Awards & Rankings 06.20.24
Chris Knight is very knowledgeable and is also commercially minded.
Chris Knight’s asset finance practice focuses on acting for lessors, banks, funds, export credit agencies and airlines on a wide range of high-value, cross-border aircraft and engine finance transactions.
Cited by clients in Chambers UK (2020) as “extremely responsive, diligent and a pleasure to work with,” and in Chambers UK (2021) as “knowledgeable, professional and approachable” and “very hard-working…and implementation orientated”, Chris’ extensive transactional experience spans sale and leasebacks, finance and operating leases, novations, JOLCOs, Balthazar / ECA backed finance and lease structures, PDP, warehouse, and bridge financings (amongst others), OEM purchase agreements and engine maintenance and support agreements. In 2016, Chris undertook a six-month secondment at Emirates in Dubai advising on a range of delivery, redelivery and ad hoc matters.
Representative Experience
- Advising Oaktree and World Star Aviation on a 21-portfolio ABS-backed aircraft purchase from Investec.
- Counsel to a syndicate of 10 lenders on a circa $900 million warehouse financing involving a large lessor and many different airlines across the globe.
- Representing numerous major lessors, including AMCK, BBAM, DAE, Falko, JSA, Macquarie, MCAP, Minsheng, Sky Holding, SMBC Aero Engine Lease, TrueNoord and World Star Aviation on a vast array of aircraft leases, trades and new order transactions, involving various Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier aircraft.
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- Working on numerous A350-900 JOLCO, Balthazar and ECA backed transactions for Ethiopian Airlines, structured in certain instances with both senior and junior debt.
- Acting for Emirates on all aspects of a range of new A380 and B777 aircraft deliveries over many years.
- Advising DVB Bank and Arab Banking Corporation on multiple PDP financing and revolving and warehouse facility related deals.
Professional Highlights
- Overall Debt Deal of the Year, Airline Economics (2018)
- AirFinance Journal, recognized as a ‘rising star’ in Aviation Finance (2019)
- Euromoney Legal Media Group Europe Rising Star Awards, recognized as a ‘rising star’ in Aviation Finance (2019—2020)
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- The Legal 500 UK, recognized for Transport Finance & Leasing (2019—2021)
- Chambers UK, recognized for Asset Finance: Aviation Finance (2020—2021)
- Speaking Engagements
- “Episode #2: A Comparative Analysis: U.S. Chapter 11 v UK Restructuring Plans and Schemes of Arrangement,” Pillsbury’s Inflight Audio Podcast, 6/22/2021
- “Episode #1: CIGA: Key Legislative Changes and Interaction with the CTC,” Pillsbury’s Inflight Audio Podcast, 5/25/2021
- Panelist, “Formal Restructurings in the US and UK – Overview and Comparison,” Presentation for the American Bar Association Aircraft Finance Subcommittee Meeting, 4/21/2021
Education
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Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School, 2009
DistinctionLL.B. (Hons), University of Liverpool, 2008
First
Admissions
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England and Wales