FBT Gibbons Shores Up Commercial Finance Capabilities with Addition of New York Partner Leon Yel

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Leon A. Yel has joined FBT Gibbons as a partner in the firm's Commercial Finance practice group in its New York office, further advancing the firm's strategic expansion of its national commercial finance capabilities across the Northeast.

Joining FBT Gibbons from Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, Yel focuses his practice on corporate law and lending matters, including specialty lending, lender finance, leveraged lending, syndicated financings, ABL transactions, club loan facilities, and bilateral arrangements. Over the course of his career, he has negotiated and documented numerous, bilateral facilities, large syndicated secured and unsecured credit facilities, representing administrative agents, arrangers, lenders, borrowers, hedge funds and private equity sponsors in early-stage and asset-based lending transactions, acquisition financings, leveraged recapitalizations, real estate facilities and other complex corporate matters. He also advised on debt trading transactions and securitizations.

"Leon has handled large, sophisticated syndicated and asset-based credit facilities for agents, arrangers and sponsors, and he understands the structuring, documentation and execution pressures that come with those transactions," said Rebecca M. Moore, leader of the firm's Commercial Finance practice group. "His experience across senior secured, cash flow and ABL credits - combined with his background in finance - strengthens our ability to advise clients on complex, multi-jurisdictional deals. Just as importantly, his presence in New York allows us to better serve clients who are active in that market and who have been looking for on-the-ground commercial finance support."

Prior to entering private practice, Yel served as Vice President and CFO for the capital hedging business of a global financial institution and began his career as an auditor with an international accounting firm. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (inactive), bringing additional financial and transactional insight into his lending practice.

"FBT Gibbons has a sterling reputation, particularly in its commercial finance group, and I look forward to helping grow the practice here in the Northeast," Yel said. "I'm very excited to begin the next phase of my career as I become part of the FBT Gibbons team and work with my new colleagues to provide top-notch service to our clients here in the New York City area and across the country."

In a competitive economy and tight credit market, obligors, lenders, underwriters, issuers, and servicers throughout the country look to FBT Gibbons' Commercial Finance group for counsel on all aspects of commercial lending, public finance, leasing, and commercial transactions. The team helps its finance and lending clients structure, negotiate, and close a broad spectrum of transaction, from "plain vanilla" financings to large-scale commercial transactions creatively conceived to meet unique circumstances. They focus on maximizing the value measures that clients care about most -time, money and risk management - and strive in every transaction to be trusted advisors to their clients.

About FBT Gibbons

FBT Gibbons LLP is a national law firm focused on serving companies operating and investing in the middle market. With nearly 800 lawyers across 25 offices, the firm is positioned to support clients ranging from large multinationals to mid-sized businesses and growth-oriented startups across the United States. FBT Gibbons provides legal counsel enriched with valuable business and market context, particularly in corporate, litigation, and regulatory matters within the energy, finance, life sciences, and manufacturing sectors. The firm is committed to delivering excellent service to its clients, colleagues, and the communities in which it operates.