Gemma Murphy-Punzo

Legal Director

Gateley Legal

Expertise

Gemma acts for a wide range of asset finance and leasing companies as well as consumer finance and short term lenders. This is in addition to her significant experience of acting for bank, private equity investors and corporate borrowers in a range of sectors.

Gemma’s areas of expertise include equipment leasing and asset finance (both regulated and non-regulated), commercial and consumer lending alongside regulatory consumer credit work. 

Asset finance work ranges from advising on and drafting standard and bespoke finance documents as well as a wide range of “business as usual” queries on a day-to-day basis. 

Gemma’s regulatory work includes assisting with applications for FCA authorisation, change of control advice, regulatory reporting and advising on a wide range of Consumer Credit Act queries.

Gemma has extensive experience of advising where businesses are distressed.  This is extremely helpful in structuring transactions to minimise and, if things go wrong, to maximise recoveries. It also enables Gemma to provide practical advice on strategies for taking security which will stand up to scrutiny in the insolvency process. 

Gemma spent time on secondment to both Lloyds Bank Plc and Grant Thornton LLP.

Experience

  1. Assisting with the drafting of new loan and security documentation in respect of a legacy bridging financier.
  2. Drafting the standard documentation including a master hire purchase and master lease agreement, for a captive funder in the vehicle finance sector.
  3. Handling various applications to the FCA for change of controller.
  4. Drafting a set of standard documents for a start-up loans business which has devised a completely novel form of funding in its specific market sector.
  5. Acting for various banks, private equity houses and funders in reviewing and advising on their current security arrangements.