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Matthew Smith is a partner in Cadwalader’s Leveraged Finance & Private Credit Group in London.
Matthew advises private equity sponsors, private credit funds, banks and corporate borrowers on leveraged and general finance transactions across a range of sectors. Matthew is widely recognised as a leading individual for private credit and direct lending transactions.
Matthew is ranked as a “Next Generation Partner” for Acquisition Finance by The Legal 500 UK and as a leading individual by Chambers UK.
- Chambers UK 2023 – “We were delighted in what he did for us. Matt and his team brought together an incredible work rate and drive and were really excellent at understanding the issues. This has made them our new go-to firm.” “Matt Smith provides really high-quality advice, is always available and is very strong and knowledgeable in this market segment.” “He offers a great level of client service, is responsive and always willing to lend a hand, and is knowledgeable but also commercially aware.”
- Chambers UK 2022 – “Matthew Smith is a highly experienced lawyer who is well plugged in to the latest market trends and able to negotiate strongly with when required." "Matthew has excellent experience and is a responsive, thoughtful and proactive partner.”
- Chambers UK 2021 – “He is highly responsive, always available and fully in the detail on all elements of documentation. He has a highly commercial approach and is very capable of putting himself in the shoes of both lenders and sponsors to arrive at a balanced outcome.”
- Chambers UK 2020 – “Matthew is a very strong lawyer with good attention to detail and a strong technical background. He is easy to work with and commercially sensible, an asset on any deal. He is regularly called upon to advise banks and funds on a wide range of acquisition and leveraged finance matters.”
- Legal 500 UK 2024 – “Matthew Smith is a very strong technical lawyer who is also commercially sharp – he knows how to get deals done and focuses on the important details without getting bogged down in matters that don’t mean anything to clients.” “The very commercial Matthew Smith has an ability to think more like an investor / shareholder than any other financing partner I know in the market.”
- Legal 500 UK 2020 – “The exceptionally strong Matthew Smith is commercial and technically strong" and "The ‘technically capable and commercial' Matthew Smith's broad-ranging expertise includes direct lending work …”
Matthew is also recognised by Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom in the Banking and Finance category.
Matthew has advised clients on numerous significant matters, including the representation* of:
- The private credit lenders on the refinancing of The World Universities Insights Group (an Inflexion Private Equity investment).
- Apera Asset Management on the financing of Inflexion Private Equity’s investment in TC Group.
- Bridgepoint Credit and CVC Credit on the refinancing of Macquarie’s acquisition of Wavenet Group.
- Macquarie Principal Finance and Goldman Sachs on the unitranche refinancing of Dukes Education Group.
- Macquarie Principal Finance on its refinancing of EMK Capital-owned Reconomy.
- ICG on its forward funding of Europe's largest single-occupier logistics site for Jaguar Land Rover.
- Bridgepoint Credit and Investec Bank plc on the refinancing of CGE Partners and ICG plc's acquisition of Enhesa Group.
- EMK Capital and its portfolio investment Outright Games on certain working capital facilities.
- Citi as Financial Advisor on the GBP 6.5bn offer for Meggitt PLC by Parker-Hannifin Corporation.
- Rothschild and BofA Securities as Financial Advisors on the GBP 1.51bn offer for Sanne Group plc by Apex Group.
- NatWest and Rabobank on their refinancing of the UK-franchise business of Burger King.
- Ardian Private Debt on the unitranche financing of Synova Capital’s acquisition of Orbis Protect.
- Ardian Private Debt and Barings Private Debt on the financing aspects of Macquarie’s recommended cash offer for Premier Technical Services Group Plc.
- Ares Management Limited on the financing aspects of Macquarie and MML’s acquisition of ParkingEye.
- Muzinich Private Debt on the unitranche facilities made available to refinance August Private Equity’s acquisition of the Zenergi Group.
- Morgan Stanley as Financial Advisor on the GBP 3.8 billion offer for G4S by Allied Universal, a leading security services provider backed by Warburg Pincus and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ).
- UBS as Financial Advisor on the GBP 2.6 billion offer for Inmarsat Plc by a consortium including Apax Partners and Warburg Pincus, among others.
- The unitranche lender on the first out / last out unitranche facilities made available to support LDC's investment in Solid Solutions.
- Muzinich Private Debt on the unitranche refinancing of August Private Equity’s acquisition of Charterhouse Voice & Data Plc.
- Barings Private Debt on the unitranche financing package to support a confidential sponsor bid.
- Proventus Capital Partners III KB on its unitranche financing of Santa Fe Group Limited.
- HSBC and Barclays on the innovative multi-platform Coronovirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) refinancing of Ocean Outdoor Ltd.
- HSBC and Deutsche Bank in several capacities on the post-IPO facilities for Global Fashion Group.
- Bridgepoint and Wiggle on the financing aspects of Wiggle’s acquisition of Chain Reaction Cycles.
- ECI Partners on the financing of its acquisition of IT Lab.
- Livingbridge and the Company on the continuing debt financing arrangements for Exponent’s acquisition of the Enra Group.
- Exponent Private Equity on the financing aspects of its acquisition of Trainline.com.
*Certain representations occurred prior to Matthew's association with Cadwalader.
