Maples and Calder Advises Avolon on US$10bn Acquisition

Maples and Calder recently assisted aircraft leasing company Avolon Holdings Limited ("Avolon") in connection with its US$10 billion acquisition of the aircraft leasing business of CIT Group Inc. The acquisition has doubled the scale of Avolon's business to create the third largest aircraft leasing platform in the world, with a combined fleet of 868 aircraft valued at over US$43 billion.

Maples and Calder advised Avolon on all Cayman Islands and Irish law aspects of the financing, as well as the acquisition itself.  The Cayman Islands team was led by partner Jonathon Meloy with the assistance of associates Anthony Philp and Shari McField.  The Irish team comprised Partners Donna Ager, Ed Miller and John Breslin with the assistance of Counsel Mark Roberts and Associates Mary O'Neill, Ed Butler and Jordan O'Brien. "We are pleased to have assisted long-time client Avolon on this monumental transaction.  Our continued involvement on complex cross border transactions highlights the unparalleled strength and expertise of our global team," commented partner and Global Head of Finance Mark Matthews.

Maples and Calder's global aviation team acts as Avolon's exclusive legal advisers in Ireland and the Cayman Islands and has advised on its establishment, funding, ABS and IPO, among other major deals.