Watson Farley & Williams (New York) LLP > New York, United States > Firm Profile

Watson Farley & Williams (New York) LLP
120 West 45th Street
20th Floor
New York, New York 10036
United States

Transport > Shipping: finance Tier 1

Praised by clients as ‘The clear leader in shipping finance’, Watson Farley & Williams (New York) LLP‘s New York-based practice advises on the gamut of shipping finance transactions, including capital markets and private equity deals. It also assists with restructurings, insolvencies, sanctions, and tax issues; and on behalf of owners, shipbuilders, investors, lenders and operators, the group advises on the Jones Act. In recent highlights, the team assisted Altera Infrastructure with aspects of its Chapter 11 restructuring process in the US. Senior partner and New York office head, George Paleokrassas represents shipping lenders and shipowners on the structuring and restructuring of loan and leasing deals, as well as transactions involving distressed assets; and Christopher Belisle assists with asset-based loan facilities for ships, along with lease financings. The practice further showcases John Benson, who represents financial institutions and investment funds, as well as owners and operators in the international shipping markets; and corporate, private equity, securities and capital markets transaction expert, Steven Hollander, who ‘gets the job done’. Other names to note are maritime sector specialists Filana Silberberg (a late 2022 hire from Seward & Kissel LLP), Will Vogel, C J ChidoMaxi Adamski-De Visser and Todd Johnson. In October 2023, former partner Daniel Rodgers left the firm.

Practice head(s):

George Paleokrassas

Testimonials

‘The clear leader in shipping finance.’

‘They are the go-to in this area. They do a great job.’

‘Full-scale ability to advise a shipping company, with expertise in all aspects of the business globally.’

‘The WFW Team is responsive and always readily available to address clients’ needs.’

‘Steven Hollander is very effective and commercial. He knows how to focus on the client’s needs and gets the job done.’

‘Steven Hollander is very active and highly involved in clients’ files – clients appreciate his attention.’

Key clients

Hudson Structured Capital Management (formerly Northern Shipping Management)

SEACOR

LISCR

Royal Caribbean Group

Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank

Höegh LNG Holdings Ltd.

Altera Infrastructure

Dorian LPG Ltd.

Danish Ship Finance

Transcend Cruises

Pangaea Logistics Solutions

Globus Maritime Limited

Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp.

Top Ships Inc.

United Maritime Corporation

Performance Shipping Inc.

Global Ship Lease

Dynagas

Work highlights

  • Acted as special maritime counsel to SEACOR Holdings Inc, through its subsidiary Seabulk Tankers, on the formation of a joint venture with Crowley.
  • Advised both Seanergy and United Maritime on the spin-off by Seanergy of United Maritime, and a related public equity offering by United Maritime.
  • Advised Altera Infrastructure on aspects of its successful Chapter 11 restructuring process in the US, which addressed over $1bn of secured and unsecured holding company debt, $400m of preferred equity, and $550m of secured asset-level bank debt.

Transport > Aviation and air travel: finance Tier 3

Watson Farley & Williams (New York) LLP‘s aviation team is particularly active in aviation-related asset finance and structured financing. It also has a strong market reputation for sustainability and ESG matters in the aviation industry. Acting for aircraft lessors, commercial airlines and financiers throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas, Philip Jackmauh routinely advises on commercial aircraft leasing and aviation finance. The practice also features Susanne Burstein, who acts on aviation sector-related asset and structured finance, and cross-border aviation leasing and financing transaction specialist Julia Sim. Working between the firm’s London and New York offices, Jeffrey Wool, who serves as secretary general of the not-for-profit Aviation Working Group, joined the practice in January 2023 from Holland & Knight LLP as senior global advisor. All attorneys listed are in New York unless otherwise stated.

Testimonials

Watson Farley and Williams has a well-established global team covering the leasing and financing of aircraft and engines.

A team with a tremendous amount of industry knowledge.

Great communication style and very responsive.

Philip Jackmauh in New York possesses decades of in-house experience in aircraft leasing companies, both in the US and in Ireland, which he is able to bring to bear on aircraft trading,. leasing and financing matters.

Philip Jackmauh is technically excellent while at the same time commercially minded and practical.

Key clients

Investec Bank

Airbus Bank

BNP Paribas

Société Générale

Astatine Investment Partners

Carlyle Aviation Partners

Wilmington Trust

Aviation Working Group

Alinda Capital Partners LLC

CAVIC Aviation Leasing (Ireland) Co

Genesis Aircraft Services Limited

ORIX Aviation Systems Limited

Major League Soccer, LLC

Bank of China

Work highlights

  • Acting for CAVIC in relation to Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings (entered into by SAS and certain of its affiliates), in relation to the leasing of two aircraft to SAS and subleased to SAS affiliates.
  • Advised Apollo Global Management as special aviation counsel on the $700m debtor-in-possession financing for Scandinavian Airlines (as part of the airline’s Chapter 11 restructuring).

Dedicated to client care, industry focus and investment in our people
We are a sector specialist international law firm in the Energy, Infrastructure and Transport sectors advising on complex transactions and disputes through local knowledge and an integrated international network.

Our business exists to help our clients achieve their goals, partnering with them to meet the challenges they face today and will face tomorrow.

Our values rest on developing deep and long-lasting relationships externally and internally through respect, sharing, communication and integrity.

We strive for excellence in all that we do and view investment in our people as key to achieving our business goals and values.

Our teams are integrated across legal disciplines and offices delivering consistently high levels of service locally and in combination across borders.

History: Sector focus has been at the heart of our strategy since we opened for business in 1982.  Having started life as an asset finance boutique focussing on the maritime and aviation industries, our transport focus quickly expanded to other supply-chain led industries, most notably, renewable and conventional energy and infrastructure across these industries.

Through our offices around the world, we provide a full suite of services within our core sectors enabling us to deliver exceptional value to our clients.

Facts

  • Founded 1982
  • 200+ partners
  • 700+ lawyers
  • 19 offices

Senior Partner: George Paleokrassas
Managing Partner: Lindsey Keeble

Key Contacts
Aviation: Jim Bell, Charles Viggers
Energy: Malte Jordan, Henry Stewart
Infrastructure: Florian Kutzbach, Jose Maria Anarte
Maritime: George Macheras, George Paleokrassas
Mining & Commodities: Sumeet Malhotra, Jan Mellmann
Oil & Gas: Chris Kilburn

Photo Name Position Profile
Susanne Burstein photo Susanne Burstein With a focus on the transportation sector, Susanne advises domestic and international…
C. J. Chido photo C. J. Chido C.J. focuses his practice in the maritime sector and primarily acts for…
George Paleokrassas photo George Paleokrassas George advises on a broad range of work spanning the maritime sector,…
Partners : 200+
Lawyers : 700+
Offices : 19
25+ languages