Lawyer Bio : Christopher E. Leon

As the Practice Group Leader for Womble Carlyle’s Capital Markets Group, Chris practices primarily in the areas of corporate and real estate finance, mergers and acquisitions and other commercial transactions.

 

Chris has extensive experience providing counsel to public and private businesses in the financial services, manufacturing, retail sales, consumer products, and health care industries in connection with structuring, negotiating and documenting all aspects of acquisitions, divestitures, complex financings and third party credit arrangements, including multi-state, multi-lender, and multi-currency transactions. His practice regularly includes syndicated financings, convertible debt, subordinated debt and mezzanine financings, tax-advantaged financings, off-balance sheet financings, letters of credit, securitizations, structured finance, asset-based financings, and public/private debt offerings, representing borrowers, issuers, and administrative and collateral agents.

Chris has recently represented public and privately-held companies in the following acquisitions and divestitures:

• Acquisition of an agricultural products company with operations in the U.S. and Canada valued in excess of $150,000,000
• Disposition of a manufacturing and distribution subsidiary valued in excess of $50,000,000
• Sale of a controlling interest in a manufacturer of clothing and apparel with revenues in excess of $500,000,000
• Acquisition by management of a majority equity interest in an international manufacturer of consumer products with revenues in excess of $1,000,000,000
• Sale of a health care services corporation with revenues in excess of $30,000,000
• Represented a publicly traded consumer products manufacturer in connection with divestiture of the operating assets of divisions valued in excess of $100,000,000
• Regularly represent a financial holding company in connection with the acquisition of financial institutions, community banks, thrifts insurance agencies, specialty finance companies and financial services companies. 

Chris has recently represented financial institutions and businesses in the following financings:

• Represented a publicly traded transportation and logistic services company in connection with the private placement of $100,000,000 in senior notes
• Represented the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent in connection with a $100,000,000 multi-currency secured revolving credit facility to a publicly traded technology company
• Represented the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent in connection with a $125,000,000 secured revolving credit facility to a publicly traded real estate investment trust
• Represented the Administrative Agent in a $150,000,000 unsecured multi-currency revolving credit and term loan facility to a publicly traded restaurant holding company
• Represented a publicly traded consumer products manufacturer in connection with a $500,000,000 syndicated secured revolving credit facility
• Represented a privately-held consumer finance company in connection with a $250,000,000 securitization of assets
• Represented the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent in connection with a $50,000,000 secured revolving credit and letter of credit facility to a publicly traded real estate investment trust
• Represented a specialty chemical manufacturer in connection with a $1.1 billion secured revolving credit and term loan credit facility
• Represented the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent in connection with a $125,000,000 secured revolving credit facility to a publicly traded restaurant secured by over 200 properties  

Chris has a strong interest in and regularly counsels financial institutions and non-profit corporations regarding the development and financing of affordable housing projects. Chris has significant experience in negotiating and structuring the acquisition, sale and financing of housing and historic tax credit projects.

His practice includes providing counsel to public and private businesses in the financial services, manufacturing, retail and consumer products industries in connection with structuring joint ventures, the management of environmental risks and transactional aspects of bankruptcy and creditors' rights.