Robert Gillison works closely with lenders and borrowers, providing invaluable guidance in the structuring, negotiation, and management of their financing transactions.

 

Robert is an experienced commercial lending and corporate finance attorney. As the head of our Commercial Finance practice, he oversees our most complex lending deals. He mostly works with regional and national banks, and non-bank lenders, on broadly syndicated loans and middle-market debt financings.

His practice covers a wide range of industries, including aviation, manufacturing, retail, finance, food and beverage, energy, and technology, and primarily involves acquisition and working capital credit facilities. He also has considerable experience with asset-based lending facilities, capital call and subscription loans, warehouse lines of credit, and securities-based borrowings.

Robert represents clients on many types of inter-creditor arrangements, including first-lien/second-lien, mezzanine, and unitranche structures, and has significant experience advising clients on liability management transactions, encompassing both drop-down or uptiering structures.

He also handles multi-national financings. Whether they involve the assets of a foreign debtor within the U.S. or those of U.S. debtors aboard, Robert works closely with foreign counsel in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, and Australia to properly structure and secure cross-board loans.

Robert is recognized by Chambers USA as a leader in the field of Banking & Finance.

Mr. Gillison has closed hundreds of transactions with more than $5 billion in funded financings, among which are the following:

  • $2.6 billion loan to one of the largest aircraft leasing companies in the world.
  • $650 million loan to one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the U.S.
  • $250 million loan to the largest hunting and camping goods retailer in the U.S.
  • $95 million loan to fund the creation of a REIT by the Government of Singapore.
  • $85 million loan to an investment fund to purchase real estate tax lien in several U.S. states.
  • $65 million loan to one of the largest distillers and distributors of premium spirits in the world.
  • $70 million loan to the largest privately-owned U.S. exporter to China.
  • $50 million loan to the largest sales and marketing agency in the U.S. food service industry.
  • $40 million loan in connection with the tender offer of a Canadian public company.
  • $30 million loan to one of the largest trucking-based logistic providers in the U.S.
  • $25 million loan to a global provider of aircraft parts and services to several major U.S. airlines.
  • $25 million loan to a manufacturer of flight-critical components for the aviation and aerospace industry.
  • $15 million loan for the construction of rum and tequila distilleries in Anguilla and Mexico.

Mr. Gillison earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and clerked for the Hon. Nora Manella of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with dual BA’s in Political Science and History.

  • Member, Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section of the L.A. County Bar Association
  • Member, Commercial Transactions (formerly UCC) Committee of the Business Law Section of the California Lawyers Association
  • Member, SFNet (formerly the Commercial Finance Association)

Additional Specialties

Aircraft Finance
Asset-Based Lending
Acquisition Finance
Workouts and Restructuring
Commercial Transactions
First Lien Credit Facilities
Intercreditor Agreements
Second Lien Facilities
Secured Transactions
Venture Capital