Milbank Picks Up Multiple Awards, Including “Aircraft Finance Law Firm of the Year,” at the Global Transport Finance Awards 2017

Confirming its market-leading position, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP’s Global Transportation and Space Group was again named “Aviation Finance Law Firm of the Year" and advised on eight Deals of the Year at the Global Transport Finance annual awards gala and dinner held in London on January 9.

The complex and challenging transactions for which Milbank is renowned for advising on earned the firm eight Deal of the Year awards, including: 

• Engine Finance Deal of the Year (Willis Lease’s US$336 million engine lease securitization, the sole engine ABS deal in the market in 2017)
• Airline IPO Deal of the Year (US$167 million initial public offering of VietJet Aviation)
• Aircraft Lessor Debt Deal of the Year – Europe (Inaugural US$584.8 million offering of secured notes by METAL 2017-1 Limited and METAL 2017-1 USA LLC to finance the acquisition of a portfolio of 26 aircraft from Aergo Capital Limited)
• Aircraft Portfolio Deal of the Year (KDAC Aviation Finance ABS - 2017-1 raising US$722.5 million of 144A secured bonds to fund the acquisition of a portfolio of 36 aircraft)
• Aircraft Finance AFIC Deal of the Year – Asia (€143 million refinancing for Korean Air)
• Aviation Finance M&A Deal of the Year (Terra Firma and CPPIB’s disposal of aircraft lessor AWAS to Dubai Aerospace Enterprise)
• Aircraft Lessor Private Placement Deal of the Year (Goshawk Aviation’s US$263 million private placement)
• Aircraft Lessor Debt Deal of the Year Middle East (Peregrine Aviation Company’s US$800 million structured aircraft portfolio acquisition from AerCap Holdings N.V. of 21 commercial aircraft) 

London Transportation and Space group partner James Cameron said: “Milbank always acts on the most complicated, innovative and first of kind transactions in the sector. We are delighted to see our industry knowledge and innovation recognized in this way.”

Drew Fine, chair of Milbank’s Finance practice and leader of its Transportation and Space Group, added: “It’s been a fantastic year for our transportation and space group, having been involved in some of the most ground-breaking, complex and multi-faceted transactions. We’re tremendously pleased that our pioneering team has been acknowledged once again with Global Transport Finance’s Aviation Law Firm of the Year honors, reinforcing Milbank as the ‘go-to’ firm for aviation and broader transport finance.”