Laura Cunningham is a partner in our Aviation Group who specialises in asset and structured finance with a focus principally on aircraft finance, leasing and related tax driven structures.

Laura has represented leasing companies, international financial institutions, equity investors and airlines in a broad range of cross-border transactions including export-credit supported financings, restructurings, Islamic financings, PDP facilities, finance and operating leasing, asset portfolio sale and purchase transactions and sale and leaseback transactions. Laura previously worked internationally in aviation with Milbank LLP principally in their London office having also spent time in Milbank’s Singapore office. Prior to Milbank, Laura worked in Freshfield Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s aviation and asset finance team having trained and worked with Arthur Cox.

Relevant Experience

• Advised AirAsia Group on the sale of its leasing unit to entities managed by BBAM in a US$1.18 billion deal. Under the deal, 84 Airbus A320s and 14 engines were sold along with the acquisition of 48 A320 family aircraft from AirAsia’s orderbook and an option to acquire a further 50 Airbus aircraft
• Advised Deutsche Bank on a large engine financing transaction
• Advised Goshawk Aviation on the share acquisition of Sky Leasing’s Irish subsidiary comprising 51 aircraft
• Advised Novus Aviation Capital on various structuring and financing arrangements with multiple lessees and lenders
• Advised NCB Capital (DFIC) Limited and Peregrine Aviation Company on the acquisition by Peregrine of a portfolio of 21 commercial aircraft from AerCap Holdings N.V. and its subsidiaries leased to 14 airlines across the world
• Advised AerCap Group on establishing multiple new portfolio facilities for multiple aircraft with a broad range of lenders as well as large sale and leaseback contracts, ECA restructurings and bilateral facilities
• Advised Avolon Aerospace Leasing Limited on various financings and deliveries including on the acquisition of the aircraft leasing business of CIT Group
• Advised EQT VI Limited, a fund held by private equity firm EQT, on the acquisition of a majority stake in Nordic Aviation Capital
• Advised BOC Aviation on its IPO/Hong Kong listing
• Advised Monarch Holdings Ltd. on its restructuring program with a variety of lessees and manufacturers