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.

Key areas of expertise for Holland & Knight LLP‘s aviation practice include joint ventures, global insolvencies, and large mergers and asset sales. The team also assists with alternative financing and investment structures in the aviation sector, along with aviation asset-related capital markets deals. Clients further mandate the group to advise on the leasing, financing, purchasing and sale of aircraft, engines and parts. Working between Chicago and New York, Latin America specialist Phillip Durham represents leasing companies in cross-border aviation financings. In San Francisco, Nathan Leavitt focuses on transactions involving airlines that operate in Latin America; Brian Daigle acts for aircraft lessors, airlines and financiers; and the expertise of asset finance specialist Audrey Sung encompasses commercial jet and turboprop aircraft. Over in New York, the practice of aircraft financing and leasing expert John Pritchard includes securitizations; and Richard Furey advises on asset and infrastructure finance. In Miami, Donald Gray‘s workload covers aircraft finance transactions, and aerospace commercial and regulatory law; and William Coleman assists with general finance, asset and structured deals. Laura Lewis in New York and San Francisco-based Danielle Santucci are other names to note. In early 2024, commercial aircraft finance specialist Cynthia Liu joined from Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP.

Recent highlights for Milbank‘s aviation team include advising on complex acquisition and warehouse financings, secured portfolio financings, asset-backed securities (ABS), enhanced equipment trust certificates (EETCs), and  loyalty program financings. Other areas of expertise range from private placements, structured finance, Aircraft Finance Insurance Consortium financings and Export Credit Agency-related work, to aviation-related M&A, IPOs, joint ventures, and aircraft portfolio acquisitions and disposals. The New York-based practice is co-led by Drew Fine, who has substantial experience in EETCs, financings, ABS, restructurings, and aviation M&A; and Alexandra Johnson, who regularly represents underwriters, lenders, issuers, borrowers, lessors, credit insurers and other equity and debt investors on high-end aviation financings. Fine and Johnson recently acted for the lenders in Griffin Global Asset Management’s and Palisade Aviation Holdings Warehouse’s upsize of their senior secured warehouse facility to $2bn. Providing key support, Jim Pascale represents banks, leasing companies, airlines, lenders, equity participants and hedge funds on a range of aviation deals; and Freyda Mechlowicz routinely advises on large financing facilities for aircraft leasing companies and financial institutions.

Housing ‘one of the premier aviation finance legal practices’, Vedder Price‘s client base ranges from major airlines, export credit agencies, operating lessors and asset managers to investment funds, finance companies, and manufacturers and manufacturer finance companies. The team handles the full gamut of aircraft finance deals, with its expertise covering large-value M&A deals, aircraft-related asset-backed securities, and portfolio debt financings. It also assists with structured multi-aircraft financings in the capital markets, sale and leaseback deals, individual aircraft sales, and maintenance, repair and overhaul agreements. In Chicago, Geoffrey Kass is a specialist in aviation sector-related structured financings; Adam Beringer focuses on commercial aircraft finance; Mark Ditto represents operating lessors, commercial banks, finance companies, private equity firms and hedge funds in commercial aircraft and high-value equipment transactions; and Michael Draz is another key aviation finance practitioner. Over in New York, Jeffrey Veber is well known for his work with EXIM Bank on cross-border aircraft leasings; Cameron Gee is ‘one of the best aviation partners around‘; and Justine Chilvers advises on an array of cross-border and domestic aircraft finance transactions. Another key adviser is aircraft finance transaction expert Raviv Surpin in Los Angeles.

With longstanding aviation sector experience, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP‘s New York-based practice handles the full range of aviation transactions. Representative work for the group covers aircraft and non-aircraft financings, capital markets, fleet purchases, and M&A. The team also assists with major restructurings, and airport infrastructure developments and financings. Its track record further comprises transactions involving aircraft leasing companies, including outright sales, portfolio sales, joint ventures and financing transactions, as well as aviation-sector deals funded by private equity, pension plans, and hedge and sovereign wealth funds. The department is jointly headed by Paul Brusiloff, who advises borrowers, LBO sponsors and private capital investors on high-stakes debt and equity financings, refinancings, recapitalizations, and restructurings; and aviation and equipment finance specialist Brian Liu, who routinely acts for airlines, leasing companies and financial institutions. Brusiloff and Liu are supported by corporate department and aviation practice member, Iryna Nikolaieva, who focuses on a range of domestic and international corporate and aircraft financings.

With particular expertise in aviation finance structures, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP acts for several leading airlines, aircraft leasing companies, and financial institutions. The practice boasts a robust track record of advising on major asset-backed security and enhanced equipment trust certificate transactions. In addition to financings, the group’s expertise extends to aviation-related securities offerings, M&A, inter-airline matters, bankruptcies, and litigation. International finance and corporate deal specialist Steven Chung chairs the firm’s aviation finance group from Washington DC, where Andrew Fowler advises lessors and underwriters on aircraft portfolio securitizations, equity offerings, loans, structured financings, joint ventures, and secured loans. Also in DC, Thomas Healey is another highly-regarded aviation finance law expert. The practice further features Miami’s Mark Denham, whose commercial and business aviation experience includes aircraft leases and loans, pre-delivery payment financings, warehouse facilities, securitizations, and aircraft purchases and sales, and asset finance deal specialist Terry Sanders in New York. Cynthia Liu departed the firm in January 2024.

Representing airlines, operating lessors, hedge funds, institutional equity investors, and commercial and investment banks, Norton Rose Fulbright‘s New York-based aviation finance team acts on the full range of transactions, including the acquisition, leasing, conversion and financing of cargo aircraft. The group is particularly active in cross-border deals, as well as being increasingly mandated for Latin American matters. Acting for operating lessors, airlines and lenders on aircraft acquisitions, leasings and financings, Alyssa Marie Vazquez heads up the firm’s aviation team in the US. Flanking Vazquez, Fiona Henderson is ‘extremely well versed in the New York aviation law space’. Henderson’s recent experience includes advising Scandinavian Airlines (as special aircraft counsel) on its Chapter 11 Case. The next line of advisers includes Ryan Apar, who assists lenders, borrowers, lessors and operators with financings, leasings and acquisitions, and is particularly focused on transportation equipment-related finance. Former partner Sean Corrigan  retired from the firm during 2023.

‘Very good aviation law firm’ Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is consistently sought out by financial institutions, leasing companies, airlines, manufacturers, and export credit agencies for high-stakes aircraft finance work. Providing both New York and English law capabilities, the team regularly handles portfolio sales, acquisitions, and financings as well as advising on structured finance, cross-border private equity and hedge fund investment structures, and Islamic and Export Credit Agency-supported financings. The team also assists with leasings (including related restructurings, disputes and repossessions), procurement of new aircraft and engines from manufacturers, and the formation and unwinding of multinational aviation leasing platforms. In New York, the ‘very experienced’ global finance practice head Mark Lessard has particular expertise in cross-border transactions, Melissa Jones-Prus focuses on the financing and leasing of aircraft and other aviation assets, and recently-promoted partner Pat Reisinger is an adviser on commercial and business aircraft finance deals. In Los Angeles, Richard Evans is an expert in commercial aircraft and private jet-related financings and leasings.

With ‘excellent coverage both domestically and globally’, K&L Gates‘ aviation finance work includes representing lenders, lessors, airlines, and aviation industry-related new technology providers. The team’s expertise also encompasses commercial finance advice in the aerospace sector, including financings, as well as leasing and licensing programs for manufacturers of hydrogen fuel tanks, magnetic propulsion and range services. The group additionally assists with the acquisition of aircraft and aerospace technology. In Orange County, the ‘highly skilled, experienced and dedicated’ Amanda Darling focuses on asset and project finance. The department also features Seattle-based Milos Kovacevic, an advisor to airlines, financiers and leasing companies on commercial aircraft-related financing, leasing, and sale and purchase transactions. Elizabeth Evans and Howard Chang have left the firm.

Katten is well known for its representation of major manufacturers, such as Brazilian aerospace multinational Embraer. The team also acts for significant leasing companies, and is highly regarded for its business aviation advice to corporations and high-net-worth individuals. The group is also able to leverage the expertise of its administrative and regulatory colleagues, as well as the firm’s commercial and bankruptcy litigation credentials. Representative mandates cover the buying, selling, leasing and financing of new and used aircraft, engines and related equipment, along with the structuring of investments in commercial aircraft businesses. In Washington DC, aviation practice chair Timothy Lynes is a veteran advisor to manufacturers, airlines, lessors, financial institutions, equity investors and insurers on aircraft-related sales, leasings, and financings. Supporting the group from New York, corporate and securities transaction expert Timothy Kirby also assists with high-stakes aviation financings. Former partner Stewart Herman departed the firm in 2023.

King & Spalding LLP‘s cross-practice aviation group combines its transactional aviation practice with the firm’s aviation litigation and arbitration expertise. The team is increasingly active in the commercial aviation space, as well as aircraft seizure and remedies work involving defaulting lease and loan transactions. The practice additionally advises on the firm’s private credit and private equity clients’ financing of aviation assets. Leading the transportation finance from Charlotte, Chris Buchanan‘s wide-ranging practice includes a large number of commercial aviation matters, as well as aviation-related acquisitions and acquisition financings. The department further features Washington DC’s Stephen Baskin, who represents airlines on IP issues, along with related contracts and disputes. Also key to the group, Atlanta's Carolyn Alford acts for financial institutions, funds, private equity sponsors, issuers and corporate borrowers on a range of complex finance transactions.

McGuireWoods LLP‘s aviation group has a strong market reputation for its assistance with corporate aircraft-related financing, leasing, purchases and sales. The group is also consistently mandated to act on the acquisition, disposition and management of commercial aircraft portfolios. It additionally advises major public companies on their company-owned aircraft fleets. Also of note, the team routinely structures the ownership, acquisition, leasing, sale and financing of fractional interests in aircraft. In Charlotte, Patricia Hosmer represents borrowers, lenders, lessors, lessees, equity participants and agents in aircraft financings; and M&A and corporate transactions expert David Whelpley Jr. likewise has notable aircraft sector experience. Also integral to the department are New York-based Deepak Reddy, an adviser to airlines, aircraft leasing companies, financial institutions and investment funds on commercial aircraft-related M&A, financing, restructuring and leasing deals; and Peter Szurley in San Francisco, whose wide-ranging practice encompasses aircraft finance and sales.

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.

Watson Farley & Williams (New York) LLP‘s aviation team is particularly active in aviation-related asset finance and structured financing. It also has a strong market reputation for sustainability and ESG matters in the aviation industry. Acting for aircraft lessors, commercial airlines and financiers throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas, Philip Jackmauh routinely advises on commercial aircraft leasing and aviation finance. The practice also features Susanne Burstein, who acts on aviation sector-related asset and structured finance, and cross-border aviation leasing and financing transaction specialist Julia Sim. Working between the firm’s London and New York offices, Jeffrey Wool, who serves as secretary general of the not-for-profit Aviation Working Group, joined the practice in January 2023 from Holland & Knight LLP as senior global advisor. All attorneys listed are in New York unless otherwise stated.

With longstanding experience in aircraft finance and aviation industry work, White & Case LLP‘s full-service team acts for major airlines, national and regional airlines, foreign flag carriers, charter airlines, and cargo carriers. The team’s representative expertise ranges from aircraft finance, long-term maintenance agreements, joint ventures and M&A, to regulatory issues, restructuring, capital markets, structured finance, and credit card processing arrangements. In New York, asset finance specialist Todd Wolynski has notable aviation industry experience, his broad expertise covering aircraft and helicopter finance, equipment leasing, and other cross-border corporate and finance transactions. Wolynski also has extensive experience in aviation sector-related M&A, restructurings and bankruptcies. Over in Miami, Anna Andreeva regularly advises on asset finance and equipment leasing transactions, while Brian Schmelkin‘s practice encompasses high-stakes deals for aircraft leasing companies, airlines and financial institutions.