Alison Baxter

Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

London
United Kingdom
T:+44 20 7444 3763
London
United Kingdom
T:+44 20 7444 3763
Alison Baxter

Alison Baxter

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Biography

Alison Baxter is a banking and finance lawyer based in London. 

Alison was based in Brazil from 2017 to 2020 and was named as one of Latin America's Top 100 Female Lawyers by Latinvex. Prior to her move to Brazil, Alison worked as a partner in our London and Paris offices.

In Latin America, Alison led a number of high profile and innovative oil and gas project, corporate and asset financings and restructurings, as well as pre-export and corporate facilities in the commodities sector, and aviation financing and leasing structures. Her work in Brazil dates back to the early 2000s when she represented the lenders and ECAs on a series of financings for a major Brazilian airline. Alison then worked with the arrangers of some of the first international oil and gas financings in Brazil for Japanese and Brazilian sponsors. In Mexico, she advised the mandated lead arrangers on the US$750m financing for SeaMex of five oil rigs for Pemex, which combined corporate, asset and project financing principles, involved a complicated cross-border collateral structure and was concluded during the recent regulatory changes.

Alison has a deep understanding of lender requirements, structuring techniques and financing challenges derived from working closely with many leading financial institutions for more than two decades. She co-led our new finance group during the global financial crisis, analysing and generating market discussions around the evolution of new finance products, different sources of liquidity and reallocation of stakeholder roles and responsibilities. She also advises corporate clients on a range of financing matters.


Professional experience

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  • Solicitor, qualified in England & Wales
  • Advising the main creditor group on all aspects of the work-out of the OSX2 FPSO financing
  • Representing the mandated lead arrangers on the highly structured cross-border financing for SeaMex, a joint venture between Seadrill and Fintech Investments, of five drilling units for Pemex offshore Mexico
  • Advising an oil company on the structuring and related bankability of its supply and finance arrangements for a new FPSO project in Latin America
  • Representing the arrangers of three separate facilities to subsidiaries of Sevan Marine ASA and Sevan Drilling ASA for the construction, upgrade and/or refinancing of drilling units Sevan Driller and Sevan Brasil and FPSO Sevan Voyageur. Two of the facilities include GIEK support and one included support from Sinosure. We also advised on the subsequent restructurings
  • Representing ABN AMRO as bookrunning mandated lead arranger on the acquisition financing of the world's largest jack-up accommodation service vessels and support company, Seafox, formed through the combination of Millennium Offshore Services and Seafox Group
  • Advising the arrangers of a secured term loan, revolving credit and guarantee facility for the DeepOcean group, an offshore services provider with operations in Europe, Brazil and Mexico
  • Representing the arrangers of a secured term loan and guarantee corporate facility for one of the world's largest contractors of jack-up rigs
  • Representing the arrangers of complex financings for the Queiroz Galvão Óleo & Gás group of the Lone Star, Gold Star, Olinda Star and Alaskan Star semi-submersible drilling rigs
  • Representing the senior banks on an Atradius-backed secured asset and corporate facility for Seaway, an OSV group of companies
  • ·      Advising a variety of banks and financial institutions on numerous secured and unsecured debt financings, bond issues and intercreditor arrangements for the Bluewater group since the 1990s
  • Advising the arranger of a syndicated project financing for the PRA-1 FSO operated offshore Brazil
  • Assisting Biosev (Louis Dreyfus Brazil) with its 2018 multi-structure debt reconfiguration programme, which was awarded 2018 Structured Loan Deal of the Year at the Bonds & Loans Latin America Awards (run by Market Insights and GFC Media). We also assisted Biosev with earlier pre-export and corporate facilities
  • Representing a leading international bank on a bilateral trade facility for the Brazilian division of a major European manufacturer.
  • Representing LATAM on its commercial financing of several A350 and A320neo aircraft, various leasing arrangements and other fleet and operational matters
  • Advising a major international aircraft leasing company on numerous portfolio and individual acquisitions, disposals and purchase and leasebacks involving a significant number of aircraft, airlines and jurisdictions. We also advise on English law aspects of its financing arrangements and UK corporate matters
  • Assisting easyJet with its engine manufacturer selection process
  • Representing the European ECAs on various matters related to single and multiple aircraft loan facilities for a major European leasing company. Previously we advised on the security and intercreditor aspects of its first ECGD-guaranteed bond issue
  • Legal 500 Latin America, recommended lawyer, International firms: Banking and finance and projects and energy, The Legal 500, 2018 - 2021
  • Expert Guides, Banking, Legal Media Group, 2020
  • Expert Guides, Women in Business Law, Legal Media Group, 2020