Equipment Leasing and Finance Association - Equipping Business for Success

R. Scott Adams

Vice President Legal & Compliance, North America
Volvo Financial Services

Scott Adams serves as VP, Legal & Compliance North America for Volvo Financial Services in Greensboro, North Carolina. He has experience structuring, negotiating and documenting a variety of commercial transactions, as well as managing bankruptcy and insolvency matters. A native of Charleston, W.Va., he attended Colgate University and WVU College of Law.

Randall Armentrout

Attorney
Nyemaster Goode Law Firm

Shari Bacsardi Esq

Partner
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

Shari Bacsardi means business, her clients' business. Her clients value her focus on their specific needs in deal structuring, and her creative solutions to complex financial arrangements. With more than 22 years of transactional finance experience, Shari’s detail oriented, responsive and "get it done" approach has earned her the trust of her clients. She appreciates and understands her clients' business goals and provides succinct legal guidance to reach them.

Shari has broad experience documenting and negotiating personal property commercial finance transactions. She represents lenders and lessors in all aspects of equipment finance transactions, with an emphasis on transportation assets including aircraft (corporate and commercial), rail equipment, locomotives and railcars, vessels (barges and tankers), and specialty assets.

Shari also has significant experience with financing energy generators, storage tanks, computer hardware, mining equipment, trucks, and manufacturing and construction equipment and counsels clients on the acquisition and disposition of sizeable loan and lease portfolios.

Shari holds a B.A. in Public Policy Studies (Cum Laude) from Duke University and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center. She is admitted to practice law in the states of Maryland, New York, Vermont and West Virginia.

An avid mountain biker, hiker, baker, yogini and former Division I athlete, Shari supports community-based organizations that promote healthy living.

Merrick Benn

Partner
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

Paul Bent

Senior Managing Director
The Alta Group LLC

Paul Bent is a senior managing director of The Alta Group and head of the firm’s Legal Services and Business Quality Assessment Practices. With more than 40 years of experience as an investment banker, equipment leasing CEO, and transaction attorney, Paul has participated in all facets of leasing and corporate financing. As a leader in the consultancy, he provides Alta clients with insight and advice in assessing both strategic and tactical business plans and alternatives, developing and implementing leasing transactions and structures, reviewing business and documentation practices, and analyzing asset-based financing alternatives.

He serves as a testifying expert in legal matters involving leasing, transaction structuring, and contract interpretation; and he provides services as a neutral arbitrator in difficult disputes over leasing and corporate finance. He also works as a professional singer, performing in the Los Angeles area and on multiple motion picture and video game soundtracks, including “World of Warcraft.”

He earned his A.B. from UCLA, with highest departmental honors in mathematics and computer science, and his J.D. from Southwestern Law School, where he was an Associate Editor of the Southwestern University Law Review.

Vincent Borst

Partner
Latimer LeVay Fyock LLC

An accomplished advocate with over three decades of diverse and immersive litigation experience, Vince Borst develops and implements comprehensive strategies designed to achieve optimal outcomes in complex, consequential disputes. Vince's careful, thorough, and organized approach and problem-solving acumen has led to a long track record of success at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts nationwide.

Vince advances his clients' interests and protects their rights in a wide range of matters, including those involving equipment leasing, secured lending, mortgage foreclosures, factoring, and aviation. He has substantial experience counseling clients during all stages of litigation, from pre-suit positioning and investigations through pleadings, discovery, and pre-trial proceedings, to trial and appellate proceedings when appropriate. While always ready to forcefully advocate for his clients in the courtroom, Vince also has extensive experience on the transactional side, drafting equipment lease, factoring, and loan documents on behalf of lessors, factors, secured lenders, and banks.

Vince serves as Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel for Deutsche Leasing North America, Inc., Deutsche Leasing USA, Inc., Deutsche Leasing Canada (DEL), Inc., and Deutsch Leasing Canada Corp. He also serves as General Counsel to the Illinois Railway Museum.

Eileen Brown

Partner
Thompson Coburn LLP

Mirna Cardona

Corporate Counsel - Transactions
Frost Equipment Leasing and Finance

Mirna Cardona is Vice President and Corporate Counsel for Frost Bank, headquartered in San Antonio, TX. She provides legal advice to Frost Bank’s equipment leasing, commercial lending, and depository teams. In prior roles, Mirna was actively involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion committees, and was a member of the hiring committee for Clifford Chance US LLP. She also continues to participate in pro bono work and to coordinate pro bono clinics for her colleagues.

Law Clerk for Chambers of Hon. Juan R. Torruella, First Circuit Court of Appeals (2010-2011); Cornell Law School, J.D. 2009; admitted to practice in New York and Texas.

Joe Castelluccio

Partner

Scott Chait

Director, Counsel - Practice Group Head
Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing Co., Ltd.

Scott Chait is an equipment leasing and finance attorney in the Americas Division of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. His industry experience includes not only in-house and law firm positions, but he has also served “in the trenches” in an operations role with an international bank affiliate. His experience covers a wide-range of asset types in the small, medium, and large ticket sectors and he has documented, structured, negotiated, and closed a diverse portfolio of transactions, including direct originations, syndications, refinancings, workouts, transfers and assumptions, and vendor and dealer referral and remarketing programs. Scott has also developed standard documentation, policies, and operational procedures, and conducted extensive trainings for non-lawyer professionals. His past experience also includes handling litigation and bankruptcy matters for banks, bank affiliates, captives, and independent equipment finance companies.

Robert Cohen

Partner
Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP

Robert S. Cohen is a Partner at Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP, with offices located on Long Island and in New York City. With over 26 years of experience in all facets of the equipment leasing and asset based lending industries, Bob's practice is devoted to commercial litigation, creditors' rights, corporate transactions and bankruptcy matters. Bob has particular experience in the documentation of financial transactions, enforcement of equipment leases and secured loans, as well as the negotiation of workouts and resolutions. He frequently serves as a speaker and author on various topics relating to the leasing industry.

Bob devotes a significant portion of his time as an active member of ELFA, serving on its Credit and Collections Management Committee, as well as participating as a presenter at its various conferences, including its 2013 Legal Forum Conference, and 2012 and 2011 Credit and Collections Conferences where he served as a speaker at sessions on litigation strategy, electronic discovery, forbearance agreements, lease/secured transaction documentation and legal updates in the finance industry. He is also an active member of NEFA, serving on both its Legal and Education Committees and participating as a presenter at its annual conferences.

In 2012, Bob also presented at the Association of Commercial Finance Attorneys' CLEW Conference. In addition to his professional endeavors, Bob is an active supporter of the Special Olympics of New York-Long Island Region, where he has served as a Chairman of its Annual Gold Coast Tour for Champions Golf Outing for the past eleven years.

Benjamin Court

Partner
Stinson LLP

Jennifer Crastz

Partner
Hemar, Rousso & Heald, LLP

Jennifer Witherell Crastz’s practice is concentrated on bankruptcy and bankruptcy litigation, representing secured and unsecured creditors in Chapter 7, 11 and 13 proceedings, and a broad range of business and commercial litigation matters, including U.C.C. and equipment leasing disputes.

Ms. Crastz received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her law degree in 1996 from Southwestern University School of Law, where she was a member of the Journal of Law and Trade in the Americas.

Ms. Crastz previously served for two years as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Hon. Robert W. Alberts, of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California.

A seasoned litigation and bankruptcy attorney with experience in both state and federal courts, Ms. Crastz is also admitted to all four U.S. District Courts of California.

Charles Cross

Senior Lead Counsel
Wells Fargo Equipment Finance

Jeanette Dannenfelser

Senior Vice President, General Counsel
Summit Funding Group, A First Financial Bank Company

Debra Devassy Babu

Shareholder
Darcy & Devassy PC (formerly Askounis & Darcy)

Melissa Donaldson

Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer
Wintrust Capital

Melissa Donaldson is the first chief diversity officer at Wintrust, where she partners with leadership to establish diversity and inclusion strategies for business success, employee engagement, and positioning Wintrust as an employer of choice and responsible corporate citizen. She established the ubiquitous One Wintrust masthead as a unifying guidepost, established the annual executive diversity forum assembling internal top executives, and launched Paired to Win to accelerate the development of a multicultural senior leadership bench. Known among practitioners as iconic in the diversity, equity and inclusion space, Melissa served as director of diversity networks and communication for Walgreens, and CDW’s first director of inclusion practices. Her leadership resulted in CDW earning the Exemplary Voluntary Efforts Award from the U.S. Department of Labor in 2008, and spearheading the award-winning Walgreens Diversity & Inclusion Annual Report, establishing regional diversity councils nationwide, and creating the inaugural WBA Global Executive Women’s Conference.

Crain’s Chicago Business named Melissa one of the Top Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Executives in 2021. She has published work in Profiles in Diversity Journal, Diversity Executive, and Workforce Management magazines and is a frequent speaker for numerous organizations and conferences, including the Northwestern Intersections podcast and Career Mix on SiriusXM satellite radio. Other accolades include Diversity Woman Magazine Elite 100 Black Women Leaders, Chicago United Business Leaders of Color, Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Diversity Executives, Crain’s Chicago Business Most Influential Women in Commercial Banking, Women Worth Watching by Profiles in Diversity Journal, and Diversity Officer Leadership Award recipient from Diversity Best Practices.

Melissa holds Master of Science in Communication from Northwestern University, Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and Bachelor of Science in Management Science from Wright State University. She is a guest lecturer at Northwestern University, and serves on a variety of boards and councils including Chicago Sinfonietta, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, Financial Services Pipeline Steering Committee Co-Chair, Chicago United Leadership Council, and UCAN Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council. Melissa is a Leadership Greater Chicago Daniel Burnham Fellow, and holds membership in the Economic Club of Chicago, and The Links, Inc.

Robert Ernst

Verdant Commercial Capital LLC

Andy Fishburn CLFP

VP, Federal Government Relations
Equipment Leasing and Finance Association

Jonathan Fleisher

Partner
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

Michael Gallo Esq

Of Counsel
Padfield & Stout, LLP

Conor Gaughan

Associate
Vedder Price P.C.

Conor A. Gaughan is an Associate at Vedder Price and a member of the firm’s Global Transportation Finance team in the Chicago office.

Mr. Gaughan has experience in complex cross-border aviation transactions and has successfully negotiated and drafted aircraft purchase and sale agreements; assignment, assumption and amendment agreements; financing and security agreements; finance lease agreements; and engine sale agreements. He additionally represents and advises business aviation clients in FAA-compliant structuring and usage of business aircraft. From 2019 to 2021, Mr. Gaughan was recognized as an "Illinois Rising Star" by Illinois Super Lawyers.

In law school, Mr. Gaughan worked as a judicial extern within the Hennepin County District Court and completed two law clerkships at Fortune 500 companies. He also served two years as the Staff Editor for the Midwest Law Journal.

Julia Gavrilov

Partner
Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP

Julia Gavrilov concentrates her practice in equipment leasing, secured finance, asset-based lending and all areas of complex commercial litigation. On the transactional side, Ms. Gavrilov specializes in the drafting of equipment lease and loan documents in various secured financing transactions on behalf of secured lenders, banks and lessors, and in representing both buyers and sellers in syndication and capital market transactions. Based on her steady rise throughout the leasing and finance industry, Ms. Gavrilov has been invited to speak on numerous industry panels, including the Legal Forum for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the ELFA Annual Convention, the ELFA Credit & Collections conference and the National Equipment Finance Association’s Finance Summit.

As a seasoned litigator, Ms. Gavrilov’s commercial litigation practice includes the enforcement and/or preservation of lender/lessor’s rights under defaulted equipment lease and secured loan transactions, and in regularly representing both institutional and individual clients in actions involving breach of contract, fraud, shareholder derivative disputes, trademark infringement, counterfeiting, trade diversion, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO), attorney malpractice and bankruptcyrelated disputes before the Federal and State courts, as well as various arbitral bodies.

In addition to her daily practice, Ms. Gavrilov also Chairs the Firm’s Women’s Initiative program: “MHH WINS” – “Women’s Initiative for Navigating Success”, and serves as a member of the Firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

Education:

• New York Law School, J.D. 2006
• Barnard College, Columbia University, B.A. 2002

Admissions:

Ms. Gavrilov is admitted to practice in New York, as well as before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Affiliations:

Ms. Gavrilov is a member of the American, New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations. She is also member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), where she serves on its Service Providers Business Council Steering Committee as well as on the Research Committee of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation. Additionally, Ms. Gavrilov is a member of the Secured Finance Network's (SFNet) Women in Secured Finance Committee, as well as a member of GGI-Worldwide Alliance of Independent Law Firms.

Recognitions:

• 2021 - Top Women in Equipment Finance (The Monitor)
• 2021 - NextGen Leader / 40 Under 40 (The Monitor)
• 2020 - SFNet Top Women In Commercial Finance
• 2020 - SFNet 40 Under 40 Award

Languages:

Eric Gazin

General Counsel
Verdant Commercial Capital LLC

Eric has practiced for more than 20 years as an attorney in the equipment leasing and finance industry. He is currently General Counsel at Verdant Commercial Capital, the sixth largest independent equipment finance company in the U.S., overseeing all aspects of legal and compliance issues. An alumnus of GE Capital, Eric was senior legal counsel in its Capital Markets Syndications groups, a business unit that, over a ten-year period, produced more than $16 billion in volume. Prior to his 13 years at GE Capital, he was a shareholder at the law firm of Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver in Baltimore, Maryland. He has expertise across an extensive array of industries, including manufacturing, motor vehicles, aircraft, marine, rail, and technology. A frequent speaker and subcommittee chairman at the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), Eric strives to maintain wide-ranging and current industry knowledge. He is a former Fulbright scholar, and he received B.A. from Trinity College and his J.D. from Emory University.

Robert Geis

Assistant Chief Counsel
First Citizens Bank Equipment Finance

Bob provides legal support to CIT’s small and mid-ticket lease and loan vendor business segments with an emphasis in the technology, industrial and healthcare markets through negotiation of vendor and end user agreements, and portfolio acquisitions and sales. Bob also provides legal and regulatory compliance support to CIT Bank subsidiaries.

Prior to CIT, Bob was in-house counsel with Barnett Banks in Florida for five years litigating consumer collection and bankruptcy matters followed by 10 years with Xerox Corporation as region counsel responsible for enforcing commercial leases, managing bankruptcy matters, and supporting its Public Sector Leasing division. Immediately prior to joining CIT, Bob worked for Metavante Regulatory Services as Compliance Manager and provided regulatory compliance advice, training, and consulting services to financial institutions.

Bob received his law degree from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from University of South Florida. Bob lives in Jacksonville Florida with his wife and two daughters.

Arlene Gelman

Shareholder
Vedder Price P.C.

Arlene N. Gelman is a Shareholder at Vedder Price in the firm’s Commercial Litigation and Corporate Reorganization, Bankruptcy and Insolvency groups and currently serves as Co-Chair of the firm's Creditors' Rights and Collections group.

Ms. Gelman concentrates her practice in the representation of lenders, equipment lessors and other creditors in U.S. state, federal district, appellate and bankruptcy courts, including prosecuting numerous breach-of-contract and replevin actions, and representing the interests of secured and unsecured creditors in various state courts and in bankruptcy matters.

Ms. Gelman is a frequent and sought after speaker on equipment finance and bankruptcy related topics. She is a member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), Chicago Bar
Association, The Illinois State Bar
Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation.

In 2020 and 2022, Ms. Gelman was included on Lawdragon’s list of the 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers. Since 2013, she has been selected by her peers as a Leading Lawyer in Bankruptcy & Workout: Commercial
and Creditor’s Rights/Commercial Collections. She has also received an "AV Preeminent" Peer Rating in Martindale-Hubbell. Ms. Gelman was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in the 2023 edition for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency Law and Reorganization Law.

Ms. Gelman is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.A., with distinction, 1989) and Boston University School of Law (J.D., 1994), where she was an Edward F. Hennessey Scholar. Ms. Gelman also served as a staff attorney to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois; Law Clerk to the Honorable Ronald Barliant, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; Law Clerk to the Honorable Eugene Wedoff, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Illinois; and Law Clerk to the Honorable Joan H. Lefkow, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois.

Ms. Gelman is currently a member of ELFA’s Legal Committee and is a past member of ELFA's Credit and Collections Committee.

Ms. Gelman's past ELFA speaking events include:

Speaking as a moderator at the Legal Update panel at ELFA's 2022 Legal Forum

Speaking as a panelist at the Legal Update panel at ELFA's 2021 Credit & Collections Management Conference

Speaking as a panelist at the Legal Update panel at ELFA's 2021 Legal Forum

Speaking as a panelist at ELFA's 2020 Webinar: Covid-19's Hidden Costs: Bankruptcy, Repossessions & Challenging Legislation

Speaking as a panelist on the Legal Update panel at ELFA's 2019 Legal Forum

Speaking as a panelist on the Legal Update panel at ELFA's 2019 Credit & Collections Conference

Speaking as a panelist on the Legal Update panel at ELFA's 2018 Credit & Collections Conference

Speaking as a panelist at ELFA's 2017 Equipment Management Conference and Exhibition on the topic of forbearance agreements

Barbara Goodstein

Partner
Mayer Brown LLP

Barbara M. Goodstein is a partner in the Banking & Finance practice of the New York office of Mayer Brown LLP. Barbara's experience consists of commercial and structured financing as well as restructuring of transactions for a wide range of asset types including auto, trade, health care, timeshare and lease receivables, sports franchises, intellectual property, transportation equipment (including aircraft, aircraft engines, railcars and vessels), technology equipment, medical equipment, communications and office equipment, construction equipment, and marine and inter-modal containers. She also has extensive debt workout and restructuring experience primarily representing senior creditors and syndicate groups, bondholders, and secured creditors both in and out of bankruptcy; foreclosures, DIP and exit financing; contested and consensual bankruptcy matters; and other financial and legal restructurings.

Barbara is a featured columnist for The New York Law Journal's Secured Transactions section and a former Regent, and current Fellow of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. She previously served as a member of the Board of Editors of Equipment Leasing Newsletter and the Uniform Commercial Code Law Journal. She also previously served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the ELFA, and is currently a member of the Legal Committee Subcommittee on Air, Rail and Marine.

Barbara has been recognized as an outstanding lawyer by ELFA, having received ELFA's Legal Committee Edward A. Groobert Excellence in Leasing Award in 2015. She is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and recently chaired a Task Force for the ABA Committee on Structured Finance and Securitization. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library.

Edward Gross

Shareholder
Vedder Price P.C.

Edward K. Gross is a Shareholder at Vedder Price and a member of the Global Transportation Finance team.

He established the firm’s Washington, DC office and has over 30 years of experience representing bank-affiliated and large, independent equipment financing companies in all aspects of equipment finance transactions, including documenting, structuring, negotiating, syndicating and enforcing these transactions. Mr. Gross handles all types of equipment finance matters and structures, including single-investor, leveraged financings, true/ tax motivated leases, synthetic leases, TRAC leases, “bundled” and other vendor-originated financings, and domestic and cross-border financings, primarily for transportation equipment, but also for other types of equipment, including: manufacturing and assembly line, construction and drilling, energy-related and other facilities, medical and health-related facilities, high-tech equipment (including “bundled” financings), trucks and trailers, modular units and vessel repair equipment.

Mr. Gross is considered an industry leader in business aircraft and helicopter finance. These transactions vary in structure and include tax and non-tax lease, operating lease and secured loan financing of managed and/or chartered aircraft, fleet aircraft and helicopters operated in various service capacities (e.g., air ambulances, oil and gas service, flight schools, etc.) and engine pools, aircraft operated under fractional and “pay card” arrangements and progress payment, completion and other multi-funding structures. Clients include market-leading aircraft and helicopter financing providers, investors or operating lessors, as well as large publicly or privately held businesses, governmental entities or high-net-worth individual users. Many of these transactions involve foreign registered aircraft.

Many clients rely on Mr. Gross in syndication transactions, including large portfolio purchases, “one-off” sales and assignments, discounting, back-leveraging and participation transactions. He has worked with Vedder Price’s Capital Markets team on securitizations of diverse asset classes. Mr. Gross has prepared lease, loan and syndication forms for many of the most active financing providers in the industry. Working with Vedder Price’s well-regarded bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice, Mr. Gross has assisted financing providers, including various creditor groups, with workout, restructuring, bankruptcy and enforcement matters.

Mr. Gross has been selected for inclusion in numerous editions of Who's Who Legal’s The International Who's Who of Aviation Lawyers, including the 2014 edition in which Mr. Gross participated in a roundtable discussion. In the 2013 edition of that publication, Mr. Gross is named one of the top 500 aviation lawyers in the world, and is cited as “a go-to lawyer for finance, insolvency and restructuring…well-respected by commercial clients.” In 2016 through 2020, Mr. Gross was ranked Band 1 in Private Aircraft (Global-wide) in Chambers High Net Worth, which recognizes the world’s leading high net worth advisers. In addition, in 2013 Mr. Gross was ranked in Chambers USA in the Nationwide Banking & Finance: Equipment Finance & Leasing category. He was selected by his peers for inclusion in Washington DC Super Lawyers (2007–2020) and The Best Lawyers in America (2007–2021) in the field of Equipment Finance Law. Mr. Gross was elected as Fellow to the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers in 2011, and elected as Regent to the College in 2012. He has been recognized by the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), receiving the Distinguished Service Award in 2008 and ELFA’s Legal Committee Edward A. Groobert Excellence in Leasing Award in 2011.

A client respondent in Airfinance Journal’s 2011 Guide to Aviation Lawyers mentions, “Vedder Price can turn a deal in a day or two if necessary. Ed Gross is our go to person for time-sensitive matters.” He also recognized among the world’s leading aviation attorneys by in Euromoney’s Expert Guides “Aviation Guide” from 2013 to 2020.

Mr. Gross obtained his B.A. from the University of Maryland and his J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Michelle Halverson

Associate General Counsel
GreatAmerica Financial Services

Ruthanne Hammett

Partner
Thompson Coburn LLP

Ruthanne C. Hammett is a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP where she practices in the firm's Banking and Commercial Finance department. Her practice includes representing banks, leasing companies, captive finance subsidiaries, borrowers and lessees in loans, structured financing and leases. She has thirty years of experience in a wide variety of commercial finance transactions, including secured, unsecured, syndicated, asset-based, acquisition and lease financing transactions. She is familiar with both large corporate and middle-market lending as well as with sales of loan and lease portfolios and asset acquisitions and dispositions.

Ms. Hammett holds a Bachelor's Degree (cum laude) from Illinois State University and a Juris Doctorate (cum laude) from the University of Illinois. She is member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and is also on her firm's diversity and women's steering committees.

With roots tracing back to 1929, Thompson Coburn LLP has represented clients from every industrial and corporate sector, including energy, banking, transportation, manufacturing and communications. The firm has earned the trust and loyalty of its clients by consistently meeting their expectations for premier legal representation without the high-maintenance character of a typical big firm. Now, with more than 400 lawyers and 40 practice areas operating in offices in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and Southern Illinois, the firm continues to serve clients throughout the United States and beyond.

Marc Hamroff

Partner
Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP

Doug Hirai

EVP, Chief Governance & Compliance Officer
Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Inc.

Jane Hogan

Sr. Corporate Counsel
U.S. Bank

Lawrence Holmes

Principal Attorney
Offit Kurman PC

Robert Hornby

Member of the Firm
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

An experienced litigator, Robert Hornby represents national and regional banks and finance companies in all aspects of equipment leasing, asset based lending and civil litigation in New York and New Jersey state and federal courts. He regularly counsels clients on a wide range of matters unique to the equipment finance and leasing industry, from drafting master documentation to the enforcement of lessors’ and secured creditors’ rights.

In addition, Robert’s litigation practice extends to the areas of construction law, commercial contract, solar energy litigation, product liability/toxic tort, professional malpractice, trusts and estates and franchise law. He is directly responsible for managing numerous complex litigation matters, including, but not limited to, those involving construction defect, shareholder derivative, restrictive covenant, solar energy and governmental authority issues.

Robert received his law degree cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law, and his undergraduate degree cum laude from the University of Arizona. He served as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable David S. Baime, PJAD (ret.) in the New Jersey Appellate Division.

Thomas Hotard CLFP

VP - Program Management and Contracts
Midland Equipment Finance

Jason Huff

Partner
Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP

Adam Jackson

Partner
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Adam's practice focuses primarily on structured finance transactions and asset-based financings.

Adam advises sellers and purchasers on public and private securitization transactions involving various asset classes, including auto loans and leases, railcar leases, residential and commercial mortgage loans, credit cards and trade receivables, and on whole-business securitizations.

Adam regularly acts on cross-border asset-based financings, including cross-border securitizations, factoring arrangements and cross-border lending. He has advised purchasers, sellers and servicers in Canada, the United States and Europe on the Canadian aspects of such cross-border transactions.”

Troy Kepler

Corporate Counsel
Channel

Brian Kestenbaum

Senior Vice President and General Counsel
LEAF Commercial Capital Inc.

Dominic Liberatore

Deputy General Counsel
DLL

Dominic A. Liberatore is the Deputy General Counsel for DLL, a global provider of leasing and business finance solutions, including vendor finance.

Mr. Liberatore has been practicing law for 35 years focusing on leasing and asset based lending, and has served in a variety of senior in-house legal positions with DLL, IOS Capital, Inc. (the captive finance subsidiary of IKON Office Solutions, Inc.), Copelco Financial Services Group, Inc. and the FDIC. Prior to going in-house, Mr. Liberatore was an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York City and Wolf Block in Philadelphia. Mr. Liberatore is a past chairman of the ELFA Legal Committee, current ELFA Subcommittee Coordinator and a past chairman of the Subcommittee on Leasing of the Uniform Commercial Code Committee of the ABA Business Law Section. Mr. Liberatore is also a member of the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Equipment Lease Financing.

Mr. Liberatore holds a J.D. from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. from the University of Buffalo.

Bonnie Michael

Shareholder
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC

Bonnie Michael, a shareholder at Baker Donelson, has more than 20 years of legal experience representing equipment finance companies and the financial services industry. She guides banks, financial institutions, equipment and leasing companies, and other lenders in structuring and negotiating their complex finance transactions, as well as advising on commercial financing disclosure laws and other regulatory matters. She has extensive experience advising clients on motor vehicle fleet financing.

Prior to joining Baker Donelson, Ms. Michael served for more than a decade as the General Counsel and Vice President of Legal and Compliance (USA) for Volvo Financial Services. She served on the Board of Trustees for the Equipment Leasing & Financing Foundation from 2015 – 2021 and is a former member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) Legal Committee. From 2010 – 2016, Ms. Michael served as chair of the ELFA Motor Vehicle Subcommittee. She is a frequent presenter on industry topics and actively supports various ELFA legislative initiatives. Ms. Michael is the 2021 recipient of the ELFA's 2021 Edward A. Groobert Award for Legal Excellence.
Ms. Michael holds a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law and is admitted to practice law in Illinois.

David Miele Esq.

Chief Administrative Officer
Citizens Asset Finance, a division of Citizens Bank, N.A.

David Miele is an SVP and Chief Administrative Officer of Citizens Asset Finance, Inc. (“CAF”)which operates as a division of Citizens Bank, N.A. David has responsibility for CAF’s Documentation Teams (in Warwick, RI and Chicago, IL), the Customer Support Team, Process Improvements and runs the CAF Legal Team of four other attorneys and a paralegal.

David is an active participant with ELFA currently serving on the following subcommittees of the Legal Committee: Capital Markets, Motor Vehicle, Amicus Curiae, Legal Award and Equipment Leasing & Finance Magazine. He previously chaired the Legal Committee in 2006, and served on the ELFA Financial Institutions Business Council Steering Committee from 2013 to 2017. David was the primary drafter of the ELFA Revised Code of Ethics promulgated in 2007. He has been a frequent lecturer at the ELFA Legal Forum and on web based seminars focusing on various aspects of equipment finance and documentation. He has also presented the ELFA Guest Lecture Program at local colleges and universities.

Brittany Ogden

Attorney, Partner
Quarles & Brady LLP

Frank Peretore

Member of the Firm
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

Lisa Peters

Attorney
Kutak Rock LLP

Kenneth Peters

Partner
Dressler & Peters, LLC

Ralph Petta

Ann Pille

Partner
Reed Smith LLP

Ann is a partner in the Chicago office of Reed Smith's Financial Industry Group. Ann maintains a national practice through which she represents equipment lessors and lenders in connection with transaction originations, including analysis and structuring around risk issues, and restructurings, workouts, distressed debt litigation, foreclosures and insolvency proceedings. Her clients regularly include commercial finance and leasing companies, major banks and hedge funds. Ann’s practice includes a particular focus on the restructuring and workout of distressed fleet finance and franchise finance deals.

Carla Potter

Lawyer
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

Scott Riehl

VP, State Government Relations
Equipment Leasing and Finance Association

Moorari Shah

Partner
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLC

Moorari K. Shah is Partner in the Orange County and San Francisco offices of Sheppard Mullin. He represents banks, equipment finance companies, fintechs, mortgage companies, auto lenders, and other non-bank financial institutions in transactional, licensing, regulatory compliance, and government enforcement matters covering mergers and acquisitions, consumer and commercial lending and leasing, and supervisory examinations and enforcement actions involving state and federal agencies.

Mr. Shah received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law (cum laude) and his B.A. from Duke University. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) and a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

Molly Simon CLFP

Senior Legal Counsel
DLL

Mary Ann Stathopoulos Esq

Managing Attorney
Cisco Systems Capital Corporation

Angela Ulum

Partner
Mayer Brown LLP

Angela Ulum is a partner in Mayer Brown’s Chicago office and a member of the Structured Finance practice. She has extensive experience representing issuers, borrowers, and commercial and investment banks in a variety of securitization and other structured finance transactions, with an emphasis on market participants in the auto and equipment sectors. Angela’s experience has involved the issuance and sale of publicly registered, 144A/Reg S and privately placed asset-backed securities, revolving and amortizing syndicated and bilateral financing facilities, portfolio purchases and sales, equipment loan and lease syndications and third-party servicing arrangements. Her experience includes representing captive finance companies, banks, independent finance companies and investors in transactions involving a wide variety of assets, including auto leases, auto loans, dealer floorplan, fleet leases, equipment leases and loans, participations, and esoteric and new asset classes.

Patricia Voorhees

Director
The Alta Group LLC

Stephen Whelan

Partner
Blank Rome LLP

William Wilson

Associate General Counsel & Vice President
BMO Transportation Finance