“A large part of my job is identifying potential issues before they become problems, and helping clients to find solutions to thorny questions. It can be challenging at times, but I don’t think I’d have the same amount of satisfaction if it was plain sailing every time.”

Rod advises on general banking, commercial and corporate finance matters, acting for corporate borrowers, lenders and funds.

His practice covers a broad range of cross-border structured finance, acquisition finance and corporate finance transactions, including finance structures involving Scottish limited partnership vehicles. He has particular expertise in residential and commercial mortgage-backed securitisation and Fund Finance. The introduction of the Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Act has been a game-changer for secured lending in Scotland, particularly in Fund Finance, and Rod regularly advises clients on how best to maximise the benefits of the new legislation.

Areas of practice include:

Admitted

2002: Scotland

Relevant experience

Acting as Scottish counsel for Together Financial Services on the issue of £1.125 billion residential mortgage-backed notes, secured over residential properties in England, Wales and Scotland during a 12-month period and across three RMBS transactions (TABS 10, 11 and 12).
Acting as Scottish counsel for Skipton Building Society on the issue of £778 million residential mortgage-backed notes, secured over residential properties in England, Wales and Scotland by Darrowby No. 6 plc.
Acting as Scottish counsel for Atom Bank plc on the issue of £339 million residential mortgage-backed notes, secured over properties in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, by Elvet Mortgages 2025-1 plc.
Acting for a US-based investment bank on the Scottish aspects of a $600 million 2nd Lien note offering, funding the global operations of a multinational Canadian vehicle manufacturer.
Acting as Scots counsel on the refinance of a healthcare and education business group for a syndicate of investment fund and financial institution lenders, involving acquisition finance and term loan facilities and secured over a portfolio of educational, commercial and care home properties and related group companies based in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Acting as Scots Counsel to UK Lenders to a Swiss-based private equity firm providing subscription-backed funding lines to Scottish secondary funds.
Acting as Scots counsel to UK, French and US Lenders, providing advice on structuring Scottish security granted over the investor interests in a number of Scottish investment funds and forming part of the security package for hybrid NAV and sub-line facility agreements advanced to a London-based private equity group.
Acting as Scots Counsel to a South Korean bank providing subscription-backed facilities to a Jersey-based private equity firm secured over and funding Scottish investment funds.