Book June 2023
Nicolas St-Amant represents clients in a wide range of aviation finance and leasing transactions, with experience spanning aircraft and engine acquisitions, lease transfers, portfolio financings and structured debt transactions.
Nicolas regularly advises investment firms, lessors and financial institutions on cross-border matters involving commercial aircraft on lease to major international airlines. Nicolas has counseled clients in connection with complex secured loan facilities, term financings, asset-backed securities issuances and capital markets transactions, as well as in the establishment and unwind of aviation investment platforms.
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Prior to joining Pillsbury, Nicolas gained in-house experience as a legal intern with aerospace manufacturer Bombardier and, while serving as an aerospace engineering officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force, managed line maintenance operations, coordinated engineering support and advised on government procurement initiatives.
Representative Experience
- Acted as finance counsel to Blue Owl Capital in connection with its acquisition of nine commercial aircraft from Zephyrus Aviation Capital, on lease to AirExplore, Heston Airlines, Iberia Express, Asiana Airlines, American Airlines, Wizz Air Hungary, Volaris and Avion Express.
- Acted as finance counsel to Blue Owl Capital in connection with the negotiation and closing of the financing of one Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on lease to Ethiopian Airlines Group through a limited-recourse non-revolving single loan facility with HALO Alpha LP, as lender.
- Acted as finance counsel to Crestone Air Partners in connection with the acquisition, lease transfer and financing of a portfolio of seven aircraft and one stand-alone aircraft engine from four sellers, on lease to six different lessees.
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- Acted as finance counsel to Crestone Air Partners in connection with the negotiation and closing of the sale, purchase and lease transfer of one Airbus A320-200 aircraft on lease to Société Air France.
- Represented Crestone Air Partners in connection with the negotiation and closing of a limited recourse secured term loan with Banc of California.
- Advised Azorra in connection with a $454 million Rated Term Loan B senior credit facility. This is Azorra’s inaugural capital markets transaction and was issued concurrently with a $1 billion revolving credit facility.
- Advised Sunbird, a special-purpose ABS issuer, on establishing a strategy for the sale of its portfolio of 19 aircraft engines, on lease to 11 different lessees, and currently represents Sunbird in the negotiation and closing of the engine sales, repayment of all debt and subsequent winding-up of the Sunbird group.
Education
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J.D./B.C.L., McGill University, 2021
Elizabeth Torrance Gold MedalM.Eng., Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, 2018
with distinctionB.Eng., Aeronautical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada, 2009
Admissions
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New York
Languages
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French