Praised for ‘balancing legal risks with commercial priorities’, the ‘experienced, dependable and easy to work with’ team at Norton Rose Fulbright stands out for its extensive expertise in aviation and shipping finance, as well as significant involvement in offshore finance and the energy sector. The aviation arm is led by the ‘thoughtful, experienced and very steady’ Keith Sandilands, a leading figure for airlines, banks, ECAs, arrangers, lessors and investors. Ben Rose, who heads up the shipping and offshore practice, has notable expertise in complex structured financings, including Chinese sale and leasebacks, JOLCOs, and limited recourse project financings. Sue Ann Gan stands out for her strong track record in ship finance deals, advising financial institutions, lessees and owners. Additional support is offered by shipping finance specialist Sophie Polisena and Edward Bentley, who focuses on aviation transactions.

Stephenson Harwood LLP is a leading force in both aviation and shipping finance across the Asia Pacific region, boasting an ‘intellectually and technically excellent’ team that advises a broad spectrum of clients, including major banks, financial institutions, lessors, airlines, shipyards, energy companies, insurers, commodity traders, sponsors, and lenders. In aviation, the practice handles the full range of financing and leasing work, from commercial debt financings and bond private placements to derivatives, aircraft purchase agreements, and transactions involving private jets and helicopters. The shipping group, meanwhile, is well known for its expertise in complex cross-border financings, offshore projects, chartering and sale-and-leaseback arrangements, as well as corporate transactions, restructurings, and related disputes. The group is jointly led by Gregg Johnston, regarded as ‘best in the field’ for international ship and offshore finance, and the ‘technically and commercially pragmatic’ Saugata Mukherjee, a leading figure in aviation finance, serving as a key contact for banks, financial institutions, lessors, and airlines. Huay Yee Kwan is the go-to counsel for PRC clients on leasing and ship finance matters. Pedram Norton stands out for his work in ship finance, debt restructuring, and sale-and-leaseback transactions; Jeffrey Tanner is active in asset finance, structured debt, and projects, with a particular focus on the maritime and offshore energy sectors; and Clement Leung specialises in cross-border structured and aviation finance.

Recognised as a ‘standout aviation team in the Singapore market’, Clifford Chance is routinely engaged to handle high-value, complex and multijurisdictional aviation finance transactions. In addition to its strong capabilities in aircraft purchases and disposals, operating lease transactions, debt financings, and capital markets-based deals, the team is also sought out by new banks and alternative lenders seeking to enter the cross-border aircraft financing space. Practice head Fergus Evans, a ‘go-to expert in the region’, possesses extensive experience in asset finance and leasing matters. The ‘commercial and efficient’ Nattawat Vilasdechanon also excels in structured finance and aircraft leasing transactions, and regularly advises financial institutions on Japanese operating lease financings.

Highlighted by clients for its ‘rare combination of global scale, local insight, technical excellence, and pragmatic service delivery’, HFW Singapore LLP maintains a strong market reputation in the shipping and aviation finance market, where it acts for a domestic and international client base. The team is well positioned to advise on all aspects of asset and engine finance and leasing matters, with strong expertise in assisting lessors, banks, and airlines on the aviation side, and a notable track record in both wet and dry work on the shipping front. Ship finance expert John Forrester is equipped to advise a wide range of stakeholders, from banks to ship managers, on debt and lease financing, debt restructurings, and ship sales and purchases, among other mandates. He oversees the practice alongside Ling Lui, an aviation finance specialist and key contact for aircraft lessors and banks. Siri Wennevik is proficient in complex international shipping and offshore financings.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP‘s ‘highly motivated’ team is routinely instructed by banks, export credit agencies, lessors, arrangers and airlines in high-profile, multijurisdictional financing transactions in the aviation and maritime sectors. The group is active in financings involving export credit agencies, Japanese Operating Leases (JOLs and JOLCOs), sale and leasebacks and Chinese leasing structures. Lizzie Roe, who oversees the Singapore-based team, is a specialist in project, asset and structured finance in the maritime sector, where she acts for financial institutions, sponsors, lessors, owners and operators. Charles Viggers, a key contact for banks, lessors, arrangers and export credit agencies, and Richard Williams, who attracts regular engagements from banks, lessors, investors and airlines, specialise in aviation finance and leasing, while Andrew Nimmo is noted for his work in the shipping and offshore industries.

The ‘collaborative, conscientious and well-supported’ team at K&L Gates Straits Law LLC is highly sought after by financial institutions, leasing companies, and airlines for its strong expertise in aircraft operating finance and leasing transactions. The team is also expanding its capabilities in non-contentious shipping matters. The group is jointly led by the ‘highly regarded, responsive, commercial, and detail-oriented’ Duc Nguyen and Samuel Kolehmainen, who are seasoned experts in aircraft financing, leasing and purchasing agreements.

With a strong aviation practice, Mishcon de Reya LLP is routinely instructed by a network of HNW individuals, corporates, funds and leasing companies across Southeast Asia, North Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The team also handles maritime mandates under the leadership of Chong Yi Hong, a specialist in project and conventional vessel financings. Steering the aviation arm of the group is Ethan Tan, recommended as ‘technically very strong and fast’; he has a strong reputation for transactions in Southeast Asia, Japan and China.

With a strong focus on the aviation sector, Morgan Lewis Stamford LLC is well versed in portfolio sales and purchases, financing and leasing, sale-and-leaseback transactions, litigation, airline restructuring, and ESG and sustainability mandates. James Bradley serves as the primary contact for lessors, financial institutions, investors, funds, airlines, and manufacturers seeking guidance on all aspects of aircraft, engine, and corporate jet financing, leasing, and restructuring. Ivan Qiu is noted for his work on aircraft finance and leasing transactions.

Leveraging its strong global presence and expertise in English, New York, and Singapore law, Reed Smith LLP‘s Singapore-based team is well equipped to manage the full spectrum of multijurisdictional aviation finance matters, including export credit, sale-and-leasebacks, securitisations, and JOLCOs. Simon Spells, recognised by clients as ‘top of the game in terms of aviation counsel in the Singapore market’, leads the group and is a go-to choice for financial institutions, lessors, manufacturers and airlines in structured finance, asset-backed securitisations, leasing, and large portfolio transactions. Janet Salim excels in cross-border leasing, refinancing and restructuring matters. The team welcomed Gregory Xu, who joined from Stephenson Harwood LLP in January 2026.

Vedder Price houses a ‘commercially sound, legally robust, and culturally sensitive’ team that regularly advises banks, financial institutions, investors, borrowers, and lessors on operating and finance lease transactions in the aviation sector. The Singapore-based team is led by Ji Woon Kim, who is recognised for his ‘solution-oriented mindset’ when advising commercial banks, private credit finance companies, investors, export-credit agencies, borrowers, lessors and other stakeholders on equipment finance matters involving commercial aircraft. David Paterson, who joined from Milbank in February 2025, specialises in aircraft-backed international finance and leasing transactions