LHV Bank has selected Harper Macleod as its primary Scottish legal adviser as the lender sets its sights on doubling its Scottish loan book in the coming years. The appointment cements an existing working relationship between the two organisations and positions the independent law firm at the heart of LHV’s push to grow its commercial lending activity across Scotland’s real estate and trading sectors.
Under the new arrangement, Harper Macleod will act as the bank’s main legal partner for Scottish real estate and commercial mortgage transactions. The two firms have already completed multiple Scottish deals together, with an aggregate value of around £63 million, providing a strong foundation for the formal appointment.
Conor McDermott, director of SME Lending at LHV Bank, said: “Scotland is an important market for LHV and one where we see significant opportunities to grow our commercial lending business across real estate and trading sectors. As our activity increases, we need advisers who combine technical expertise with a commercial approach that helps transactions progress quickly and efficiently.
“Harper Macleod has already supported us on a number of Scottish transactions and has shown a strong understanding of the sort of lending we do. This appointment formalises that relationship and gives us a stronger platform as we continue to grow our presence in Scotland over the coming years.”
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For Harper Macleod, the role reflects both the resilience and increasing sophistication of the Scottish lending landscape. Andrew Ronald, partner in the firm’s Banking & Finance team, said: “The Scottish lending market remains active, but it is also becoming more sophisticated. Borrowers are often dealing with more complex capital structures, cross-border elements or transactions that need a more tailored legal approach.”
He stressed that lenders now place a premium on advisers who can blend deep Scots law expertise with a practical understanding of how to get deals across the line. “That places a premium on legal advisers who can combine technical Scots law expertise with a commercial understanding of how lenders want to get deals done,” Ronald explained. “We have already worked closely with LHV on a number of transactions and know first-hand the appetite it has for the Scottish market. We are pleased to have been appointed to support that next stage of growth.”
The appointment further consolidates Harper Macleod’s position as a key player in Scotland’s banking and finance sector, while giving LHV Bank a dedicated legal partner as it seeks to build scale in a competitive and evolving market.
