Laura Bretherton

Partner

About

Laura advises sponsor, lender and borrower clients on a range of real estate finance transactions, with a particular focus on commercial investment and development financings.

She has experience across all real estate sectors, with a particular depth of experience in the financing of operational real estate assets including build-to-rent (BTR), private rented and student accommodation, life sciences, hotels and data centres.

Laura advises private capital managers, investors, developers, family offices and financial institutions on real estate financings across the UK and Europe. Clients value Laura’s breadth of experience across both the creditor and debtor side of real estate financings, alongside her broader experience of multi-jurisdictional transactions. Laura was named by MergerLinks as a rising star for most active up-and-coming financing lawyers in EMEA for 2023.

Alongside her client work, Laura mentors junior lawyers within the wider finance practice and co-chairs the firm’s Associates Committee.

Experience

  • Advising Hayfin on the acquisition and financing of landmark London office building 70 St Mary Axe from lenders Santander and Caixabank.
  • Advising Hayfin on its acquisition of European CRE development and investment loan portfolio from Oaktree.
  • Advising Canadian investment firm Brookfield on securing £300m in financing for the expansion of Harwell Science and Innovation Campus.
  • Advising L&G and its partner, investment manager Goldacre, on a facility provided by ICG to finance the acquisition and development of a £750m sustainable, urban hyperscale data centre in the London Borough of Newham.
  • Advising a credit fund lender on the development financing for a major residential-led scheme in Piazza dei Navigatori, Rome.
  • Advising Brookfield on the senior and mezzanine facilities for the financing of 20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf.
  • Advising Pandox on the financing for its acquisition of Dalata Hotel Group plc.
  • Advising the club of lenders on their facilities for the refinancing of London’s Paddington Square development.
  • Advising Hillwood Investment Properties on the speculative development financing of various logistics and industrial projects.
  • Advising DATA4 Group on its €620m debt financing from investment banking firms Deutsche Bank, Société Générale and SMBC.
Laura is a great technical lawyer, able to take a calm, measured and pragmatic approach to get the deal done smoothly

Chambers UK 2026

She has knowledge across various types of real estate finance, and the work she does is brilliant.

Chambers UK 2026

Laura Bretherton is always very responsive to any questions we have. The breadth of her knowledge has been invaluable to us.

Chambers UK 2026

Laura's work is high-quality and she provides comprehensive and very clear advice.

Chambers UK 2026

Laura Bretherton is a good technical lawyer who instils confidence; she gets the job done with minimum fuss and resources matters at the right levels.

The UK Legal 500 2026

Laura Bretherton is fantastic. She has great technical ability which allows her to spot issues early, is commercially minded and solution-focused. She's a pleasure to work with.

The UK Legal 500 2025

Case studies

Insights and news