Matthew Smith is a partner in the Leveraged Finance & Private Credit Group in London.
He advises private equity sponsors, private credit funds, banks and corporate borrowers on complex cross-border leveraged and acquisition finance transactions. He has significant experience advising clients on distressed and opportunistic credit transactions and liability management transactions, and is particularly recognised for his expertise in private credit and direct lending.
Matthew is listed as a “Leading Partner” for Acquisition Finance by The Legal 500 UK, Band 3 for Leveraged Finance: Mid-Market by Chambers and Partners (UK, Europe and Global guides). He is also named as a “Notable Practitioner” for Bank Lending: Lender Side by IFLR1000 and in Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom for Banking and Finance.
His team was also recognised in 9fin Private Credit League Tables, where they ranked 4th for Lender Counsel in Europe in 2025.
Recognition
- The Legal 500 UK – Leading Partner, Acquisition Finance (2017 -2026)
- Chambers UK – Band 3, Leveraged Finance: Mid-Market (2020–2026)
- Chambers Global - Leveraged Finance: Mid-Market (2026)
- Chambers Europe - Leveraged Finance: Mid-Market (2026)
- IFLR1000 – Notable Practitioner, Bank Lending: Lender Side (2026)
- Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom – Banking and Finance
- Advising the private credit and bank lenders on the debt financing arrangements put in place to support Macquarie Principal Finance’s investment in the Unihomes Group.
- Advising the private credit and bank lenders on the debt financing arrangements put in placeto support Synova Private Equity’s minority investment in Bishop Fleming.
- Advising the private credit and bank lenders on the debt financing arrangements put in place to support support Synova Private Equity’s investment in the Learnlight Group.
- Advising the private credit and bank lenders on the refinancing of The World Universities Insights Group (an Inflexion Private Equity portfolio business).
- Advising Apera Asset Management on the financing of Inflexion Private Equity’s investment in TC Group.
- Advising Bridgepoint Credit and CVC Credit on the refinancing of Macquarie’s acquisition of Wavenet Group.
- Advising a syndicate of banks and private credit funds on the on the c. £1bn refinancing of Dukes Education Group.
- Advising Macquarie Principal Finance on its refinancing of Reconomy.
- Advising ICG on its forward funding of Europe’s largest single-occupier logistics site for Jaguar Land Rover.
- Advising Bridgepoint Credit and Investec Bank on the refinancing of CGE Partners and ICG’s acquisition of Enhesa Group.
- Advising EMK Capital and its portfolio investment Outright Games on its private credit and bank refinancing.
- Advising Citi as Financial Advisor on the £6.5bn offer for Meggitt PLC by Parker-Hannifin Corporation.
- Advising Rothschild and BofA Securities as Financial Advisors on the £1.51bn offer for Sanne Group by Apex Group.
- Advising a syndicate of private credit funds and banks on their senior secured refinancing of the UK-franchise business of Burger King.
- Advising Ardian Private Debt on the unitranche financing of Synova Capital’s acquisition of Orbis Protect.
- Advising Ardian Private Debt and Barings Private Debt on the financing aspects of Macquarie’s take private of Premier Technical Services Group plc.
- Advising Ares Management on the financing aspects of Macquarie and MML’s acquisition of ParkingEye.
- Advising Muzinich Private Debt on the unitranche refinancing of August Private Equity’s acquisition of the Zenergi Group.
- Advising Morgan Stanley as Financial Advisor on the £3.8bn offer for G4S by Allied Universal (Warburg Pincus / CDPQ).
- Advising UBS as Financial Advisor on the £2.6bn offer for Inmarsat Plc by an Apax Partners / Warburg Pincus-led consortium.
Certain representations occurred prior to Matthew's association with Cadwalader.
