People

Leah Sanzari Partner

New York

Having long represented issuers of asset backed securities and drawing on that experience, today, in addition to issuer representation, Leah’s practice includes a significant focus on investor-side representation. Leah represents both issuers and investors in complex deals of first impression and brings a unique, creative approach to securitization transactions, with deal execution as top priority.

Leah and her team have pioneered proved developed producing (PDP) oil & gas wellbore securitizations, acting as investor counsel on substantially all of the transactions that have been executed in the market to date. Also a pioneer of the C-PACE market, Leah regularly advises the top C-PACE issuers in both 144A and 4(a)(2) transactions, including Greenwork Lending’s first Rule 144A Commercial PACE securitization which was recognized as the 2022 Esoteric ABS Deal of the Year by GlobalCapital. Leah also advises on novel IP securitizations related to musical composition, sound recording copyrights, television and other royalties. Most recently, Leah represented the investors in the groundbreaking securitization by Syco Entertainment of intellectual property in the “Got Talent” franchise.

Leah’s experience further extends to a wide variety of other esoteric assets, including tax liens, diamond receivables, participations, tax credits, solar and wind ground leases and whole business operating company securitizations.

Recognized in Band 1 of Chambers USA Nationwide Securitization: PACE, Leah is described by clients as “one of the best lawyers that I have worked with” and someone who “fights tooth and nail for her clients.” Resources for the Legal 500 USA directory have called Leah “the best there is in esoteric financing products and bonds,” and note they are “incredibly impressed with the gender diversity on the team. Extremely ethical – name carries a lot of weight with investors.”

Al Sawyers Partner

New York

Al represents issuers and underwriters in the issuance of credit-linked notes, collateralized bond obligations, synthetic convertible bonds and synthetic money market eligible securities. He also works with clients entering into various swap agreements, such as interest rate, credit default, currency, and equity swaps, and has authored alerts on various financial industry-related topics, including the Dodd-Frank Act.

Al has been ranked by Chambers and Partners both globally and nationally in the structured products category. Legal500 has noted Al for his work in structured finance, quoting a client who stated that he has "impressive expertise in all facets of securitization in general, which is immensely helpful when we are working on complex transactions." The International Financial Law Review has also recognized Al for his work in structured finance and securitization. Euromoney notes him as an expert in Banking, Financial and Transactional Law: Structured Finance and Securitization.

Laure Seror Of Counsel

Paris

Laure advises French and international banks and financial institutions as well as sponsors and borrowers on French and cross-border financing transactions. She is particularly active in structured finance (including securitization transactions and debt funds) and energy and infrastructure project transactions. She also regularly advises on real estate finance transactions.

Prior to joining Orrick in 2017, Laure was an associate for five years in the Banking & Finance department of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Gaelyn Sharp Of Counsel

Los Angeles; New York

Gaelyn has represented a wide range of financial institutions including fund sponsors, issuers, underwriters, placement agents, investment advisers and investors in connection with a wide range of financing transactions including collateralized loan, bond and debt obligations; synthetic collateralized debt obligations; trade receivables; various derivative instruments and structured finance products; and private equity funds and hedge funds.

Adam Smith Partner

London; Singapore

Adam also has a complementary breadth of experience from a variety of financing, M&A, capital markets and general corporate matters in numerous sectors.

Hervé Touraine Partner

Geneva; Paris

Hervé represents French and international financial institutions, corporates, sponsors, investors, insurance companies, asset managers and alternative capital providers on French and cross border transactions. He advises on banking, structured finance, securitization, and capital markets transactions.

Hervé has worked on numerous complex, strategic and/or innovative transactions (including many firsts in France and Europe) such as international securitization transactions, covered bonds, corporate structured bonds, project bonds, debt funds and the establishment of dedicated origination and refinancing platforms. He also acted on transactions for financing or refinancing purposes (including liquidity), and for off-balance sheet or regulatory capital purposes. As such, he has developed particular skills in handling multi-jurisdictions and multi-practices transactions.

He has developed a substantial experience in the energy and infrastructure sector in the context of financing and refinancing transactions, using classical bank structures as well as Euro PP, bond and project bond structures, specialized credit institutions and dedicated debt funds.

Hervé is described by his clients as a “key person” for structured finance deals, noting: “when we've got a problem, he's there. We know we can count on him”. Clients further comment: “He is dedicated and innovative, and an expert in is field. We see him as a business partner of ours, rather than a lawyer”.

Hervé is an active participant in drafting securitization and structured finance legislation and regulations in France. Hervé regularly publishes and speaks in relation to structure finance markets and related points of interest and deals.

Before joining Orrick in 2016, Hervé was a partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP where he worked for 20 years, including 18 years as a partner.

Deepa Vekaria Associate

London

Her experience includes advising arrangers, investment managers, issuers, lenders and originators on a range of capital market transactions, including warehouse arrangements, issuances and retention financings. Deepa has recently advised clients such as Barclays, Citibank, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Och-Ziff and PGIM.

Prior to joining Orrick, Deepa worked in the capital markets practice of a leading international law firm in London.

Albert Yu Partner

London

Albert represents a wide range of clients, working with project sponsors, lenders, export credit agencies and funds on market-leading energy and infrastructure projects in Europe and Asia.

Prior to joining Orrick, Albert was a Managing Associate at a Magic Circle firm. Albert has also worked in-house for a large global mining company.

SueAnn Yue Partner

Los Angeles

SueAnn represents issuers, sponsors, placement agents, servicers, underwriters, and other market participants in connection with both public offerings and private placements, asset acquisitions and sales and the negotiation of lending facilities.

Her practice encompasses a variety of asset-backed securities, including credit and charge card receivables, residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), agency and government sponsored mortgage loans, and tax lien-backed securities.

SueAnn advises clients on the implications of financial markets regulation, including the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act. SueAnn is also an editor of Orrick's Financial Industry Week in Review.