Brian Ford

Firm: Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Location: Los Angeles - CA

  • 333 South Hope Street 29th Floor
    Los Angeles, CA 90071
    USA
  • Tel : 213-680-8186
  • Fax : N/A
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Brian Ford is a corporate partner in Kirkland & Ellis’ Debt Finance group. Brian represents private equity firms, commercial lending institutions and other private and public companies in connection with the negotiation, structuring and documentation of secured and unsecured financing transactions for both borrowers and lenders, including senior, mezzanine and subordinated debt transactions, acquisition financings, dividend recapitalizations and loan workouts and restructurings, including debtor-in-possession and exit financings.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

  • Represented a private equity firm in connection with obtaining syndicated, multi-currency, first lien credit facilities in an aggregate amount of $1.16 billion and a second lien term loan in an amount of $615 million, the combined proceeds of which were used to acquire a U.K.-listed banking and financial services software company in a going-private transaction.
  • Represented a leading national truck company in a landmark out-of-court restructuring, which resulted in the company refinancing more than $1 billion of secured indebtedness, converting deferred fees and interest under the company’s senior credit facility into equity, issuing $100 million of new-money junior secured notes, extending the maturity of various debt obligations and deferred pension obligations and divesting a line of business.
  • Represented a private equity firm in connection with obtaining syndicated, multi-currency, secured acquisition credit facilities in an amount of $565 million and a related offering of $200 million of senior unsecured notes, the combined proceeds of which were used to acquire a NYSE-listed plastic manufacturer in a going private transaction.
  • Represented an existing portfolio company of a private equity firm in connection with the refinancing of first-lien senior credit facilities in an amount of $120 million to support a leveraged dividend.
  • Represented a mezzanine lender in connection with entering into debt commitment letters for a $400 million mezzanine debt facility as part of a going private acquisition of a national fabric store by a private equity firm.
  • Represented a formerly NYSE-listed concrete company in connection with obtaining a $75 million syndicated, asset-based revolving exit credit facility and issuing $55 million of secured bonds in a Rule 144A offering.
  • Represented a privately-held REIT in connection with various restructuring transactions, including modifying its $850 million syndicated term loan facility into convertible debt and consummating a reverse Dutch auction debt buyback of a portion of its term loan facility.
  • Represented a private equity firm in connection with a $75 million real estate secured acquisition loan for an airport parking lot company exiting bankruptcy.
  • Represented a privately held t-shirt company in connection with the refinancing of its $185 million asset-based senior secured credit facility.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

We are an international law firm that serves a broad range of clients around the world in private equity, M&A and other corporate transactions, litigation, white collar and government disputes, restructurings and intellectual property matters. We offer the highest quality legal advice coupled with extraordinary, tailored service to deliver exceptional results to our clients and help their businesses succeed. We invest in the brightest legal talent and build dynamic teams that operate at the pinnacle of their respective areas. And we believe in empowering our lawyers, encouraging entrepreneurialism, operating ethically and with integrity, and collaborating to bring our best to every engagement. These principles have guided us in building successful long-term partnerships with clients since our founding in 1909.