Mark Leverkus is of counsel in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and is a member of the firm’s Transportation and Space, and Finance Practice Groups.
Mark acts for financiers, arrangers, equity investors, leasing companies, export credit agencies and operators on a range of international financing, leasing and sale and purchase transactions, involving aircraft, satellites and other moveable equipment. He also has extensive experience in the trading and repackaging of such transactions, as well as in restructurings, disputes, work-outs and repossessions.
Mark is recognised by The Legal 500 Rankings in Finance: Transport Finance and Leasing, with sources describing Mark as “excellent” and noting that Mark “is commercially minded and understands what is important to the client and what is not”. Mark has also been named a “Rising Star” by Airfinance Journal.
Mark has lectured on topics related to aircraft leasing and financing, and satellite projects.
Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Mark was a member of the Transportation and Space group at Milbank LLP. Mark has previously spent six months seconded to the legal department of a major UK bank, and nine months seconded to a regional aircraft lessor in Dublin.
Mark's experience includes advising*:
- An ad hoc group of secured creditors in respect of the reorganization of Nordic Aviation Capital, through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, and subsequent debt and equity refinancing.
- A leading aircraft lessor on the distressed purchase of three off-lease Boeing 787 aircraft and subsequent leasing to a new lessee, and debt financing.
- A leading investment bank on a limited recourse secured aircraft portfolio financing (with accordion feature) for a private equity sponsor.
- SMBC Aviation Capital on its $6.7 billion acquisition of Goshawk Management Ltd.
- Pasifik Satelit Nusantara, on its export credit financing, commercial financing and procurement process for the SATRIA-1 high-throughput satellite project, which is valued at $545 million.
- An aircraft lessor on the acquisition of two Airbus A380 aircraft, on lease and with Shariah-compliant debt attached.
- An investment firm on its secured debt financing for an airline group, secured by spares, shares and intellectual property.
- A group of creditors with respect to AirAsia X’s Malaysian scheme of arrangement.
- BNP Paribas as mandated lead arranger and original lender on the US$168 million financing for the acquisition of a portfolio of eight aircraft by Global Aviation Equipment Leasing (GAEL), an aviation fund arranged by SMBC Aviation Capital.
- A syndicate of lenders on a US$400 million secured warehouse facility for an aircraft operating lessor, for the financing of a portfolio of narrowbody and widebody aircraft, leased to a number of lessees.
- NCB Capital on the acquisition of a portfolio of 19 narrowbody and widebody aircraft from AerCap and financing under a US$500 million Murabaha facility jointly arranged by Citibank and BNP Paribas.
- The Brazilian Government (as export credit guarantor) and the lenders on the repossession and remarketing of six aircraft on lease to Flybe, and matters related to Flybe’s administration proceedings.
- Elix Aviation Capital on its US$200 million secured warehouse facility from Morgan Stanley for the refinancing of a portfolio of ATR and Bombardier turboprop aircraft.
- OneWeb Communications on a senior secured credit facility for its global satellite constellation.
- The lead arranger and lender with respect to a secured warehouse facility of up to $300 million, for the financing of a portfolio of aircraft leased to various lessees.
- A leading Irish aircraft leasing company on the acquisition and financing of a portfolio of 45 aircraft.
- Goshawk on its inaugural asset-backed securitization (ABS), relating to a portfolio of eighteen Airbus and Boeing aircraft on lease to various airlines.
- Elix Aviation Capital in connection with its US$411 million debut ABS deal (the first ABS to be 100% secured against turboprops).
- BOC Aviation on a US$548m ABS, secured by 17 aircraft leased to a range of lessees.
- A syndicate of lenders on the financing of three Airbus A330 aircraft, and subsequent lease and debt restructuring.
- An Irish leasing company on the acquisition and financing of a portfolio of 10 Boeing and Airbus aircraft.
- An Irish leasing company on the purchase and leaseback, with debt financing, of three new Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
- Various Chinese-backed leasing companies on the sales of portfolios of aircraft.
- A Japanese-backed leasing company with respect to the sales and purchases of multiple portfolios of aircraft.
- An Irish leasing company on a number of aircraft sales to third-party buyers, with ongoing lease management services.
- AWAS and its owners Terra Firma and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board on an agreement to sell a portfolio of 90 aircraft to Macquarie Group Limited for a total consideration of US$4 billion.
- A Brazilian airline on the COFACE/SACE supported financing of ten ATR aircraft.
*Includes representations made by Mark prior to his association with Gibson Dunn.
Capabilities
- Transportation and Space
- Capital Markets
- Finance
- Financial Institutions
- Investment Funds
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Private Equity
- Projects
Credentials
Education:
- University of Law - London Moorgate - 2011 Postgrad Diploma LPC
- Durham University - 2010 Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
Admissions:
- England & Wales - Solicitor