Elizabeth Evans

Full Profile

Elizabeth (Liz) Evans concentrates her practice in structured asset-based finance, and she focuses on aviation finance (both fixed wing and rotary), satellite finance, transportation finance, and project finance. Liz also engages in related transactional, regulatory and policy work for aviation, aerospace, travel, and space industries. Her practice includes secured lending, private placements of debt and equity, leveraged equipment leasing, and all aspects of the law relating to outer space (both domestic and international).

Liz previously served as a partner in the asset finance group at an international law firm, where she focused her practice on aviation, aerospace, transportation, structured finance, and other asset-based finance, (including heavy equipment finance transactions), as well as space law policy work. She has represented banks, financial institutions, credit capital corporations, private equity firms, manufacturers, governmental agencies, export credit agencies, airlines, and leasing companies in complex structured financings, including air traffic control system financings, airport and terminal development projects, and aviation, rail car, and truck financings. Liz spent many years working on restructurings (both in court and out-of-court) during economic downturns. She has done both debtor side and lender/lessor side work in numerous aviation restructurings, and she has represented private equity funds in the purchase of distressed equity positions in equipment finance. Liz helped arrange and conduct unique foreclosures and auctions of satellites orbiting in space. She has also played an instrumental role in drafting legislation relating to the laws of outer space.

Liz has represented alternative energy companies, major trucking and logistic companies, and equipment leasing companies in equipment lease finance, designing, and implementing lease-to-purchase programs, and developing securitization programs for owned and leased assets. She regularly represents lenders and lessors in negotiating warehouse financings, UCC Article 2A finance leases, and sale-leasebacks secured by aircraft, rail cars, trucks, and other equipment assets. 

Liz has also been involved in Small Business Administration micro lending and small business concern guaranteed development loans. For almost two decades, she represented the East Harlem Business Corporation as a lender to businesses in New York State designated economic development zones, and she was a recipient of Lawyers' Alliance Cornerstone Award for such work. She is regularly advising clients on availability of programs offered by the SBA under the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

Liz is recognized by Chambers USA (2012-2018) as having a “particularly deep knowledge of issues relating to Asia” and as being “very dedicated to her clients” and by Legal 500 USA as a Leading Lawyer for Aviation and Air Travel – Finance (2023).

Admissions

• Connecticut
• New York

Education

• J.D., Columbia Law School, 1990
• B.A., Wellesley College, 1987

Memberships

• New York State Bar Association
• American Bar Association, Aircraft Finance Subcommittee, Forum of Air and Space Law
• Association for Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy

Experience

• Represented lender in multiple aircraft secured loan facility. Increase of existing loan facility and delivery of new aircraft financed by the facility.
• Represented lender in sale of aircraft to lessee and repayment of amounts under the indenture.
• Closing on large equipment finance lease facility, secured by equipment at airports.
• Represented lender in Chapter 11 workout of aircraft financing.

Presentations

• “Intangible Assets,” Airline Economics Growth Frontiers Global, Dublin, Ireland, January 2024
• “Episode 1: Children of the Challenger,” The Safe Space Podcast Series, Space and Satellite Professionals International, May 2023
• “Helicopter Finance in 2020,” Airline Economics Growth Frontiers, Dublin, Ireland, January 2020
• “Regulation of High Altitude Platform Stations,” ABA Air and Space Law Forum Finance Conference, December 2019
• “Innovation in Helicopter Financing,” Airline Economics Growth Frontiers, Hong Kong, China, November 2019
• “Space Finance,” 8th Annual Space and Satellite Regulatory Colloquium, Washington, D.C., October 2019
• “Innovation in Space Port Financing,” ASCE Conference, Alexandria, Virginia, June 2019

Publications

• “U.S. Space Force, National Space Council and the Case for Public-Private Partnerships," MilsatMagazine.com, July 27, 2021
• “American's Airline Bailout for COVID19,” Aviation Expert Guides, North American Thought Leadership, May 2020
• “Financing the New Frontier: Investments in the Growing Commercial Space Industry,” International Butterworths Journal of Banking and Financial Law, January 2019