Abi is a senior associate in the Assets and Structured Finance group.

Abi specialises in aircraft finance and leasing, regularly acting for operating lessor and airline clients in relation to operating leases, aircraft trades, sale and leaseback transactions as well as financiers on a range of cross-border financing transactions.

Abi has a wide range of experience on a variety of aircraft and engine leasing transactions such as negotiation of operating leases for both aircraft and engine lessors, including on large portfolio transactions. Abi also acts on a variety of finance transactions including finance leases, secured and unsecured debt transactions and export credit agency-supported financings.

Abi joined Watson Farley & Williams from a US firm based in London.

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  • Acted for an export credit agency on multiple financing transactions, including new deliveries of Bombardier aircraft and the restructuring of an existing facility relating to 5 ATR aircraft and simultaneous re-leasing to a start-up airline based in Nigeria.
  • Counsel for a major fund client on the purchase and subsequent refinancing of 32 freighter aircraft involving 13 different operators.
  • Represented a significant engine lessor on multiple engine operating lease transactions, including an eight-engine sale and leaseback transaction with a Southeast Asian operator.
  • Acting for a syndicate of 10 lenders on a warehouse financing totalling approx. $900m involving a major operating lessor and an extensive range of operators based in numerous jurisdictions worldwide.

Education

  1. 2012 · BA (Hons) in Classics, UCL
  2. 2013 · Graduate Diploma of Law, University of Law
  3. 2014 · Legal Practice Course (Distinction), BPP University
  4. 2017 · Qualified as a Solicitor

memberships and associations

  1. Law Society of England and Wales