Experience

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  Sovereign Risk Insurance Ltd.

  • Hamilton, Bermuda

  • Vice President & Counsel, Private Equity Group

    • Dec 2016 - Present
    • Hamilton, Bermuda

    Sovereign Risk Insurance Ltd. (“Sovereign”) is one of the world’s leading underwriters of political risk and sovereign credit insurance and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chubb Ltd. Our clients include the world’s largest development finance and multilateral institutions, banks, exporters, multinational corporations, export credit agencies and private equity investors.Since its formation in July 1997, Sovereign has underwritten more than 2,000 policies and has a global portfolio that is spread over more than 100 emerging and frontier markets. Sovereign is widely recognized among development finance and multilateral institutions, private equity firms, commercial banks and export credit agencies as a sophisticated, responsive and reliable risk-sharing partner. Sovereign is also a member of the Berne Union, the worldwide organization of national export credit and investment insurance agencies, and a shareholder in the African Trade Insurance and Development Agency (ATIDI).

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  MIGA

  • Washington D.C. Metro Area

  • Legal Consultant, World Bank Group

    • Mar 2012 - Jul 2016
    • Washington D.C. Metro Area

    Legal consultant to MIGA’s General Counsel and Legal Affairs group. Provided legal counsel to senior management and underwriters on various transaction issues. Structured, negotiated and documented MIGA’s insurance programs — credit insurance for non-payment risks (CF) of sovereign, sub-sovereign and state-owned enterprises, as well as political risk insurance covering expropriation, currency inconvertibility, transfer restriction, war and civil disturbance, and non-payment of arbitral awards for lenders, sponsors and investors seeking to mitigate risks in project finance and infrastructure transactions in emerging markets and developing countries. Primary responsibility for handling various individual claims and salvage matters; coordinated the first revision of MIGA’s operational policies in 25 years, as well as management directives, procedures and guidance.

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  Oxford Finance LLC

  • Alexandria, Virginia

  • Vice President & General Counsel

    • Jan 2006 - Jan 2012
    • Alexandria, Virginia

    General Counsel of specialty finance company that provides venture debt, cash flow, growth capital and term loan financing to life science and health care services companies worldwide. Direct legal responsibility for all transactional matters, corporate capital raising, employment law, regulatory and compliance matters, and corporate governance. Provided legal counsel to Board of Managers and corporate officers for all aspects of transaction structuring, compliance, as well as IP licensing and trademark issues. Responsible for negotiating and closing legal documentation for 30-40 commercial loan transactions annually to life science and health care services provider clients. Documentation included loan and security agreements, preferred/common stock warrants, subordination and inter-creditor agreements for term debt, cash flow and ABL RLOC financings to mid- to late-stage life science companies and health care services providers. Transaction sizes ranged from $2.5 - $30 million. Verified compliance with all credit terms approved by Credit Committee and obtained required internal approvals for any credit modifications. Managed and resolved all legal matters related to credit portfolio, including amendments and modifications to loan documentation, maintenance and priority of security interests, forbearance agreements, bankruptcy matters, loan workouts, restructurings, enforcement and litigation.

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  Butzel Long

  • Washington D.C. Metro Area

  • Of Counsel

    • Aug 2004 - Jan 2006
    • Washington D.C. Metro Area

    Represented U.S. commercial banks and financial services companies in connection with international loan transactions, including negotiation and documentation of senior secured and mezzanine debt financings, structured trade and project finance transactions, equipment leases, export credit insurance and political risk insurance cover.

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  Blank Rome LLP

  • Partner

    • Apr 2000 - Aug 2004

    Partner in Washington, D.C. firm (formerly Dyer Ellis & Joseph) representing U.S. commercial banks and financial services companies in connection with the structuring, negotiation and documention of international trade, project and structured finance transactions. International practice focused on cross-border commercial and syndicated loans for large infrastructure finance projects and equipment leasing transactions, including transactions supported by the loan, guarantee, trade credit and political risk insurance programs of U.S. Ex-Im Bank and U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (formerly OPIC), as well as the Title XI ship finance programs of U.S. Maritime Administration.

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  Export-Import Bank of the United States

  • Washington DC-Baltimore Area

  • Assistant General Counsel, Senior Counsel and Counsel

    • Dec 1990 - Jun 1999
    • Washington DC-Baltimore Area

    Structured, negotiated and documented U.S. Ex-Im Bank’s largest (over $100 million) and most complex structured trade, political risk, and project and aircraft finance transactions. Supervised asset management practice group. Provided legal counsel to Bank staff on all aspects of litigation, workout and restructuring matters related to the Bank’s substantial portfolio of at-risk and non-performing assets. Supervised all attorneys in the Office of the General Counsel handling litigation, workout and restructuring matters, as well as outside counsel retained in foreign jurisdictions to represent the Bank before local courts and arbitral panels.