Smith Gambrell Russell Welcomes Veteran UK Aviation Finance Lawyer Adrian Beasley

Press Release

April 26, 2022

2022 PR Beasley

ATLANTA (April 26, 2022) – Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that Adrian Beasley has joined the Firm’s Global Transport Practice as a Partner based in the London office. Adrian joins SGR from White & Case LLP where he was a member of the Energy, Infrastructure, Project and Asset Finance Group in London for more than two decades.

Adrian advises clients on international asset finance and leasing transactions with a particular emphasis on the aviation industry, generally spanning multiple jurisdictions. His in-depth knowledge of transactions involving commercial aircraft includes ECA-supported financings, sale and leaseback transactions, operating leases, pre-delivery payment financings and tax-based leasing structures, as well as commercial lending arrangements and financial restructurings. Adrian regularly represents leasing companies, export credit agencies, banks, and operators.

Adrian is recognized as a leading lawyer in aviation finance by Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500 UK, and Who’s Who Legal.

“We are excited to welcome Adrian to the Firm,” said Stephen M. Forte, SGR’s chairman and managing partner. “He brings extensive experience in structuring international asset finance and leasing transactions to SGR that will expand the global transport team’s capabilities firm-wide.”

Ben Graham-Evans, Partner in SGR’s Global Transport Practice and with Partner Mark Turnbull, co-founding UK Partner, added, “Adrian has built a solid reputation in the aviation finance and leasing industry and his hire furthers the growth strategy of SGR’s UK practice. Despite uncertainty in some sectors and in certain international markets, the Firm’s practice in the UK continues its expansion in response to growing client demand and to capitalize on new business opportunities.”

SGR has continued to grow the UK practice in recent years, including the hires of Matthew Leigh (Partner) and Aleksandra Puscinska (Associate) in 2021 and Tom Maddison (Senior Associate) and Rory O’Driscoll (Associate) in 2020, which further expanded the Firm’s aviation finance capabilities. The Global Transport Practice comprises in excess of 30 lawyers located across the Firm’s network of offices that now also includes recently-hired rail and aviation industry attorneys Jason Huff and Mickey Jett in Charlotte, North Carolina. Other notable offices practicing in the sector include Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, and New York.

About Smith Gambrell Russell
SGR is a full service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The firm’s 270 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 45 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, construction, employment law, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, SGR has offices in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Chicago, Jacksonville, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Southampton, and Washington, D.C.