Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP Welcomes Global Transport Partner Simone M. Riley to the New York Office

Firm News

August 6, 2026

NEW YORK (August 6, 2026) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (“SGR”) is pleased to announce the arrival of Partner Simone M. Riley to the firm’s New York office.

“We are pleased to welcome Simone to our team,” said Peter B. Barlow, Head of the Global Transport Practice. “Her extensive background navigating the commercial, regulatory, and jurisdictional issues that arise in cross-border aviation transactions will be an asset to our clients. As we approach 100 years of aviation work at SGR, we are proud of the continued growth of our team and look forward to Simone’s impact to further elevate our practice.”

Simone joins the firm’s Global Transport Practice, where she represents airlines, lessors, lenders, financial institutions, investors, and other aviation industry participants in connection with the acquisition, sale, financing, leasing, and refinancing of aircraft and aviation assets.

She advises clients through all stages of sophisticated aircraft finance and leasing matters, including sale-leaseback transactions, portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, secured and unsecured financings, operating and finance leases, and restructurings.

Simone received her J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and her undergraduate degree from New York University. She is a member of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) and the International Aerospace Womens Association (IAWA).

For nearly 100 years, SGR’s Global Transport Practice has served as external general legal counsel and represented several airlines, both passenger and cargo, in virtually all aspects of their business. In recent years, the group has greatly broadened its bandwidth, geographic coverage and, most importantly, its industry representation to include several additional airlines situated in various parts of the world, operating lessors, export credit agencies, financiers, aviation equipment owners, managers and investors, aviation joint ventures and joint venture partners, maintenance repair and overhaul facilities and aircraft teardown/part-out companies.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.sgrlaw.com/capabilities/air-transport

About Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP is a full-service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The Firm’s more than 400 professionals provide legal counsel in more than 50 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, insurance/reinsurance, construction, employment law, international, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, Smith Gambrell has 15 domestic and international offices, including Atlanta; Austin; Charlotte; Chicago; Houston; Jacksonville; London; Los Angeles; Miami; Milan; Munich; New York; Southampton; Tampa; and Washington, D.C.