North America - United States • Transport
Vinson & Elkins LLP
With ‘an unmatched client focus’, Vinson & Elkins LLP’s ‘supportive’ team acts for both sponsors, such as airlines and aircraft leasing companies, and capital providers, including major banks and private equity funds. The practice was recently particularly active in relation to Russia/Ukraine-related deprivations of stranded aircraft, where the group assisted investors with the acquisition of rights in insurance claims from aircraft owners. Co-heading the New York-based department are ’consummate legal professional’ and aviation leasing and financing specialist David Berkery, who is a member of the Aviation Working Group’s Global Aircraft Trading System legal advisory panel, and Niels Jensen, who focuses on a range of aviation transactions, including corporate, asset-backed and structured financings in the loan and capital markets, along with restructurings and joint ventures. The next line of key advisers features Demi Hueth, who regularly advises on aviation-related financings.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Irish, English and New York-qualified lawyers, so full coverage on deals that have elements of each. That is very valuable and saves clients time and energy having to explain concepts particular to each jurisdiction.’
- ‘The team is very connected and clients are really impressed with how they work together seamlessly.’
- ‘V&E delivers on what clients ask and does so with minimal fuss.’
- ‘Responsive, collaborative and supportive. The entire team has an unmatched client focus.’
- ‘David Berkery steps in where needed to solve complex points.’
- ‘David Berkery gets to know how his clients think and what they do (and don't) care about, and delivers on that.’
- ‘David Berkery is the consummate legal professional, with expert industry insights and knowledge. Highly responsive, intuitively collaborative, and consistently supportive. David surrounds himself with an excellent team too, ensuring continuous and exceptional client support.’
- ‘Niels Jensen has a lot of experience. He is easy to work with and open to new ideas.’
Key clients
- Citibank, N.A.
- Castlelake Aviation Limited
- Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.
- AerCap Holdings N.V
- Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A.
- China Development Bank
- Banc of America Leasing Ireland Co., Limited
- MUFG Bank, Ltd.
- Zephyrus Aviation Capital Limited
- The Boeing Company
- New Pacific Airlines
- LCI Operations Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Citibank on a $400m syndicated, asset-based, senior secured revolving credit facility for Alaska Airlines.
- Advised Castlelake Aviation Finance DAC (and its subsidiaries) on the $239.5m purchase of eight aircraft on lease to Avianca.
- Advised Azorra Explorer Holdings Limited on the acquisition of an interest in complex, long-tail, insurance claims belonging to the estate of Voyager Aviation Holdings, LLC, and certain of its affiliates and subsidiaries, (in relation to two Boeing Model 747-8F aircrafts lost in Russia due to the Russian/Ukraine conflict).
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
David Berkery, Niels Jensen