Chris Gavin concentrates his practice on US and international structured finance transactions, including in emerging markets. He acts for a broad range of financial institutions, including banks, official lenders, and hedge funds. He has represented clients in the structuring and negotiation of:
- Cross-border asset-backed securitization and financing transactions involving construction loans, mortgage loans, auto loans, sovereign debt, trade receivables in emerging markets and future flow oil exports in Africa;
- Cross-border covered bonds;
- Collateralized commercial paper programs;
- Structured distressed portfolio solutions for financial institutions;
- Structured solutions for exposures arising out of M&A deals;
- Repos for distressed residential loans and whole loan sales;
- Residential mortgage-backed securities, warehouse facilities and investment vehicles that issue extendable commercial paper, including the working out and resolution of such vehicles;
- Market value swaps, currency swaps and interest rate swaps in connection with numerous domestic and cross border structured finance transactions.
Chris also has extensive experience securitizing and financing many other types of assets and projects, including auto loans and leases, commercial mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, franchise loans, life insurance policy loans, mortgage servicing rights, toll road projects and forward sale commodity contracts. Chris has regularly represented a significant market participant in residential mortgage securitization related litigation and government investigations.
Chris was named a Leading Lawyer for Structured Finance/Securitization and Capital Markets in 2012 by IFLR and a Rising Star in Illinois in 2009 and 2010 and in New York in 2011 by Super Lawyers.
Chris's talent for innovation and creativity has been recognized by Financial Times' "Innovative Lawyers" survey, which ranked a risk protection arrangement for Assured Guaranty that he helped design as the second most innovative M&A transaction of 2010, a pro bono financing facility that he helped structure for a microfinance institution that was beginning to provide loans in Africa as one of its commended responsible business initiatives of 2010, and a novel collateralized commercial paper program he helped structure for a large international financial institution as one of the ‘standout’ financings of 2011.