Christopher Belisle
Partner

Chris’ practice is focused on a broad range of commercial, corporate and finance transactions primarily in the maritime and aviation sectors, including asset-based loan facilities for ships and helicopters and lease financings. Chris’ corporate experience includes advising in relation to joint ventures, strategic alliances, and in the acquisition, disposal and restructuring of companies in addition to company filings and commercial contracts.  Having spent many years as a litigator, Chris is experienced in commercial litigation involving loan transactions, securities, swaps and derivatives and representation of creditors in insolvencies and workouts.  He also advises financial institutions, borrowers and traders on commodities trading and environmental issues.

Chris’ experience includes:

• Advising two international commodity trading companies with respect to a merger of their South American, United States and UK businesses.
• Advising a syndicate of banks with respect to the restructuring of distressed vessel loan facilities.
• Advising vessel owners and operators with respect to responses to private and government-based RFPs.
• Advising vessel owner with respect to a US$300m project financing of U.S. Jones Act tankers.
• Advising on the creation of a warehouse ownership structure and the purchase of a distressed fleet of offshore support vessels.
• Advising borrower with respect to Spanish ECA-backed vessel construction and financing.
• Advising an aircraft leasing company in connection with an US$85m senior secured financing of Agusta Westland AW139, Sikorsky S-76C++ and Sikorsky S-92 helicopters.
• Advising a helicopter leasing company in connection with a senior unsecured financing of US$60m.
• Advising a helicopter-owning company in connection with the US$125m financing and refinancing of Bell Helicopter 412EP helicopters.
• Advising purchasers on the acquisition and financing of private jets.
• Advising ship owners with respect to various sale and leaseback transactions.

• 1989: St John’s University School of Law, J.D.
• 1986: State University of New York at Stony Brook, B.A.

• New York State Bar Association (Co-Chair International Dispute Resolution Committee of International Law and Practice Section 1998-99)
• Maritime Law Association

• 1990 – present: Partner, Watson Farley & Williams, New York
• 1989 –1990: Associate, Burlingham, Underwood & Lord, New York