The team at Latham & Watkins advises on a broad spectrum of transactions, including green bond issuances, music-royalty securitizations and CLOs, with particular expertise in handling esoteric ABS. The group’s client roster spans asset managers, aviation companies, banks and financial institutions, with notable mandates for Morgan Stanley and American Airlines Group. Alongside London-based Jeremiah Wagner, Matthew Hays co-leads the structured finance group from Chicago, with experience across public and private securities and asset-sale transactions. In Los Angeles, Douglas Burnaford focuses on CLO transactions, frequently advising asset managers, alternative lenders and institutional investment firms. With strength in esoteric ABS, Loren Finegold handles matters ranging from green bond issuances and CLO transactions to data-center securitizations, and has been praised by clients for his ‘forward-thinking’ approach in ’innovative deals.’ The ‘highly commercial’ Kevin Fingeret and David Siegel are particularly active in transactions involving data centers. In New York, Graeme Smyth focuses on esoteric assets, with recent work including music-royalty securitizations and digital infrastructure matters. The practice was recently bolstered by the arrival of Jim Fogarty, who joined from White & Case LLP in November 2024, bringing additional experience in CLO transactions, whole business securitizations and liability management matters. All individuals are based in New York, unless stated otherwise.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Latham has made a strong name in corporate ABS, with the ability to move between asset classes and 144a/4a2, and to provide relevant information from other processes to inform specific deal issues.'
‘Kevin Fingeret and David Siegel are both highly commercial lawyers with a keen eye for market trends, as well as relationship dynamics in the fairly unique space of corporate ABS.'
‘I think the structured finance practice at Latham & Watkins stands out for its depth and breadth. The team can seamlessly switch from legal to business matters, even tackling highly quantitative topics. They can move between private and public structures with the same partners, which minimizes disruption for clients while preserving their deep understanding of each client’s needs.’
‘I had the chance to work with Matt Hays, who co-chairs the structured finance practice. I’ve collaborated with Matt on various business matters over the years and have always appreciated his ability to grasp and safeguard his clients’ interests in highly quantitative business situations. This is a rare quality among legal practitioners in this field, who typically focus solely on legal matters.'
'Matt Hays has a remarkable talent for translating complex technical issues into clear legal language.'
- 'Matt’s dedication to client service runs deep; he’s always available and responsive to his clients’ needs. He’s also been forward-thinking in the innovative deals we’ve worked on together.’
Key clients
- Beach Point Capital
- Carlyle
- HalseyPoint Asset Management
- Morgan Stanley
- Onex Credit Partners
- Rockford Tower Capital Management
- American Airlines Group
- Ares
- DailyPay, Inc.
- Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
- Guggenheim Securities
- Harley-Davidson
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Matthew Hays; Jeremiah Wagner
Other key lawyers
Douglas Burnaford; Loren Finegold; Kevin Fingeret; David Siegel; Graeme Smyth; Jim Fogarty