Legal Forum : ELFA

Legal Forum

May 01 - May 03, 2022

Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC

Providing Legal Direction and Valuable Counsel for over 50 Years

The PREMIER EVENT for attorneys serving the equipment leasing and finance industry. The best place to OBTAIN UPDATES ON LEGAL ISSUES that impact your company UNMATCHED NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES with your peers in the industry.

Conference Qualifies CLE Credits

Registration Fees

Price Description	Amount
*First Time Attendee (ELFA Member First Timer)	$1075.00
*Spouse/Companion of Member	$200.00
*Spouse/Companion of Non Member	$200.00
Attendee (ELFA Member)	$1255.00
Attendee Additional (ELFA Member)	$1135.00
Committee Member	$625.00
Non Member Attendee (All)	$2515.00
Speaker - Member (Attending Entire Conference)	$625.00
Speaker - Non Member (Attending Entire Conference)	$625.00

View cancellation and other policies

Download Conference Agenda

Available Functions

Sunday - May 01

	Special Dietary Requests
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
	City At Your Leisure Hop on/ Hop Off Smithsonian Tour	$75.00
4:15 pm - 5:15 pm
	Air, Rail, Marine Roundtable
	Motor Vehicles Roundtable
5:15 pm - 6:00 pm
	Emerging Talent & Newcomers Reception
Monday - May 02
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
	Crisis Management Roundtable
5:30 pm - 6:15 pm
	Women In Leasing Reception
Tuesday - May 03
8:30 am - 9:30 am
	Internal Counsel/Outside Counsel Partnership Roundtable
	Government Finance - Municipal and Tribal Roundtable

Speakers

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.

Ryan Adams

Assistant General Counsel
Daimler Truck Financial

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.

Michael Beattie

Shareholder
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC

Michael Beattie is a shareholder at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC. Mike represents banks, financial institutions, equipment finance companies and other lenders and lessors in a wide range of commercial financing transactions that include tax-motivated leases, leases intended as security, revolving credit facilities, term loans, real estate financings, construction and permanent loan financings and restructurings. He has a particular focus on transportation assets, including corporate aircraft and commercial vessels of all types. He is a frequent lecturer on various lending and leasing topics. Mike obtained his Master of Business Administration degree from Frostburg State University (2000) and his J.D. (2004) from the University of Maryland School of Law.

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.

Rachel Brescoll

Associate
Kutak Rock LLP

Rachel Brescoll is an Associate in Kutak Rock LLP’s Chicago office, practicing in the firm’s Finance Group. Rachel’s practice focuses on equipment leasing and finance transactions. Before joining Kutak Rock, Rachel worked as an in-house attorney at Citizens Asset Finance for six years. At Citizens Rachel handled a variety of asset finance transactions and syndications. Rachel holds a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and a B.A. from Hanover College.

Eileen Brown

Partner
Thompson Coburn LLP

Eileen is a successful negotiator and strategist who focuses on her clients' goals throughout every transaction. She advises financial institutions and operating companies in asset-based financing and equipment leasing transactions.
Eileen advises clients on maritime financing, commercial, and regulatory matters, including loan and security documents, purchase and sale agreements, and a variety of leasing and chartering arrangements. She also counsels large companies negotiating aircraft leases, acquisitions, financing, purchase and sale transactions as well as aircraft operational structures under Part 91. Eileen represents clients before various U.S. agencies, such as the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd), and the U.S. Coast Guard. With more than 25 years' experience, Eileen recognizes the importance of fully engaging with the client’s team on each project—from engineers to originators and portfolio managers—which helps her balance often-competing needs. Prior to joining the firm, Eileen was an attorney with MarAd, focusing on the Title XI loan guarantee program. She also served as counsel for International Registries, Inc. (IRI) at the time that IRI served as corporate and maritime administrator for the Republics of Liberia and the Marshall Islands.

Kent Carter

Partner
Gordon & Rees, LLP

Kent is a partner in the Chicago office of Gordon & Rees and co-chair of the firm’s Banking & Finance group. Mr. Carter's practice focuses primarily on commercial litigation, with a concentration on the Uniform Commercial Code, including secured transactions, equipment leases, commercial sales and negotiable instruments. He represents clients in complex contract disputes and business torts in state, federal, bankruptcy and appellate courts. Kent’s practice also includes representation of secured lenders and other parties in all aspects of business workouts and insolvency law, including asset sales, restructuring, refinancing, bankruptcy, out-of-court workouts and successor liability. He frequently advises financial institutions and lenders in connection with all facets of their businesses and operations, including dealership and franchise terminations, consumer credit compliance, loan documentation and administration, credit restructurings, work outs, creditors’ rights, lender liability avoidance and defense, vendor programs, broker-dealer agreements, and sale and purchase of lease portfolios. Kent has been a member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association for twenty years and he has also served as a faculty member on the Uniform Commercial Code for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

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.

Jeanette Dannenfelser

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

Jeanette has served as VP, General Counsel and Secretary of Summit Funding Group, Inc. since 2016.

Prior to joining Summit, Jeanette was the General Counsel of Global Heating Technologies, a start-up company specializing in flameless heating technologies, for which she negotiated license and other agreements with prominent consumer products and tobacco companies. Jeanette also led a successful international arbitration based in Zurich, Switzerland on behalf of GHT.

Jeanette also has extensive experience leading and managing litigation, both in-house as Litigation Counsel for a Fortune 500 medical products company and as outside trial counsel representing the interests of many international corporations in contract, banking and tort matters.

Michael DiCecco

Executive Managing Director, Huntington Asset Finance
Huntington Equipment Finance

Michael DiCecco is Executive Managing Director of Huntington Bank’s Asset Finance business which includes asset-based lending, equipment, technology & healthcare finance, vendor & inventory finance, public capital, renewable energy, premium finance, and lender finance. DiCecco, along with a group of colleagues, established Huntington’s equipment finance capabilities in 2001 after starting his career at Star Bank (nka US Bank) in 1988. Over the last 30 years DiCecco has earned increasing responsibilities in equipment finance and commercial banking, including leading Huntington’s commercial bank for Northeast Ohio from 2005-2008.

Active in the industry and community, DiCecco, has served on the Equipment Leasing & Finance Association’s Membership Committee, Financial Institutions Business Council, and from 2014-2017 served on the ELFA Board of Directors and Executive Committee. DiCecco rejoined the ELFA Board of Directors in 2018 and is currently Chair-Elect. Michael is also on the Cuyahoga County Regional Advisory Board for the Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Ohio and an active fundraiser for cancer research through Pelotonia.

DiCecco holds a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Finance from the College of Mount St. Joseph, and he is a member of the Leadership Cleveland class of 2008. Michael lives in Avon Lake, Ohio with his wife Amy and has three children.

Alexandra Dressman CLFP

Legal Counsel
DLL

Lexie Dressman is Legal Counsel at DLL. She was previously with Huntington Equipment Finance for over 7 years. Prior to joining the Equipment Leasing & Finance industry, Lexie served as a Public Defender for 3 1/2 years. Active in the industry, Lexie is a Past Chair of ELFA's Emerging Talent Advisory Council and a former member of the Legal Committee, where she created the Rising Lawyers Subcommittee. She is currently serving on the Women's Council, where she is Chair of the Mental Health Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the Women's Spotlight Subcommittee. Lexie has her B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Kentucky and her J.D. from the Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law, where she was a Henry Clay Scholar. She enjoys reading, traveling and, most importantly, spending time with her husband, 2 children and 2 dogs.

Erich Dylus

API3 Foundation

Sole proprietor attorney barred in DC and MD, and Solidity programmer. Currently external General Counsel to the API3 Foundation (api3.org).

Previously an associate at Vedder Price, practicing domestic and international secured asset and aviation finance, general equipment leasing and loans, securitizations, and aviation regulatory compliance.

John Eliason

Kristin Esche

Associate Chief Counsel
John Deere Financial

Kristin Esche serves as Associate Chief Counsel for John Deere Financial. In this role she provides broad legal guidance in support of the Company’s lending services and financial innovation. Kristin currently co-leads John Deere Financial's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion team for the US and Canada.
Since Kristin joined Deere & Company in 2012, she has counseled the Company in the areas of litigation, corporate governance, and securities law. Before joining Deere, she spent a decade in Los Angeles where she had a diverse commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense practice.
Kristin completed a Bachelor's degree in Literature from the University of California, San Diego; a Master's degree in Women's Studies from The Ohio State University; and a juris doctorate from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Andy Fishburn CLFP

VP, Federal Government Relations
Equipment Leasing and Finance Association

Andy Fishburn is the Vice President of Federal Government Relations for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the premier trade association representing 575+ member organizations in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector.

Mr. Fishburn joined ELFA in September 2012. He directs and operates all aspects of the association’s federal relations strategy and the engagement of members in political programs.

Fishburn has focused on legislative, financial and tax policy matters throughout his distinguished career within the Department of Treasury and the U.S. Congress. He served in legislative affairs positions and as senior advisor to four Secretaries of the Treasury, including as a Deputy Assistant Secretary under Secretaries John Snow and Henry Paulson. During 2010 and 2011, he served on the staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and worked for Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on tax policies such as bank taxation, tax administration, oversight of the IRS, tax extenders and small business tax issues. Most recently, he was the Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Mint, acting as the Bureau’s lead legislative strategist and congressional liaison.

He has a B.S. in environmental studies from the University of Michigan and a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University.

Michael Gallo Esq

Of Counsel
Padfield & Stout, LLP

Experienced legal counsel and business executive working with and advising executive leadership in cross-functional environment to achieve business objectives. Specific areas of experience include, commercial equipment finance and leasing, litigation management, public/municipal finance, federal contracting, operations management, risk/credit underwriting, collections, collection litigation and regulatory compliance. Additional experience includes, developing and managing compliance programs, running internal investigations, and responding to government investigative demands.

Education: Juris Doctorate, Master Finance, Bachelor Finance, Six Sigma - Green Belt

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:

Russian

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

Nathan Gibbons CLFP

Chief Experience Officer
QuickFi

Nate began his career in equipment leasing with First American Equipment Finance in 2006. As an early career professional, he attended the ELFA's Future Leasing Leaders Institute, which helped solidify his desire to become an effective and influential leader. In 2013 he was the recipient of the "Chairman's Award" (First American's highest honor) for excellence in character and leadership. In the same year he was also promoted to Vice President and helped develop and manage the company’s learning and professional development strategy.

Nate currently works for Innovation Finance where he is responsible for overseeing the operational strategy of the company. With an emphasis on emerging technologies and automation, his energy is focused on operational design that results in dramatic improvements to the customer experience.

Following his passion to help people reach their potential, he has served as Chair of the ELFA's Emerging Talent Advisory Council, and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Certified Lease & Finance Professional Foundation.

Nate resides in Webster, New York with his wife Keila and their two sons Noah and Micah.

Melanie Gnazzo

Partner
Chapman and Cutler LLP

Melanie Gnazzo is a partner at Chapman and Cutler, LLP and is a member of their Structured Finance, Equipment Finance and Renewable Energy practice groups. She represents a wide range of finance companies and funding sources in connection with equipment finance transactions, portfolio finance transactions and portfolio acquisitions, dispositions, and joint ventures. She also provides advice with respect to tax advantaged financial and renewable energy products and investment vehicles. Melanie has considerable experience providing both tax and commercial law advice in such transactions. She is also a long standing member of ELFA, regularly works with subcommittees of ELFA's legal committee and also served as co-chair of the legal committee for SAPC (Solar Access to Public Capital). She holds an LLM in tax law from NYU and a JD and BA in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh.

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.

Jennifer Gould

Shareholder

Jennifer D. Gould is a Shareholder at Stark & Stark, PC, a regional law firm with offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, where she is a member of the Bankruptcy & Creditor's Rights, Litigation, and Business & Corporate Groups. Jennifer represents financial institutions, equipment lessors, private equity firms, and other businesses in state, federal and bankruptcy courts nationwide. She also counsels clients in connection with commercial loan and lease documentation as well as general corporate legal issues. Jennifer is a long time member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) and serves on ELFA's Legal Committee following six years on the Credit & Collection Management Conference Committee. Jennifer has published articles and lectured on a wide range of issues pertaining to the turnaround and equipment leasing industries. She resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with her husband and son.

Josh Green

Founder and CEO
Inspiration Mobility

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.

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

Marc L. Hamroff serves as the Managing Partner of Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP with offices in Garden City and Manhattan. He also Chairs the firm's Financial Services Practice which includes the Bankruptcy, Equipment Leasing, Secured Lending and Creditors' Rights Groups. He provides special concentration in litigation, workout and bankruptcy matters nationwide. In his capacity as head of the Financial Services Group, he has spearheaded the representation of secured lenders, banks and lessors in a wide range of transactions. Mr. Hamroff also works closely with the firm's Litigation Group and actively handles a wide variety of commercial litigation cases including injunction and attachment proceedings, business divorce/separation cases and restrictive covenant disputes. In addition, he regularly provides educational and strategic seminars on a multitude of issues affecting the leasing and secured lending community.

Mr. Hamroff earned his Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law where he currently serves as an adjunct professor of law teaching Secured Transactions. He is a member of the Dean's Advisory Board and Business Law Advisory Committee. His firm also established The Moritt Hock & Hamroff fellowship in support of Hofstra Law's Access to Justice Incubator.

In addition to his legal career, Mr. Hamroff is a long standing member of the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association-Long Island Division where he currently serves as its Chairman. Under his leadership as Chairman, his Board was one of only two regional boards recognized as a Gold Standard Board for excellence in promoting the AHA's mission of helping Americans live a life free of heart disease and stroke.

Lawrence Holmes

Principal Attorney
Offit Kurman PC

C. Lawrence (“Larry”) Holmes is a Principal and Chair of Offit Kurman’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Since entering private practice in 1993, he has established a track record of landmark legal successes and longstanding client partnerships — work that includes pivotal cases that have impacted Pennsylvania law. Larry focuses his practice on representing finance lease companies and other institutional clients. As a passionate advocate for his clients, he is skilled at humanizing large institutions and effectively communicating with juries and judges.

As a highly skilled litigator, Larry has successfully argued before the Superior and Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania and helped establish new insurance law in Pennsylvania. He secured a milestone victory for a finance lease company when a federal judge denied a motion to certify a class action against it as part of a claim exceeding $37 million. In addition to defending the motion for class certification, Larry obtained summary judgment against the lessees on all claims and counterclaims. He also obtained an order that the lessees were liable, jointly, and severally, for all the leasing company’s legal fees. The decision is a powerful tool for financial institutions in cases and class actions arising from program failures.

An engaging legal thought leader, Larry was appointed to ELFA’s Legal Committee in 2015. He has also presented numerous times at ELFA’s Legal Forum since 2011, most recently as a panelist in the Legal Update and the Ethics presentations in 2023.

Larry received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and upon graduation, he served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Chief Justice Robert N. C. Nix, Jr. of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court — writing opinions, providing counsel, and learning the skills of passionate persuasion and respectful dissent that would inform his career.

As an elected Township Commissioner, and President of the Board of Commissioners, Larry is also committed to public and community service. He is currently serving his fifth term as the Sixth Ward Commissioner of Haverford Township, Delaware County, PA, where he has resided with his family for over two decades.

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.

Jason Huff

Partner
Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP

Jason Huff is a partner in King & Spalding's Finance practice and resident in our Charlotte office. Jason is active in the leveraged finance, transportation finance and structured project finance practices.

Jason represents banks, financial institutions, equipment finance companies, lenders, lessors and other parties in leveraged finance and other financial transactions. He has wide-ranging experience representing lenders and lessors in all aspects of domestic and cross-border equipment and structured finance transactions with specific focus on transactions involving aircraft and rail equipment.

Jason represents clients in all aspects of equipment finance and in all types of equipment financing structures, including single-investor and syndicated lease and loan transactions, leveraged financings, true / tax motivated leases, synthetic leases, TRAC leases and other domestic and cross-border financings. He also advises clients in lease and loan portfolio purchases and sales.

Jason speaks regularly at aviation and rail conferences and conducts workshops for clients on a wide range of topics in equipment finance.

Townsend Hyatt

Partner
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe Llp

Troy Kepler

Corporate Counsel
Channel

Troy C. Kepler is General Counsel for Channel Partners Capital, LLC in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Mr. Kepler advises CPC on a variety of legal and regulatory issues and is actively involved in the resolution of disputes between CPC and its customers. In addition, Mr. Kepler conducts litigation on behalf of CPC and manages its litigation portfolio.

Mark Kohler

Shareholder
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC

Mark D. Kohler is the General Counsel Capital Markets/Syndications of GE Capital US Holdings, Inc. GE Capital provides financial solutions and services to a broad range of industries throughout the United States and the World. As General Counsel Capital Markets/Syndications, Mr. Kohler manages GE Capital's Capital Markets/Syndication Legal Department and provides legal advice, strategy and expertise to GE Capital's Capital Markets Group and all the GE business units whose transactions are syndicated through GE Capital's Capital Markets Group.

Mr. Kohler was previously Senior Syndication Counsel, Syndication Counsel and General Counsel where he provided legal support for the syndication activities of the GE Capital Americas, Capital Solutions and Commercial Equipment Financing units of GE Capital and Region Counsel where he provided legal support for the Syndication and Third Party Origination business units of the Commercial Equipment Financing unit of GE Capital. Prior to joining GE in 1997, Mr. Kohler was an associate with the law firm of Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver in Baltimore, Maryland.

He holds a Bachelor's Degree (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Maryland and a Juris Doctor (with Honors) from The George Washington University National Law Center.

Mr. Kohler is the Chairman of the Legislative & Regulatory Subcommittee of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association's ("ELFA") Legal Committee, is a Fellow with the American College of Commercial Lawyers, received the Edward A. Groobert Excellence in Leasing Award in 2013, served on ELFA's Legal Committee from 2006-2008 and is a frequent speaker at ELFA and GE events.

Melissa Kopit

Melissa Kopit is a transportation finance attorney in Washington, D.C. She concentrates her practice in corporate and financial transactions, with a focus on secured lending and asset finance, involving commercial and business aircraft, helicopters and general equipment assets. Ms. Kopit counsels and represents lenders, borrowers, lessors, lessees, equity participants and other financiers in a wide range of cross-border and domestic transactions. These matters include secured debt transactions, asset-backed structured financings, back-leveraged and operating lease facilities, portfolio acquisitions, asset purchases and dispositions, securitizations and capital markets offerings. Ms. Kopit has also advised clients on aviation regulatory compliance and enforcement matters. While in law school, Ms. Kopit served on the Article Selection Committee for The George Washington International Law Review and chaired the Estrella Trial Advocacy Competition for the Mock Trial Board. Prior to joining Vedder Price, Ms. Kopit interned for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Department of Justice, and she represented clients in contract and employment matters as a student attorney through the Public Justice Advocacy Clinic.
Publications Co-author, “Differences Across the Pond: When Choice of Law Matters” Vedder Price Global Transportation Finance Newsletter, December 2020 Co-author, “Air, Rail and Marine Legal Update” Equipment Leasing and Finance Magazine, November 2020 Co-author, “USA: Aviation Finance & Leasing 2020” International Comparative Legal Guide: Aviation Finance & Leasing, April 2020 Co-author, “Recent Developments in the Transportation Leasing and Finance Industry in the US” World Leasing Yearbook 2020, January 2020 Co-author, “New or Not-So-New Things to Know” Equipment Leasing and Finance, August 2019
Speaking Engagements “Uniform Commercial Code Leasing Subcommittee Meeting” American Bar Association Business Law Section Virtual Annual Meeting, September 2020 “Legal Considerations for Aircraft Debt and Lease Finance” Corporate Jet Investor’s Aircraft Transaction Masterclass, November 2019 Panelist, “Cross-Border Lease Transactions Breakout” Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s Legal Forum, April 2019

Hilary Lefko

Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP

Alexis Levine

Partner
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Alexis focuses primarily on debt and structured financings, acting for both domestic and international lenders and borrowers. He also advises clients regarding federal, provincial and municipal lobbying, election financing, and other advocacy of government. Alexis has significant experience with structuring and documenting bilateral and syndicated loans and equipment financings, as well as securitizations and project, acquisition and asset-based financings. He has also advised on a number of securities transactions, including various public financings, take-over bids, mergers and acquisitions, equity offerings, debt offerings, and commercial paper financings. Alexis also has considerable experience in government and politics and has worked both on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and at Queen's Park in Toronto.

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.

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.

Lisa Moore

Sr. Counsel
PNC Equipment Finance

Lisa Moore serves as Senior Counsel at PNC Equipment Finance, LLC, (“PNCEF”), headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, a wholly owned subsidiary of PNC Bank, N.A., where she is embedded in the business. Lisa has supported PNCEF and its predecessors for over eighteen years with a focus on front end support for rail and structured finance as well as operations and back end matters.

Lisa regularly conducts internal training on both front and back end topics. She is a member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association's (ELFA) Amicus Brief Committee and currently serves on the ELFA Legal Committee. For 2020, Lisa is Chair of the Legal Committee. Lisa has previously presented at the ELFA Legal Forum on the topics of NorVergence, Chapter 11, Hot Topics and Inside and Outside Counsel.

Bradley Nielsen

Partner
Kutak Rock LLP

Brad Nielsen is an attorney in Kutak Rock LLP’s Omaha office practicing in the Finance and Restructuring Group. He has practiced in the finance area for 33 years.

Brad represents financial institutions in many types of complex financing transactions in a wide array of industries, ranging from middle market transactions to large multi-lender syndicated deals. His practice includes: equipment leasing and financing transactions; asset-based lending; revolving and term loan credit facilities; public finance; lease and loan portfolio purchase and sale transactions; participations; vendor program agreements; real estate finance; and restructurings and workouts.

Kutak Rock LLP is a national law firm of more than 500 lawyers with offices from coast to coast in 17 cities. Founded in finance, the firm's primary practice concentrations are business and corporate law, public finance, commercial finance, litigation and real estate law.

Brittany Ogden

Attorney, Partner
Quarles & Brady LLP

Brittany S. Ogden is a partner at Quarles & Brady LLP located at its Madison, Wisconsin office and serves as the national co-chair of the firm’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Creditor’s Rights Practice Group. Brittany is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer representing clients in state and federal courts across the country. She regularly represents financial institutions, equipment finance companies, trade creditors, manufacturers and other businesses in complex commercial litigation as well as bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings. Brittany develops innovative legal strategies that allow her clients to achive practical, cost-effective business objectives in even the most financially distressed situations. Brittany obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and graduated from the Syracuse University College of Law. She is admitted to practice law in the state of New York, the state of Wisconsin, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, Turnaround Management Association, IWIRC, and the James E. Doyle American Inns of Court. She is an active member of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, serving as a co-chair for its Amicus Brief Committee and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation. In 2022, The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association honored her with its Michael J. Fleming Distinguished Service Award, acknowledging her substantial contributions to the association and the equipment finance industry.

Frank Peretore

Member of the Firm
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

Frank Peretore has served as a trusted legal advisor and counselor to national and regional banks and finance companies ranging from closely held companies to Fortune 100 companies. Frank has over 30 years of experience in commercial lending and leasing with a concentration in equipment finance and leasing and other asset based lending. Frank's representation includes drafting master documentation for equipment leasing and asset based lending for direct and private label programs, TRAC, FMV and other true lease structures, leases intended as security, equipment finance agreements and vendor programs, as well as purchase/sale of one-off deals and full portfolios. Frank's representation has also included the enforcement of lessors' and secured creditors' rights in thousands of matters in the state, federal and bankruptcy courts.

As a long-standing leader in his field Frank has published highly-acclaimed books titled "Workouts and Enforcement for the Secured Creditor and Equipment Lessor," (Lexis/Nexis 2015 edition) and "Secured Transactions for the Practitioner, How to Properly Perfect Your Personal Property Lien and Assure Priority." In 2015, Frank was nominated by Leasing News as one of the 25 most influential attorneys in the U.S. in the Equipment Leasing and Finance Industry.

Prior to joining the firm, Frank was a founding member of the law firm of Peretore & Peretore, P.C.

Frank received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center where he was a member of the Dean's List. Frank received his B.S. in Economics from State University of New York College at Oneonta where he graduated with high honors.

Ralph Petta

Ralph Petta is the President and CEO of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the premier trade association representing 550+ member organizations in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector. Mr. Petta leads the organization in executing its mission to foster business development, deliver industry information and analysis, provide educational opportunities and advocate for the industry. He is also President of the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation, which is dedicated to inspiring thoughtful innovation and contributing to the betterment of the equipment leasing and finance industry.

Mr. Petta, an authority in the business of equipment finance, has been with the association since 1987. Before assuming the role of President and CEO in January 2016, he served as Chief Operating Officer for six years, providing coordination, direction and oversight of ELFA programs and services designed to add value to the association's member organizations. Prior to that, he served as Interim President. From 1987 to 2010 he was Vice President-Research & Industry Services, managing ELFA's information, benchmarking and market research initiatives. Throughout his career at ELFA, Mr. Petta has assumed leadership roles in virtually all functional areas within the organization, including governance, membership marketing, communications, business and professional development, state advocacy and the association's affiliated Foundation.

He is often quoted in industry trade publications and is a frequent speaker about the role of equipment finance in the U.S. economy and trends and developments in the equipment finance sector.

Mr. Petta is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), as well as ASAE's Key Industry Association Committee (KIAC). He completed the ASAE/University of Maryland College of Business and Management executive development certificate program in association management. He also was selected for and participated in the ASAE Future Leaders Conference. Mr. Petta is a member of the Exchequer Club of Washington, DC.

Before joining ELFA, Mr. Petta worked for nine years in the office of United States Senator Sam Nunn, serving in a variety of professional capacities. He was Senator Nunn's legislative assistant when he left to join the association. Mr. Petta graduated from Syracuse University, earning a B.A. degree in political science.

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.

Vince Plaxico

VP, Strategic Finance
Inspiration Mobility

Carla Potter

Lawyer
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

Carla Potter is a partner in our Financial Services Group. Her practice focuses on corporate financing and equipment finance matters, representing both lenders and borrowers involved in domestic and cross-border lending and leasing transactions and corporate reorganizations. Carla regularly acts for equipment lessors, including U.S. companies looking to establish themselves in Canada. Carla co-authored the authoritative book in Canada on the equipment finance and leasing market in Canada.

Lisa Ramirez

VP, Business and Professional Development
Equipment Leasing and Finance Association

Lisa Ramirez serves as Vice President, Business and Professional Development for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the premier trade association representing 575+ member organizations in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector.

Ms. Ramirez oversees the management and direction of all business and professional development activities for the association, including the Annual Convention, conferences, workshops, best practices roundtables, e-learning initiatives, web seminars and web-based educational content.

Prior to joining the ELFA in July 2012, Ms. Ramirez served as an Educational Programs Manager for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, where she served as sole project manager (design and implementation) for the planning and executing of 15 educational programs. Previously, she served as a program manager for the American Institute of Architects, where she managed and coordinated key projects and conferences with AIA Executive Members.

Ms. Ramirez holds a master's degree in communication studies from Texas State University, a bachelor's degree in organizational communication from Texas State, and a certification in corporate communication training and development.

Scott Riehl

VP, State Government Relations
Equipment Leasing and Finance Association

Scott Riehl serves as Vice President of State Government Relations for the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), the premier trade association representing 575+ member organizations in the $1 trillion equipment finance sector.

Mr. Riehl joined ELFA in June 2016. He directs and executes all aspects of the association’s state government relations strategy, monitoring and engaging legislation and regulation impacting the industry in all 50 states.

Mr. Riehl brings 24 years of direct issue advocacy, legal and legislative staff experience to ELFA. For 13 years he represented the consumer products industry, including serving as Vice President of State Government Affairs and Associate Counsel at the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Prior to GMA, Mr. Riehl served as a Vice President at Stateside Associates, a full-service state legislative tracking company, where he provided direct political consultation for numerous Fortune 500 companies and D.C.-based trade associations. Previously, Mr. Riehl was a state affairs specialist for the National Rifle Association of America. Immediately prior to joining ELFA, he led the Riehl Group LLC, a political and strategic issue management and consulting firm based in Virginia.

In the legal and state legislative arenas, Mr. Riehl worked in the Washington, D.C., office of Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather and Geraldson, where he specialized in the firm’s government and defense contracts practice. Previously, he was on the staff of the Michigan Attorney General. Mr. Riehl began his government relations career in the Michigan Senate, where he served as Counsel and Chief Legislative Aide for two Michigan state senators.

Mr. Riehl has a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Vermont and a J.D. from Thomas Cooley School of Law.

Bradley Salyer

Associate General Counsel
U.S. Bank

Brad Salyer is Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel at U.S. Bank National Association, where he is Chief Counsel for the team that provides legal support for U.S. Bank Equipment Finance. Prior to joining the Bank in 2020 he was a shareholder at Morgan Pottinger McGarvey in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was chair of the Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Practice Group with a practice focused on commercial litigation, business bankruptcy and reorganization, and commercial workouts. Brad was also a chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee in the Western District of Kentucky until 2020.

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.

Megan Shannon

Offit Kurman PC

Molly Simon CLFP

Senior Legal Counsel
DLL

Molly Simon is Senior Legal Counsel for De Lage Landen Financial Services, Inc ("DLL"). Ms. Simon provides legal support to DLL, including providing advice on legal issues related to lease and loan transactions, maintaining and updating standard documentation, developing documentation for new products, reviewing third party documentation and drafting language for customized and negotiated transactions.

Samantha Skenandore

Attorney, Of Counsel
Quarles & Brady LLP

Samantha is Of Counsel at the law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP and works out of the Madison, Wisconsin office. Samantha focuses her practice on both federal Indian law and tribal law, advising tribal and corporate clients in tribal governance, governmental affairs, corporate transactions, real estate, labor issues, and litigation. Her extensive multijurisdictional experience with tribal law includes representation of corporate entities, both tribal and nontribal, in matters involving financing, minority or women-owned certification, labor relations, complex commercial real estate matters, and government relations.

Samantha also advises corporate clients on developing successful strategies to launch their businesses, seek and secure business certifications, build capacity, and prosper. Her experience extends to representing clients before members of Congress, congressional committees, and agencies through federal lobbying services.

Samantha obtained her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and her J.D. from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law. She practices in Wisconsin, Arizona and numerous tribal jurisdictions. Samantha is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Emily Speak

Counsel
Wells Fargo Equipment Finance

Richard Tannenbaum

Partner
Reed Smith LLP

Richard is a partner in Reed Smith's Financial Industry Group. He focuses on wing to wing aspects of credit and risk issues arising in equipment finance transactions, including, deal origination, workouts and restructurings, bankruptcy, and litigation. Richard’s subject matter and industry experience includes commercial distribution finance, corporate finance and equipment finance on deals in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. Prior to joining the firm, Richard was at General Electric Capital Corporation where he was Executive Counsel in the Bankruptcy and Restructuring Center of Excellence and previously a member of the Risk and Loss Mitigation Center of Excellence at GE Capital Americas. Richard was also the leader of GE Capital Americas Legal Productivity Council and was responsible for developing innovative alternative fee programs with major law firms.

Eugene Wedoff

United States Bankruptcy Judge (ret.)
Northern District of Illinois

Kenneth Weinberg

Partner
Rimon, P.C.

Ken Weinberg is a partner at Rimon P.C. and practices in the area of commercial finance, focusing on equipment leasing, equipment finance and energy finance. He represents bank-affiliated, captive, and independent finance companies in many transactional aspects of equipment leasing and finance, has experience with many types of equipment and facilities, and has been heavily involved in the creation of forms, policies and procedures for multiple bank-affiliated equipment leasing and finance companies. Ken has additional experience in the niche of energy financing, representing lenders, investors and developers in recourse and non-recourse financing transactions (debt and tax-driven sale-leasebacks) for energy facilities across the country and internationally, including biomass facilities, landfill-gas-to-energy projects, solar facilities, and natural-gas-fired plants. Ken contributes regularly to the equipment leasing and finance industry and, since 2002, has published approximately 100 editions of his regularly scheduled column, Dispatches from the Trenches, in the Monitor.

Stephen Whelan

Partner
Blank Rome LLP

As a partner in three different law firms for 44 years, Steve Whelan practices law in the New York office of Blank Rome LLP, where he concentrates his practice on lease financings, securitization, energy finance and secured lending. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, has been a member of the ELFA Board of Directors and Legal Committee, Chair of the American Bar Association Subcommittee on Leasing, and a Visiting Lecturer on constitutional law at Princeton University.

Steve is co-author of the ABA Annual Survey on Developments in the Law of Leases. He has authored four books on U.C.C. Article 2A and the “Securitization” chapters in the Matthew Bender & Co. treatises on Commercial Finance and Equipment Leasing. From 2019 to 2022, he was an appointed observer to the ALI-ULC Subcommittee on Bundled Transactions.

Legal Forum

Legal Forum

Legal Forum

May 01 - May 03, 2022

Registration Fees

Available Functions

Speakers

R. Scott Adams

Ryan Adams

Shari Bacsardi Esq

Michael Beattie

Paul Bent

Vincent Borst

Rachel Brescoll

Eileen Brown

Kent Carter

Scott Chait

Robert Cohen

Jeanette Dannenfelser

Michael DiCecco

Alexandra Dressman CLFP

Erich Dylus

John Eliason

Kristin Esche

Andy Fishburn CLFP

Michael Gallo Esq

Julia Gavrilov

Education:

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Arlene Gelman

Nathan Gibbons CLFP

Melanie Gnazzo

Barbara Goodstein

Jennifer Gould

Josh Green

Edward Gross

Ruthanne Hammett

Marc Hamroff

Lawrence Holmes

Robert Hornby

Jason Huff

Townsend Hyatt

Troy Kepler

Mark Kohler

Melissa Kopit

Hilary Lefko

Alexis Levine

Dominic Liberatore

David Miele Esq.

Lisa Moore

Bradley Nielsen

Brittany Ogden

Frank Peretore

Ralph Petta

Ann Pille

Vince Plaxico

Carla Potter

Lisa Ramirez

Scott Riehl

Bradley Salyer

Moorari Shah

Megan Shannon

Molly Simon CLFP

Samantha Skenandore

Emily Speak

Richard Tannenbaum

Eugene Wedoff

Kenneth Weinberg

Stephen Whelan

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