George Paterson, a banking and finance lawyer, is the Global Head of Banking and Finance as well as the Head of our Paris practice where he leads our Paris aviation team.

George specialises in aviation finance and leasing transactions representing banks, export credit agencies and airlines. He has extensive experience in export credit finance coupled with tax based structures and wide experience in cross-border leasing. He has considerable experience with such products as Japanese Operating Leases and French Leveraged Leases.

George has been ranked at the top of his speciality by international legal directories for years. George is “‘one of the stars in aircraft financing’, according to clients who appreciate his deep knowledge and experience” says Chambers Europe 2014. He is described in Legal 500 2014 as a “highly regarded” name in aviation finance. He has also been named as an “Expert” in the Guide to the World’s Leading Aviation Lawyers and recommended by IFLR 1000, Who’s Who Legal and Best Lawyers.

He first qualified as a solicitor in Scotland in 1990. He then worked in Edinburgh and London in the banking department of a major commercial Scottish legal practice where he specialised in acquisition and structured finance. George joined the Paris practice in 1993 and became a partner in 1998. He qualified as a solicitor in England in 1992 and as an Avocat à la Cour d'Appel de Paris in 1996. He is fluent in French.