The ‘extremely knowledgeable and commercial’ team at Vedder Price is best-known for its work in the aviation space, with clients, which include lessors, banks, carriers and investors, receiving ’pragmatic and practical’ advice across a wide range of of secured and unsecured loan and lease financing and capital markets transactions. The team works particularly well on complex multi-jurisdictional mandates, with it effectively collaborating with its US colleagues, if necessary, on New York-law governed deals led from London, as well as being able to handle English law deals for US clients. Neil Poland is a ‘strong all-rounder’, who is as comfortable on the debtor side as he is on the creditor front, including a considerable amount of recent PDP financing work for his airline client base. Derek Watson is the ’go-to-guy when it comes to difficult topics’ for lessor clients, while also maintaining a very credible lender side practice on the corporate jet front. Gavin Hill has a particular focus advising banks on financing work in the sector, while the ‘very knowledgeable and pragmatic’ Dylan Potter ’s expertise extends beyond the aviation space to also include a considerable amount of shipping work, including for alternative investors buying distressed assets in the sector.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘It is a strong team that works together very efficiently.'
‘They are the creme de la creme when it comes to drafting or advising on very technical aspects in documentation and take a pragmatic and practical approach.'
‘Extremely knowledgeable and commercial, understanding their clients' objectives and risk tolerance. Vedder Price is one of the preeminent law firms with respect to financing and investing in transportation assets generally.'
'Derek Watson is the go to guy when it comes to difficult topics and he is truly excellent.’
‘Derek Watson's knowledge and expertise. He is diplomatic and not condescending with less experienced opposition and should be commended as maintaining the commercial relationship between and aircraft lessor and third parties is fundamental for our business to grow.'
'Neil Poland is a strong all-rounder.'
‘Dylan Potter is very knowledgeable and takes a pragmatic approach to solving legal issues. He works incredibly hard, juggling many diverse matters for us and I'm sure other clients as well.'

Key clients

Airbus
BayernLB (Bayerische Landesbank)
Castlelake
CDB Aviation
CA-CIB (Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank)
DekaBank (DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale)
Helaba (Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale)
Lynx Air
NordLB (Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale)
volofin Holdings DAC

Work highlights

Represented CA-CIB (Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank) in relation to the Ex-Im Bank financing of 2x Boeing 777-300ERs for the benefit of KLM.
Represented Castlelake on a purchase and leaseback relating to four Boeing 787 aircraft leased to Singapore-incorporated airline, Scoot.
Represented Lynx Air in a lessor PDP and sale and leaseback of Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft.