Linklaters’ Asset Finance practice advises on a varied range of loan, lease and portfolio products, working with airlines, shipping and off-shore companies, lessors and financiers alike. Our broad and deep sector experience, coupled with Linklaters’ market-leading expertise in a number of complementary product areas, enables us to deliver for our clients some of the most complex bank lending, corporate, capital markets, investment management and restructuring and insolvency transactions in the Aviation and Maritime sectors.

In Aviation, we advise banks, lessors and airlines on a range of commercial aviation transactions, from senior and mezzanine loan financings, sale and lease-backs and jurisdiction-specific leasing products, to complex loan and aircraft portfolio sales and acquisitions, transactions involving the establishment of joint ventures and other aviation platforms, and corporate investments, acquisitions and reorganisations. In light of the disruptive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation sector, most recently we have advised on a number of state aid and recapitalisation, liquidity raising and restructuring and insolvency transactions in the sector. In addition to our commercial aviation practice, we have a market-leading practice in business aviation, including sales and purchases, financing and disputes relating to private aircraft.

In the Maritime sectors, we advise banks, shipping lines, participants in the off-shore energy markets, LNG operators and investors on a range of financing, acquisition and investment transactions. We advised on several of the market-leading maritime company mergers and acquisitions, and have a leading European practice in advising on sales and purchases of shipping loan portfolios, shipping bank restructurings and acquisition financings in respect of shipping portfolios. We regularly work with Linklaters’ project finance specialists on financings and acquisitions of vessels in the context of energy projects, and with the firm’s restructuring and insolvency team on distressed situations in the maritime sectors.