Mark J. Ditto > Vedder Price > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile

Vedder Price
222 NORTH LASALLE STREET, SUITE 2600
CHICAGO, IL 60601-1003
ILLINOIS
United States

Work Department

Global Transportation Finance

Position

Shareholder

Career

Mr. Ditto represents operating lessors, commercial banks, finance companies, private equity firms and hedge funds in complex commercial aircraft and high-value equipment transactions, including securitizations and warehouse financings, Rule 144A and Regulation S capital markets offerings, including those involving syndicated equity, joint ventures, cross-border operating and finance leases, ECA financings, distressed-debt trades and workouts, and the establishment of offshore leasing platforms.

Mr. Ditto also represents financiers and lessors in manufacturing facility financings, including those in the steel, timber, chemical, distribution and water treatment industries. In addition, Mr. Ditto has considerable experience in financings involving automobile loans and leases, credit card receivables, dealer floorplan receivables, marine container leases, mortgage loans, railcar leases, student loans, trade receivables and vessel loans. He advises clients on various day-to-day matters including tax-based corporate structuring, consignment arrangements, servicing and management agreements, and general corporate and securities law matters.

Mr. Ditto has been involved in several pro bono matters representing political asylum clients from Darfur, the Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, and Tibet.

Memberships

  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Illinois State Bar Association
  • Member, International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT)

Education

  • University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 2007, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif
  • DePauw University, B.A., 2004, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Transport > Aviation and air travel: finance

Fielding ‘an outstanding group with great competences‘, Vedder Price‘s global transportation finance team handles a broad range of aircraft finance work. Its coverage includes sizeable M&A transactions, aircraft-related asset-backed securities matters, portfolio debt financings, structured multi-aircraft financings, and sale and leaseback transactions. The group also advises on individual aircraft and parts sales, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul agreements. Focused on structured financings in the aviation transportation sector, Geoffrey Kass leads the team from Chicago, where Adam R. Beringer is a highly regarded commercial aircraft finance specialist. Also in Chicago, Michael E. Draz‘s broad experience includes representing investors in establishing strategic joint ventures and new leasing platforms for aviation assets; and Mark J. Ditto advises on significant commercial aircraft and large-value equipment transactions. In New York, Jeffrey Veber has an enviable track record in high-stakes aviation financings, while Cameron A. Gee is ‘a go-to partner‘. Also integral to the practice are Los Angeles-based aircraft finance deal specialist Raviv Surpin, along with Chicago’s James Kilner and the ‘very strongJustine L. Chilvers in New York – both were elevated to shareholder status in April 2022.