Flying High: Clifford Chance Involved in Top Aviation Industry Deals

NEW YORK, May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Clifford Chance today announced that the number of award-winning deals in the aviation sector the firm has worked on during the past year has expanded again, with six more being selected just recently by Airfinance Journal.  These "Deals of the Year" required legal advice on billions of dollars of complex aircraft-related financing and involved Clifford Chance offices in New York, London, Dubai, Milan and Singapore.  

Following is the list of recognized deals Clifford Chance has worked on; in addition to Airfinance Journal, the other publications bestowing awards include Jane's Transport Finance and Islamic Finance:

Airfinance Journal Awards

• 2009 Overall Deal of the Year – Emirates US$413 million US Export-Import Bank bond issue 
• 2009 Innovative Deal of the Year – GE Capital US$500 million sukuk secured by aircraft 
• 2009 Editor's Deal of the Year – American Airlines US$4.2 billion financing 
• 2009 Joint Asia Pacific Deal of the Year – China Export-Import Bank US$220 million financing for six A320s for Dragon Aviation Leasing 
• 2009 Latin America Deal of the Year – TAM Airlines issue of US$300 million 10-year notes 
• 2009 Aircraft Trade of the Year – CDB Leasing acquisition of 15 leased aircraft from GECAS

Jane's Transport Finance Awards

• 2009 Airfinance Law Firm of the Year – Clifford Chance
• 2009 Deal of the Year – Emirates US$413 million US Export-Import Bank bond issue
• 2009 Aircraft Leasing Innovator of the Year – SACE export lease with AP Fleet/AItalia 

Islamic Finance News Awards

• 2009 Sukuk Deal of the Year – GE Capital US$500 million sukuk secured by aircraft

Additionally, in Chambers Global 2010, one of the leading independent guides to the legal profession, Clifford Chance has been ranked Tier 1 in Asset Finance for a sixth consecutive year.

"The deals reflect the increasingly innovative financing techniques developing in the aviation sector in the wake of the financial crisis," said Zarrar Sehgal, head of the Clifford Chance's global Transport & Logistics Group. "We are honored to have been at the forefront of these developments."

William Glaister, who heads up the firm's global aviation practice, added: "We are enormously gratified that clients all over the world continue to place their trust in us to advise them on their aviation-related financing."

Clifford Chance is one of the world's leading law firms, helping clients achieve their goals by combining the highest global standards with local expertise. The firm has unrivalled scale and depth of legal resources across the four key markets of the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and focuses on the core areas of commercial activity: capital markets; corporate and M&A; finance and banking; real estate; tax; pensions and employment; litigation and dispute resolution. Clifford Chance has 30 offices in 21 countries with 3,800 legal advisers and also operates a 'best friends' arrangement with AZB & Partners in India, Lakatos, Koves & Partners in Hungary and a co-operation agreement with Al-Jadaan & Partners Law Firm in Saudi Arabia.

Attorney Advertising: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

SOURCE Clifford Chance