Educational Activities
Education is one of our core objectives. In particular, we seek to educate members and others regarding documentation and legislative, regulatory, legal, accounting, tax and operational issues affecting the syndicated loan market in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We also help to foster a greater understanding of market practice across both geographical regions and product groupings.
Our Events Programme includes the following types of events:
- Courses: LMA Certificate Course, LMA Syndicated Loans Course for Lawyers and LMA Documentation Certificate Course
- Documentation training
- International and UK conferences: including annual conferences for Developing Markets, Real Estate Finance, FinTech and Loan Operations in London; our annual membership conference also in London; and international conferences in Kenya, South Africa and now Dubai.
- Seminars: we now run seminars in more European centres then ever before including Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris, Stockholm, Vienna and Zurich, as well as regular evening seminars in the UK.
- Webinars: launched in August 2015, our webinars give members around the world easy access to training on a range of LMA documents and other relevant topics.
- E-learning: as well as a course comprising of 10 modules which provides an overview of the loan product, from inception to sell down in secondary, there are now new standalone modules added to the programme.
LMA Certificate Course
This course offers 5 days of concentrated tuition, with the use of case studies and workshops, on all key aspects of the primary and secondary syndicated loan markets in the context of the broader debt capital markets.
- Day 1 - Introduction to the market and definitions
- Day 2 - Pricing
- Day 3 - Syndication strategies and agency
- Day 4 - Portfolio strategies and secondary market
- Day 5 - Secondary market cont., market regulations and code of conduct
LMA Syndicated Loans Course for Lawyers
A two-day programme, designed specifically for those working in the legal profession, providing detailed tuition on all aspects of the primary and secondary loan markets in the context of the broader debt capital markets, taking into account current market conditions.
- Day 1 - Overview of the product and market, debt markets compared and ratings, pricing dynamics, evaluating alternative solutions - a borrower's viewpoint, responsibilities of a syndications unit, syndications strategies, and agency functions
- Day 2 - Leveraged finance market, types of investors, managing scenarios when things go wrong, history and reason for existence of secondary loan market including trading, secondary trading and pricing, primary and secondary loans and the credit crunch, and regulation and capital
LMA Loan Documentation Certificate Course
A four-day course aimed at those working in the banking and institutional investor markets and the legal profession looking to gain a more in-depth understanding of the LMA primary standard documentation.
- Day 1 - Introduction, Product and timeline, Term Sheets, Key Ancillary Documentation, Overview of the LMA facility agreements, Guarantees, and Introduction to Security
- Day 2 - Facility Agreement Mechanics, Margin Protection, Conditions Precedent, Credit Protection - Representations, and Networking Drinks Reception
- Day 3 - Credit Protection - Covenants, Credit Protection - Events of Default, Intercreditor Issues, Relationship between the Finance Parties and the Role of the Agent, and Essential Boilerplate
- Day 4 - Changes in Circumstances and the Parties, Impact of Insolvency Law and Examination
LMA REF Certificate Course
This three-day course is aimed primarily at lenders and investors who want to gain an in-depth understanding of the key players and considerations fundamental to commercial real estate transactions.
- Day 1 - Overview of the CREF market, focus on syndicated loans, REF Syndication: responsibilities in a bank CREF team, evaluating alternative solutions - borrower viewpoint, borrower case study, property due diligence and the role of the agents
- Day 2 - Case Study: how to structure a transaction, case study - commercial aspects of LMA documentation, development finance, introduction to financial covenants, case study – financial covenants, hedging in CRE finance transactions, and liquidity provisions – the importance of an exit strategy
- Day 3 - NPLs and portfolio sales, overview of sustainability regulation application to CRE, the role of valuers as advisors in CRE finance transactions, the role of insurance in CRE finance transactions, the role of tax and tax advisors in structuring a REF transaction, and, lastly, Exam
Documentation Training
One-day documentation training workshops are run on a regular basis covering:
- Primary investment grade documentation training
- Primary leveraged documentation training
- Secondary documentation training
LMA Conferences
Each year, we hold our annual conference in London which is for members only. This conference has become the largest loans conference in EMEA and its popularity continues to grow, along with the demand for places. For further information regarding the LMA Syndicated Loans Conference and sponsorship opportunities, contact Melanie Hutchings. We also run the following annual conferences in London: REF Conference (500+ delegates), Developing Markets Conference (300+ delegates), FinTech (380+ delegates) and Loan Operations Conference (300+ delegates).
Seminars
Complimentary early evening seminars in the UK are held on a monthly to bi-monthly basis, each covering a subject of topical interest to our members. Guest speakers are market practitioners and lawyers expert in their relevant field. We also hold afternoon seminars and evening seminars in various European locations throughout the year.
With the majority of our seminars, conferences and training being free of charge to members, we offer outstanding value compared to other commercial event organisations.
Please refer to our Events Calendar for timing and location of our various educational activities.