The aviation finance team at Norton Rose Fulbright is retained by several major banks, with which it has longstanding and institutional relationships. Clients such as Société Générale and BNP Paribas benefit from the firm's ability to advise across jurisdictions and regions, as well as access to the firm's in-house tax and dispute resolution specialists. The department is well versed in the full range of financing, leasing and regulatory matters.  Alternative funding continues to be a growth area for the practice, with the group recently advising on the development of an AFIC non-payment insurance product. George Paterson is dual qualified in England and France and is highly skilled in the area of export credit finance. Other key names include asset finance specialist Marc Hamilton and up-and-coming counsel Sébastien Allain.

The Paris-based aviation finance department at Hogan Lovells (Paris) LLP has both French and English law capabilities and is fully integrated within the global practice, often acting in close coordination with the firm's offices in Germany, the US, Singapore and Hong Kong. This makes it a popular choice for prominent international banks, financial institutions, manufacturers and airlines, who benefit from the full-service offering spanning acquisition financing, agency-supported transactions, alternative financings and tax leases. The  practice is also well versed in comparative law exercises, notably transfer of title and security rights over aircraft. Asset-finance specialist Alexander Premont is active advising on cross-border transactions and financings across a range of asset classes.

Stephenson Harwood acts on major aircraft financings involving French banks, where the firm's network of offices in key aviation jurisdictions facilitates international transactions. Other work for the team includes acting as French counsel on asset-backed securitisations and representing operating lessors in relation to operating leases, financings, sales and leasebacks. Department head Edward Campbell is qualified in England, New York and France, and as well as his broad transactional expertise, is experienced in structuring deals on shari-ah based principles.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP's well-established presence in asset management extends to aviation finance, where the Paris-based practice is regularly appointed to panels for several large banks. Notably, the team was selected to sit on the Aviation Working Group, advising on its Global Aircraft Trading System and the development of ESG policies. Other work for the department includes complex alternative funding structures, leasing transactions and debt capital market financings on behalf of a broad client list featuring manufacturers, export credit agencies, arrangers and lessors. Asset finance specialist Alexia Russell takes the reins in France following global co-head of aviation Charles Viggers' relocation to the Singapore office.