Milbank LLP advised Apollo managed funds (“Apollo”) and Brookfield in connection with Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Apollo and Brookfield’s acquisition of Air Lease Corporation (“Air Lease”), which has been renamed Sumisho Air Lease Corporation (“Sumisho Air Lease”).
This transformational transaction improves the financial position of the business with long-term support and aviation expertise from co-investors Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Apollo and Brookfield.
The transaction was originally announced in September 2025, with Sumitomo Corporation, SMBC Aviation Capital, Apollo and Brookfield agreeing to acquire Air Lease for a total valuation of approximately $7.4 billion, or approximately $28.2 billion including debt obligations to be assumed or refinanced net of cash.
Click here to read the official press release.
The Milbank team was led by Drew Fine, chair of Milbank’s Transportation & Space practice, Global Corporate/M&A partner and co-head of Milbank’s Global Infrastructure practice John Franchini, Transportation & Space partner and practice group leader Alexandra Johnson, Transportation & Space partner Freyda Mechlowicz, Global Project, Energy and Infrastructure Finance partner Sean C. O’Neill and Global Corporate/M&A partners Daniel P. Tyrrell and Benjamin Fidler. The team also included Global Project, Energy and Infrastructure Finance partner Carolina Walther-Meade; Antitrust partners Grant Bermann and Andrea Hamilton, special counsel Alexis Brown-Reilly and associates Charl van der Merwe, Candis Ferrell and Charlie Thomas; Tax partners Max Goodman and Andrew Walker; Global Risk & National Security partner John Beahn; Transportation & Space associate Ariella Stepanian; Global Corporate/M&A associates Lisa Koo, Brenda Luo, Emilie Blicher and Cleopatra Gray; and Global Project, Energy and Infrastructure Finance associates Derrik Sweeney and Jack Gillen and international attorney Juan Riestra.
