Morgan, Lewis & Bockius UK LLP‘s ’technically excellent’ team assists airline clients looking to finance major aircraft orders and frequently acts for lessors in both the acquisition and disposal of portfolios of aircraft. Heading the practice are Sidanth Rajagopal, whose expertise encompasses aircraft financing, leasing and repossession, and Peter Sharp, who spearheads the firm’s contentious offering, where solicitor-advocate David Waldron provides further expertise. ‘Excellent aviation financing lawyer’ Manuela Krach handles transactions concerning commercial aircraft, engines and corporate jets.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The team has a solid understanding of all aspects of aircraft financing and related matters and have a significant breadth of relevant market experience.'
- 'The team is very responsive, technically excellent and a pleasure to work with.'
- 'Manuela Krach is a very experienced and excellent aviation financing lawyer. She combines a commercial approach and an in-depth understanding of the client's business and needs with technical excellence. She is always prompt and responsive.'
- 'The aviation finance team led by Sidanth Rajagopal continues to impress with their ability to deliver timely and commercially driven advice.'
- 'Sidanth Rajagopal heads the team and despite running a very busy practice always manages to squeeze 25 hours out of a day and is available to discuss matters with clients. His commercial awareness, coupled with his legal prowess makes him stand out.'
- 'Manuela Krach has the ability to pick out a needle in a haystack and her attention to ensuring we are protected on all matters yet being able to provide commercially viable advice is one of those rare qualities.'
- 'The aviation team is calm, calculated and very knowledgeable, able to assist and guide me through tough legal negotiations. Attention to detail and ability to identify risks are key capabilities and the team has a strong commercial understanding which is often missing in other teams.'
- 'Sidanth Rajagopal is very knowledgeable, with a very strong commercial understanding, providing consistent loyal legal support to his clients, very good in motivating his team to be the best in the market. Manuela Krach is highly intelligent, with incredible attention to detail and therefore providing rock solid advice to her clients, one of the best in the market.'
Key clients
- Aircastle Advisor LLC
- Carlyle Aviation Partners
- Merx Aviation Finance
- Vx Capital Partners, LLC
- Zephyrus Aviation Capital
- Riyadh Air
- GTLK Europe
- Voyager Aviation Holdings LLC
- Avation plc – VietJet
- SKY Leasing
- ACIA Aero Leasing (Ireland) Limited
- flydubai
- Nedbank CIB
- Etihad Aviation Training LLC
Work highlights
- Represented various lessors in litigation in the Commercial Court against international reinsurers who participated in the reinsurance of interests in aircraft let to Russian airlines.
- Advised Riyadh Air on its customer services general terms agreement with Boeing, as well as their purchase order for 39 Dreamliners, with an option to purchase 33 additional aircraft.
- Represented Veling Ltd. in the refinancing of three Airbus A380 aircraft on lease to Emirates.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Peter Sharp, Sidanth Rajagopal