Voted 2020 Aviation Law Firm of the Year by Airline Economics, Pillsbury’s Aviation Finance practice has been recognized again by the publication in its 2021 Aviation 100 Global Deals of the Year Awards, which identifies the most significant deals closed in 2020 from around the world. The practice played a key role on two awarded “Deals of the Year” for the Freighter Finance and Capital Markets categories. 

The two pioneering 2020 aviation finance deals for which Pillsbury was honored are:

  • Freighter Finance Deal of the Year: Titan Aircraft Investments Senior Debt Warehouse Facility

Since the pandemic, Pillsbury has established a reputation as a leading expert in establishing cargo platforms. Led by partners Mark Lessard and Melissa Jones-Prus, Pillsbury represented Atlas Air’s captive leasing arm Titan Aviation in connection with a $400M equity raise from Bain Capital into a sidecar that will invest in widebody and narrowbody cargo aircraft, the first aviation sidecar/JV to focus on this sector. This includes a $600 million debt facility and bridge facility which is expected to include financing for passenger to freighter conversions and a warehouse facility. Additionally, Pillsbury closed a $200 million conversion bridge facility with Volofin Capital as well as $300 million Warehouse Facility with BNPP Paribas and CDPQ. 

  • Capital Markets Deal of the Year: British Airways $1 Billion 2020-1 EETC

Led by partners Mark Lessard and Melissa Jones-Prus, Pillsbury advised Natixis in connection with liquidity facilities for British Airways EETC, Class A and Class B Certificates.

Additionally, the practice also received three “Deal of the Year” Award recognitions from Airfinance Journal for the Used Aircraft, ABS and Africa deal categories. Read more here.

Named by Chambers & Partners as one of the world’s leading aviation finance firms, Pillsbury has in recent years assisted clients in the acquisition, financing or refinancing of hundreds of commercial and corporate aircraft and spare aircraft engines across the entire debt and equity product range. Pillsbury’s Asset Finance team also has significant experience with locomotives, fleets of land-based vehicles, mining equipment and other capital assets, such as floating drilling rigs, satellites, drones, and telecommunications and manufacturing equipment. Read more here.