Aviation Finance
When it comes to aircraft operating finance and leasing transactions, our Aviation Finance team has extensive experience representing financial institutions, leasing companies, export credit agencies, funds, and airlines around the globe.
We structure, document, and negotiate domestic and cross-border aircraft and engine leasing and finance transactions that frequently involve multiple jurisdictions. We advise clients on restructuring, workout, and repossession matters, and are knowledgeable in transactions involving commercial aircraft, business and private jets, and general aviation.
We work in major global markets, advising on aircraft finance deals involving air carriers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the United States, and Australia. We have advised on financing portfolio acquisitions of commercial aircraft for operating lessors, finance lease transactions, leveraged lease transactions, and cross-border operating lease transactions.
Our lawyers are also among the most knowledgeable with transactions involving Japanese operating leases (JOL) and Japanese operating leases with call option (JOLCO) and frequently advise clients in the expanding JOL/JOLCO market. They seamlessly transition from representing global, dominant operating lessors, to active and growing mid-tier operating lessors, to individual investors.
Our Aviation Finance lawyers also have a wealth of experience with German KG funds, enhanced equipment trust certificate transactions, export credit agency transactions, aircraft lease portfolio securitizations, sale and leaseback transactions, aircraft sale and purchase transactions, and cargo and ticket receivable transactions.
They also excel in airline bankruptcy proceedings and have extensive experience representing banks, financial institutions, and other creditors by working closely with colleagues in our Tax, Policy and Regulatory, and Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice groups.
Both the team and its lawyers are globally recognized by journals and directories, including Chambers, Legal 500, and Who’s Who Legal, and the deals we advise have won awards for their complexity and innovation by leading aviation publications.
- Airline Economics Aviation 100 Awards 2023
- Asia-Pacific Editor’s Deal of the Year
- Airline Economics Middle East & Africa Aviation 100 Awards 2023
- Supported Finance Deal of the Year
- Airfinance Journal Airfinance Annual 2022/2023
- Second overall across all 12 categories out of 21 law firms
- Airfinance Journal Legal Survey 2023
- First in Structured Lease Transactions for the 6th year in a row
- Second in Sales and Purchases for the 3rd year in a row
- Second in Europe for the 2nd year in a row
- Fourth in Asia-Pacific for the 2nd year in a row
- Third globally for the 3rd year in a row
- Airfinance Journal Legal Survey 2022
- First in Africa Market for the 2nd year in a row
- Airfinance Journal Awards 2022
- Tax Lease Deal of the Year Asia
- Asia-Pacific Deal of the Year
- Revolving Credit Facility Deal of the Year
- Airline Economics Aviation 100 Awards 2022
- Asia-Pacific Debt Deal of the Year
- Asia-Pacific Overall Deal of the Year
- Airline Economics Middle East, Africa & Islamic Aviation 100 Awards 2022
- Law Firm of the Year
- Ranked by Chambers 2024:
- Asia-Pacific Guide: Aviation: Finance - Asia-Pacific Region
- Asia-Pacific Guide: Banking & Finance: International - Japan
- UK Guide: Asset Finance: Aviation Finance - UK-wide
- Ranked by Chambers 2023:
- Asia-Pacific Guide: Aviation: Finance - Asia-Pacific Region
- Asia-Pacific Guide: Banking & Finance: International - Japan
- Global Guide: Aviation: Finance - Asia-Pacific Region
- Global Guide: Banking & Finance: International - Japan
- UK Guide: Asset Finance: Aviation Finance - UK-wide
- Ranked by The Legal 500 2024:
- Transport - Aviation: Australia
- Aviation: UK
- Ranked by The Legal 500 2023:
- Transport - Aviation: Australia
- Aviation: Belgium
- Aviation: UK
- Aviation and Air Travel-Finance: US
- Expert Guides - Women in Business Law 2022
- Recognized all of our women partners
- Euromoney’s Best of Best 2022, Chambers 2023, The Legal 500 2023, and Who’s Who Legal: Transport Aviation Guide 2022
- Recognized members of our global team
