Aviation & Aerospace

Restructuring

Weil has successfully led groundbreaking representations in aviation, aerospace, and adjacent industries for decades. We understand restructurings in this space require coordinated solutions across fleet, liquidity, capital structure and operations. Aviation and aerospace companies often have global assets and operations, as well as cross-border liabilities and creditors, aligning well with Weil’s seamless multi-jurisdiction platform, and in particular our integrated U.S. and London restructuring teams. We advise across the full spectrum of alternatives: contingency planning, stakeholder engagement, out-of-court negotiations, in-court implementation and post-emergence capitalization. This includes mandates all around the table: companies, creditors, and investors. With an experienced and agile team, Weil is uniquely positioned to handle these matters.

Our Restructuring practice is further strengthened by close collaboration with Weil’s premier Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, and M&A practices. We regularly structure and negotiate debtor-in-possession and exit financing facilities, backstopped rights offerings and equity solicitations, and complex liability management and capital markets transactions designed to stabilize and recapitalize businesses. Where value-maximizing transactions are required, we execute strategic asset sales, section 363 transactions, and broader M&A processes—whether in- or out-of-court—ensuring seamless coordination and an efficient, value maximizing process. This cohesive platform enables us to deliver comprehensive, transaction-oriented solutions tailored to the demands of sophisticated restructuring matters.

Corporate

Leveraging one of the world’s premier Corporate platforms, Weil advises leading aviation and aerospace companies, investors, and other key industry participants on complex, high-value transactions across the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border aviation and aerospace transactions. Our integrated team delivers commercially focused advice while accounting for the operational, regulatory and technological considerations unique to the aviation and aerospace industry. Our experience includes:

• Public and private mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and divestitures involving airlines, lessors, manufacturers, suppliers and aviation services businesses, as well as private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies.
• Banking and finance transactions, including acquisition financings, asset-based and structured financings, capital markets offerings, and other debt and equity raises.
• Infrastructure transactions involving airports, logistics hubs and other facilities supporting aviation and aerospace operations.
• Technology and IP transactions, including the development, commercialization, licensing and protection of technology, software, data and other intellectual property assets central to next-generation aviation and aerospace platforms.

Litigation

Weil represents top global aviation and aerospace companies in high-stakes disputes that can materially affect operations, market position, and enterprise value. As lead trial counsel, we advise a range of manufacturers, suppliers, lessors, airlines, defense contractors, and space-sector participants in complex matters across U.S. courts, arbitral forums, and international venues. And, we work with clients to resolve these disputes efficiently while accounting for operational, regulatory, and reputational considerations unique to the sector. Our experience includes:

• Commercial disputes in U.S. courts and arbitration venues involving supply agreements, joint ventures, development programs, MRO arrangements, risk-sharing partnerships, distribution relationships, indemnity issues, warranty disputes, and post-transaction conflicts.
• Significant IP litigation involving core technologies, proprietary processes, software, trade secrets, and patent rights.
• Competition law issues in the transaction and litigation contexts, including involving distribution practices, aftermarket conduct, algorithmic pricing, exclusivity arrangements, competitor collaborations, pricing issues, and merger-related disputes.
• Major regulatory and enforcement investigations involving a range of issues facing aviation, aerospace and defense sector participants, such as the False Claims Act, export controls and sanctions, cybersecurity, and ESG, among others.