Noted for its ‘ability and willingness to create and implement novel structures,’ Mayer Brown fields a ’highly commercial’ team with a strong focus on ABS transactions, including significant work in digital assets, crypto-linked financings and consumer-loan securitizations. The team advises major banks and multinational financial institutions. Julie Gillespie and Ger O’Donnell jointly lead the practice from Chicago; Gillespie represents issuers and initial purchasers in credit-card ABS and crypto-backed consumer loans, while O’Donnell focuses on esoteric securitization and fintech matters, regularly handling back-leveraged facilities and warehouse financings – areas in which Charlotte-based Glenn Kunkes is also active. In Chicago, Jon Van Gorp brings expertise in RMBS and credit‑risk transfer facilities, and Stuart Litwin is a key contact for novel transactions, auto‑loan matters, and forward‑flow arrangements. Also in Chicago, Angela Ulum advises on credit‑facility matters, while Jan Stewart focuses on forward‑flow facilities and crypto‑backed consumer‑loan securitizations. In New York, Ryan Suda specializes in CLO transactions, and Amanda Baker is active in earned‑wage‑access securitizations and emerging consumer asset classes. The New York team was recently strengthened by the arrival of Rudgee Charles from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in April 2025, bringing additional experience in ABS transactions and complex credit deals.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team has superior knowledge of securitization and structured finance. The team stands out for its ability and willingness to create and implement novel structures.'
- 'Paul Jorissen and David Linley are both extremely knowledgeable, but at the same time able to take a practical and commercial approach to solving even the most complex problems. They both go the extra mile in coming up with outside the box ideas to achieve commercial objectives and are able to implement them in a collaborative as opposed to contentious manner.'
‘The team is extremely commercial. There is a fine-tuned balance of attention to the client, efficiency, expediency, and commerciality.'
‘Glenn Kunkes & Jacob Blakeslee are exceptional attorneys. They are hardworking, attentive to client and transaction needs, technically sound and commercial.'
‘The Mayer Brown structured finance team consistently delivers high quality legal services for our ABS deals. The team is always up-to-date on both market developments and our company.'
‘Jan Stewart is always available for one-off questions and concerns. She responds promptly and is very effective in interactions with opposing counsel.'
'Jefferson Lai is always available for one-off questions and concerns, she provides very prompt responses and assistance.'
‘Mayer Brown’s structured finance and securitization team stands out for its deep technical expertise and ability to navigate complex transactions with precision. They combine market-leading knowledge with a pragmatic approach, ensuring solutions are tailored to client objectives rather than theoretical constructs.'
Key clients
- Ally Financial
- Apollo Global Management
- Banco Santander
- Barclays Bank
- CarVal Investors LLC
- Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
- JPMorgan Chase
- Mizuho Financial Group, Ltd.
- Republic Finance
- U.S. Bancorp
Work highlights
Represented UPX HIL 2025 Depositor LLC, an affiliate of LuminArx Capital Management, as sponsor of home improvement loan asset-backed notes, the first capital markets issuance tied to this program and the first ABS transaction for an affiliate of LuminArx Capital Management.
Represented Barclays Capital Inc. as lead bookrunner and structuring agent in connection with DailyPay’s inaugural $200 million asset-backed securitization of earned-wage access (EWA) receivables, the first securitization in the EWA sector to issue publicly traded notes across all classes, establishing a novel capital markets structure for this emerging industry.
Represented PayPal, Inc., an American multinational technology company, in a committed forward flow sale transaction whereby funds managed by Blue Owl Capital have committed to purchase approximately $7 billion of buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) receivables originated by PayPal in the US, a first-of-its-kind deal at this scale in the BNPL industry.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Julie Gillespie; Ger O’Donnell
Other key lawyers
Glenn Kunkes; Jon Van Gorp; Stuart Litwin; Angela Ulum; Jan Stewart; Ryan Suda; Amanda Baker; Rudgee Charles; Paul Jorissen; David Linley; Jacob Blakeslee; Jefferson Lai