Holland & Knight acquires Clark Ricketts
Holland & Knight has opened a London office by acquiring transportation law firm Clark Ricketts.
The Clark Ricketts lawyers include Robert Ricketts – who will serve as executive partner in the London office – Ian Clark, Gwyn O’Flynn, Tim Murray, Giles Cornwall and Noelle Boyce.
Lawyers from Holland & Knight and Clark Ricketts told Airfinance Journal that the two firms have worked together frequently in the past, notably on the $1.2 billion portfolio sale for BBAM Aircraft Management in 2015.
Robert Ricketts said: “We’ve been an aviation law firm for about 20 years, and we have worked very closely with Holland & Knight, really for the whole 20 years we have been around. We’ve kept below the radar but have done some great deals. We do a lot of work for AerCap, and we do a lot of work for Milestone. The big deal we did last year was the Oman
He added: “We reached the time where, in order to grow the practice <…>, we needed a change. And Holland & Knight was the ideal fit for us. We also realised that the need now for the bigger clients is to offer both English and New York law capabilities.”
John Pritchard, global chair of Holland & Knight’s transportation finance practice, said: “The aircraft finance industry has been shifting east to Dublin, Dubai and Singapore over the past few years. Almost all engagements now require both New York law and English law capabilities.”
He added: “We determined that having a presence in London is important to serve our clients’ interests. Given our long relationship with and high regard for the Clark Ricketts firm, it was an easy decision to have them join the firm.”
To see all of Holland & Knight’s recent and historic deals visit Airfinance Journal’s Deals Database.