facilities
- Aviation finance
- Consumer credit and consumer hire
- Block discounting
- Introducer agreements
- Agency agreements
Loans from financial institutions are very common forms of asset-based lending, especially when they concern your assets as security. Watch our video on how to handle commercial loan agreements and what to look out for:
Our work ranges from complex structured transactions to regulatory and compliance advice, and concerns a wide variety of asset types, such as:
- Commercial vehicles
- Fixtures
- Marine medical equipment
- Aircraft
- Trains
- Industrial plant and machinery
Who we help: Businesses of all sizes throughout the UK
We can help various parties involved in asset finance and lending, including:
- Manufacturers and asset owners
- Operators and lessors
- Domestic and cross-border financiers
- Heavy and light rolling stock leasing companies (ROSCOs)
- Leasing companies
- Financial institutions and lenders
- Export credit agencies
- Investment vehicles including private equity houses
Why choose Harper James? Our asset finance solicitors’ experience
We’re proud of our commercial approach when giving advice and understand the constraints of the industry to provide you with industry standard advice.
Harper James is a modern law firm with a difference. Our innovative remote operating model means that you can access expert City-grade legal advice from partner-level solicitors at a fraction of the cost of traditional law firms. Our senior solicitors are all recruited from top 100 UK law firms and have worked on a variety of complex lending transactions in a range of industries. Most of our senior solicitors have more than 10 years post-qualifying experience.
Find out about our asset finance team:
Pricing plans
Our three transparent pricing packages are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:
City
Straightforward access to senior solicitors at a competitive rate.
An affordable solution for businesses needing one-off legal support. Receive ‘City’ partner-level expertise at a fraction of ‘City’ prices.
Enterprise
Have legal peace of mind for £189 per month with additional support from £99 per hour.
A monthly subscription legal support package specifically designed for start-ups and smaller businesses.
On-Demand
For businesses requiring 60+ hours of support a year, with prices equivalent to £99 per hour.
Fully account managed quarterly subscription service for businesses with more complex legal needs.
What our clients say
We pride ourselves on delivering an excellent service for clients, but don’t just take our word for it.
Harper James provides my small growing business with a scalable, reliable, team-oriented approach to legal advice. Whenever we face a problem, I know that Harper James are there to provide helpful and cost-effective advice, to scope out the options, make clear the costs and risks, and give me the information I need to make decisions.
They adopted a proactive approach to overcoming issues, and their knowledge of the sector and investors and preparedness to identify novel solutions has proved extremely beneficial.
Harper James provide a cost effective, responsive and versatile service and provide us with access to legal teams that are experienced, commercially focused and well-resourced. Most importantly they are extremely familiar with the SME market and know the venture capital sector well.
