Sarah Smit, Consultant, smiling for a formal headshot.

Sarah Smit

Consultant

Banking & Finance Team

About

Sarah Smit is a Consultant within our Banking & Finance Team.

Sarah has over 20 years of private practice and in-house experience in domestic and international markets. Before joining Acuity in early 2024, she worked in-house as Deputy General Counsel at British International Investment plc, the UK’s development finance institution, specialising in corporate lending and trade finance in emerging markets.

Since joining Acuity, Sarah has advised clients on real estate and development finance transactions, as well as on general corporate finance, working closely with both borrowers and lenders.

Throughout her career, she has practised at two Magic Circle firms in London, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam. Moreover, during her nine years in Amsterdam, she developed extensive expertise in advising lenders and borrowers on leveraged and acquisition finance, syndicated lending – supported by a secondment to ABN AMRO’s loan syndications team – receivables, trade finance, and bespoke finance products. In addition, she has significant experience in restructuring and insolvency matters, including administrations, receiverships, and turnarounds.

 

*Sarah Smit is a Consultant at Acuity Law working on a self-employed basis*

Work highlights

Advising the developer in relation to a Murabaha facility for the financing of a luxury residential development in Knightsbridge, London. 

Acting for the mezzanine lenders in relation to the financing of several residential developments in Wales. 

Acting for the trade finance platform in relation to its capital raising transactions and trade and supply chain financings in Europe and Africa. 

Advising a US impact fund as lender on the refinancing of a fruit producer in Brazil and Ghana. 

Acting for a lender on the restructuring of a hotel group in Cape Verde. 

Expertise

  • Emerging markets lending
  • Corporate lending
  • Financial institutions
  • Trade finance
  • Renewables and off-grid power
  • Sustainable development and development finance
  • Restructuring and insolvency, including administrations, receiverships and turnarounds
  • Leveraged finance
  • Acquisition finance
  • Syndicated lending
  • Receivables and trade finance
  • Other bespoke finance products

Accolades

  • The Banking & Finance Team is ranked Band 2 by Chambers and Partners
  • The Banking & Finance Team is ranked Tier 2 in the Legal 500