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.
Chambers
Ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific for Aviation: Finance, Asia-Pacific Region, 2025
Ranked by Chambers UK for Asset Finance: Aviation Finance, UK-wide, 2025
Ranked by Chambers Europe for Transportation: Rail & Aviation Asset Finance in Germany, 2024
Ranked by Chambers Global for Aviation: Finance in Asia-Pacific Region, 2024
Ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific for Aviation: Finance, Asia-Pacific Region, 2024
Ranked by Chambers UK for Asset Finance: Aviation Finance, UK-wide, 2024
Ranked by Chambers UK for Asset Finance: Aviation Finance, UK-wide, 2023
Legal 500
Ranked by The Legal 500 United States for Aviation and air travel - finance, 2024
Other Recognitions
Ranked as part of the Airline Economics Aviation 100 Awards for Asia-Pacific Editor’s Deal of the Year, 2023
Ranked as part of Airline Economics Middle East & Africa Aviation 100 Awards, supported Finance Deal of the Year, 2023
Ranked by Airfinance Journal, Airfinance Annual, 2022-2023
- Second overall across all 12 categories out of 21 law firms
Ranked in the 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
Recognized by Who’s Who Legal: Transport Aviation Guide, 2023
