aviation & aerospace - blakes refined innovation...
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Aviation & AerospaceThe Leader in Canadian Aviation Law and Aircraft Financing
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes) has Canada’s largest aviation law practice. With that comes the expertise and experience to help our clients navigate, in both official languages, the complex and challenging world of aviation law and regulation. Our team is comprised of dedicated professionals with diverse backgrounds in the aviation industry, commercially trained pilots, former regulators and employees with Transport Canada Aviation, and former officers and managers of various aviation businesses. Those in the Canadian and international aviation industries retain us because we understand their unique business and legal challenges, and the business environment and regulatory frameworks within which they operate.
Most of the world’s largest aviation manufacturers (including aircraft and engine manufacturers), aircraft and engine leasing companies and advisers, government export credit agencies, aviation financiers, international banks, hedge funds, and other investors in aviation rely upon us for advice.
We also represent aerospace manufacturers and satellite system operators in respect of commercial product liability, regulatory and financial matters. Our Aviation practice focuses on: Aircraft and Engine Finance – Blakes lawyers are very experienced with commercial aircraft and engine acquisitions/dispositions, operating leases, cross-border leveraged and finance leases, export-credit financings, and aviation loans and mortgages. We frequently advise on and negotiate conditional sales, sale/leasebacks, manufacturer-supported sales and financings, pre-delivery payment financings, public debt and equity and commercial paper financings, as well as securitizations, aircraft lease novations, aircraft warehouse financing arrangements and aircraft portfolio purchases and sales. Several innovative financing and security structures that we have developed are now current market practice in Canada.
Working closely with the Government of Canada and Canada’s major airlines, both as members of the Canadian delegation and, subsequently, in respect of ratification in Canada, Blakes has been instrumental in the initial preparation, international acceptance, and the ratification and implementation of the Cape Town Convention in Canada, and Canada’s provinces and territories.
Aviation Commercial and Tax Matters – Clients rely on our extensive industry-specific experience in such matters as aircraft asset risk management, aviation maintenance, aircraft/engine return conditions, certification issues, overhaul, and supply and services contracts. We also regularly offer counsel on aviation tax matters with respect to purchasing, selling and financing airliners, and business and general aviation aircraft.
Aviation Regulatory – Those in the aviation industry benefit from our experience dealing with Transport Canada Aviation on airworthiness (including audits), certification, registration, deregistration, import and export matters, and with the Canadian Transportation Agency on licensing, code-sharing, and foreign investment/control matters and proceedings. We often work with foreign aviation authorities on regulatory matters applicable to Canadian aircraft.
Aviation Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Litigation – The Blakes Aviation group has been involved in every significant Canadian airline bankruptcy and insolvency proceeding during the last 25 years. We have represented clients in a number of aviation commercial disputes and aircraft repossession and insolvency disputes, including with NAV Canada and Canada’s various airport authorities.
Aviation Insurance – We advise on all types of aviation insurance, including every aspect of liability, aircraft hull, war risk and political risk insurance, as well as aircraft repossession/deregistration insurance. Working closely with Transport Canada Aviation and Air Canada, we assisted in the development of the Canadian government’s war risks undertaking and indemnity programs.
Business and General Aviation – Buyers, sellers, operators, managers and charterers of business and general aviation aircraft all rely on Blakes for advice on their business and general aviation aircraft transactions.
Airport Regulation – We have advised several airport operations, including various municipalities, and investors in respect of airport regulations across Canada.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) – We have extensive experience in respect of the development, certification, operation and regulation of UAVs/UASs/Drones for both military and commercial purposes in Canada. We also have experience working with remote-sensing legislation and related licensing issues.
AVIATION & AEROSPACE
Our Aerospace practice focuses on:
Aerospace Procurement – We have considerable experience in advising aerospace OEMs, investors and service providers in respect of government procurement processes in both commercial and military aerospace projects in Canada.
Aerospace Product Liability – Our team includes lawyers with extensive experience in the defence of product liability claims, and lawyers who regularly provide advice to corporate clients regarding prevention of product liability claims and related insurance issues.
Satellite Finance and Regulatory Matters – We have significant experience advising satellite providers, operators and financiers with respect to satellite systems. We have advised on the acquisition and sale of companies and the financing of projects involving a range of structures, including initial public offerings, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, secured and unsecured syndicated debt financing, and project finance. We frequently work with foreign aerospace authorities on applicable regulatory matters.
Aviation and Aerospace Mergers and Acquisitions
Our Aviation & Aerospace M&A practice has included a number of domestic and international investments in Canadian aviation and aerospace undertakings, and Canadian aviation and aerospace investments overseas.
Industry Involvement
Blakes lawyers are active supporters of Canada’s aviation and aerospace industries. Several team members are pilots, student pilots and aircraft owners. We are active members of the Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC), Canadian Business Aircraft Association (CBAA), Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC), Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), Aviation Working Group (AWG) (Legal Affairs Committee), AWG Canada Contact Group, International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT), Canadian Bar Association (CBA) (National Air and Space Law Section), International Bar Association (Maritime and Aviation Law Section), American Bar Association (ABA) (Aircraft Financing Subcommittee/Aircraft Finance and Contracts Division), Canadian Aviation Regulatory Council (CARAC), Women in Aviation, Women in Aerospace, the 99s, and other industry and aviation legal associations.
Industry Recognition
Members of the Blakes Aviation & Aerospace team are recognized as leaders in the most recent editions of the following publications:
• Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business – Transportation: Aviation: Finance – Canada
• Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business – Transportation – Canada
• The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory• IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial
Law Firms• Who’s Who Legal – Aviation (Finance)• Who’s Who Legal: Aviation• Who’s Who Legal: Canada – Aviation (Finance)• Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading
Aviation Lawyers• Legal Media Group’s The Best of the Best – Aviation
(Canada)• The Best Lawyers in Canada• Airfinance Journal – North American Aviation Law Firm
of the Year 2015
About Blakes
Blakes is one of Canada’s leading business law firms with offices in Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa, New York, London, Bahrain, Beijing, and associated offices in AI-Khobar and Shanghai. We have the experience and resources to provide superior and fully integrated legal services and can deploy resources from our various offices to manage costs and draw on expertise. Thanks to our clients, in 2016, Blakes was ranked as having the leading law firm brand for the second time in three years in Acritas’ Canadian Law Firm Index. We were also the top-ranked Canadian firm in the BTI Brand Elite (by brand strength) and Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business. In 2015, Blakes was named Canada Law Firm of the Year in the Who’s Who Legal Awards for the seventh consecutive year and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. for the fifth time.
AVIATION & AEROSPACE
Donald GrayHead, Aircraft Finance Co-chair, Aviation & Aerospace Group Toronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-2750 [email protected]
Jason MacIntyre PartnerToronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-2507 [email protected]
Warren NishimuraPartnerCalgary OfficeDirect: 403-260-9664 [email protected]
Jennifer MorganLaw ClerkToronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-2182 [email protected]
Julie Marino Law Clerk Montréal OfficeDirect: 514-982-5075 [email protected]
Nathan CheifetzCo-chair, Aviation & Aerospace GroupToronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-2969 [email protected]
Sébastien VilderPartnerMontréal Office Direct: [email protected]
Auriol Marasco Associate Toronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-2788 [email protected]
Lisha LiAssociateToronto OfficeDirect: [email protected]
Fabien Lanteri-Massa Associate Montréal Office Direct: 514-982-4034 [email protected]
Pamela Huff Partner Toronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-2958 [email protected]
Chris BurrAssociateToronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-3261 [email protected]
Allan GelkopfPartnerToronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-2634 [email protected]
Robert KreklewichPartnerToronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-3278 [email protected]
Chris Van LoanPartnerToronto OfficeDirect: 416-863-2687 [email protected]
Aviation – Tax
Aviation – Restructuring & Insolvency
Aircraft Financing, Aviation Commercial and Regulatory
MONTRÉAL OTTAWA TORONTO CALGARY VANCOUVER NEW YORK LONDON BAHRAIN AL-KHOBAR* BEIJING SHANGHAI*
*Associated Office © Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP | Practising Exclusively Canadian Law | blakes.com/aviation
Aviation & AerospacePrincipal Contacts
To learn more about our practice and how we can assist, please contact a member of our group or email us at: [email protected]