Clifford Chance‘s team in New York ’marries technical excellence with commercial sensitivity’. The practice’s enviable client list comprises investment banks, arrangers, investors, governmental authorities, and finance and operating lessors. In addition to its Export Credit Agency finance specialism, the group is highly experienced in aviation-related debt and equity offerings, portfolio securitizations, and enhanced equipment trust certificate issuances. The firm additionally has a robust operating lessor practice, through which it acts for both established and newer operating leasing companies. With particular experience in financing and corporate transactions involving aircraft, rolling stock and vessels, Zarrar Sehgal heads the global asset finance group, as well as the global transport and logistics team. The practice also includes the ‘simply awesome’ aircraft leasing and financing expert Emily Wicker; Patrick O’Reilly, whose aircraft finance workload covers secured and unsecured lending, joint ventures, operating leases, and portfolio sales and acquisitions, along with M&A, securitization and restructuring; and renowned asset finance expert John Howitt. Other names to note are Benjamin Fisher, a specialist in aviation sector-related cross-border asset finance deals; and Olga Miller, whose aircraft finance experience encompasses pre-delivery payment facilities, new delivery and leaseback financings, business jet transactions, and spare parts and engine financings.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Hands-on global team and experts in every field, such as lease extensions, financing and hedging.’
- ‘Approachable individuals with prompt responses.’
- ‘Always goes above and beyond to support clients’ businesses.’
- ‘The Clifford Chance aviation team is not only competent and consisting of experts in the field, but it is skilled at identifying and translating sophisticated legal issues for commercial folks in a way that makes them understandable.’
- ‘Clifford Chance marries technical excellence with commercial sensitivity. They are extremely reliable, always available, and have a deep bench of talent, ensuring appropriate staffing on a range of transactions.‘
- ‘Clients feel fortified by the breadth of the expertise - it is a holistic offering with a truly collaborative, global partnership, which means advice is given by true subject specialists.’
- ‘Emily Wicker is simply awesome. Always a pleasure to deal with and always available to provide excellent advice.’
- ‘Emily Wicker - very client focused, and good at identifying issues and advising on creative solutions.’
Key clients
- TrueNoord
- VistaJet Group
- Airborne Capital
- BBAM Aircraft Leasing & Management
- SKY Leasing
- Perilune Aviation
- CMB Financial Leasing
- BNDES
- AerCap
Work highlights
- Advised TrueNoord on a five-year $275m term loan used to finance a portfolio of 31-owned regional jet and turboprop aircraft (on lease to 13 different airline customers in 11 countries).
- Advised the underwriters on a $1.65bn acquisition facility for Macquarie AirFinance (MAF), which will be used by MAF to acquire a portfolio of 55 aircraft from ALAFCO.
- Advised Airborne Capital Limited and Marathon Asset Management on the closing of their second aircraft securitization, MAST 2022-1, which placed $303.7m of rated notes (secured by a portfolio of 15 narrowbody aircraft).
Lawyers
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Practice head
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Zarrar Sehgal