Courtney Leon is an Associate in the Global Transport Practice of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.
Courtney advises global and domestic financial institutions, arrangers, investment managers, and leasing platforms on complex structured finance, asset-based lending, and transportation finance transactions. Her practice includes the purchase, sale, leasing, and financing of aircraft, aircraft engines, and other transportation assets, as well as structuring, negotiating, and administering securitized products such as collateralized loan obligations, asset-backed securities, residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities, cross-border and domestic loan facilities, warehouse credit facilities, and lease-backed financings. She regularly counsels clients on transportation and infrastructure financings, including matters involving commercial fleets, rolling stock, and mobility assets, and provides guidance on regulatory compliance, liability management, and distressed debt restructurings. In connection with these transactions, Courtney assists with drafting and negotiating financing, loan, and lease documentation, supports the structuring of complex, multi-party arrangements, and coordinates with internal and external counsel.
Before joining the firm, Courtney was an associate at a New York–based law firm where she represented lenders, arrangers, trustees, and investors in a wide range of securitization, structured finance, and distressed asset transactions, with a focus on transportation and infrastructure-related financings. Her litigation experience included advising on bankruptcy-related disputes and cross-border enforcement strategies, giving her a practical perspective on liability management and workout solutions. She also advised on cross-border enforcement strategies, restructuring of distressed loan facilities, and compliance with regulatory regimes including Dodd-Frank, the Volcker Rule, and AML/KYC requirements. Earlier in her career, at PwC, Courtney provided counsel on REIT structuring, tax-efficient financing strategies, and asset-backed lending transactions across diverse asset classes, including real estate, hospitality, and industrial assets.
Courtney holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, where she studied abroad at the American University of Rome and the University of Sydney. Courtney received her J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she served as an Associate Editor of the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal and published three articles during her tenure.
New York State Bar Association
New York Women’s Bar Association
American Bar Association
New York City Bar Association
Florida Bar – Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section, Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section, Tax Section
Mute Eloquence: A Gallery of Contracting Emojis, 41, CARDOZO ARTS & ENT. L.J., 343-381 (2023)
Hush Money is Not the Answer, CARDOZO ARTS & ENT. BLOG, 317 (2022)
Tom Brady Just Threw His 600th Touchdown Pass: What’s the Catch?, CARDOZO ARTS & ENT. BLOG, 303 (2021)