Partner

David O'Connor

Banking & Finance, Corporate Trust & Agency, Private Equity Real Estate

"Always available and creative, David has the commercial and technical skills that every partner should have." "He is easy to deal with and wants to get a deal done, not make points for the sake of it." "David is incredibly commercial, highly experienced and extremely knowledgeable." 

Chambers UK

Overview

David O’Connor has represented lenders, arrangers, servicers, borrowers and investors in numerous financing transactions and restructurings involving commercial real estate debt in Europe. He works closely with hedge funds, private equity funds and investment banks on CMBS, RMBS and covered bond transactions. He also advises on whole business securitisations, trade receivables securitisations, warehouse lines and loan portfolio sale transactions (both distressed and performing).

Prior to joining Mayer Brown in 2013, David worked in the London and Tokyo offices of another major international law firm and also spent three years working as an investment banker in the European Commercial Real Estate Group at a German multinational investment bank in London.

Experience

The following is a representative sample of recent transactions.

CMBS Restructuring

  • Acted for the Arrangers and Lead Managers on a €540 million CMBS transaction. The transaction is the securitisation of a loan which was used to fund Blackstone’s €1.8 billion acquisition of Sponda which is Finland’s largest real estate company. The transaction was the first ever CMBS out of Finland and the first ever dual EU and US risk retention compliant CMBS transaction.
  • Numerous other borrowers and servicers on various other pan European CMBS restructurings (previous company).
  • Advice to a sovereign on the establishment of a national “bad bank” (previous company).

Recognition

  • Band 3: Securitiation. David O'Connor has a strong ABS practice and is adept at handling a broad spectrum of asset classes, including esoteric assets. He is best known for work on real estate-related securitisation, notably advising banks on CMBS and RMBS transactions.  "We always feel we're in good hands with David. He explains complex legal issues very simply and is always creative." "He is excellent with brand new issuers."
    Band 5: Real Estate Finance. David O'Connor is frequently sought after by investment banks and funds to advise on a wide array of real estate financing and securitisation transactions. "Always available and creative, David has the commercial and technical skills that every partner should have." "He is easy to deal with and wants to get a deal done, not make points for the sake of it." "David is incredibly commercial, highly experienced and extremely knowledgeable." - Chambers UK
  • Listed as a leading individual for Securitisation, "David is excellent within the DCM market and he is also incredibly skilled in handling his team very well. He is a first-rate lawyer with an encyclopaedic knowledge in DCM products." He is a go-to lawyer for the largest and most prominent investment banks in the CMBS and RMBS market. - Legal 500
  • Listed as a key contact for Real Estate Finance - Chambers UK

Admissions

  • England and Wales

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Member of the Regulatory Committee of the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council
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