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Sophisticated legal counsel for equipment financing, trade finance, supply chain financing, and specialized asset-based lending structures.
Specialty finance encompasses niche lending structures focused on specific assets, transactions, or industries. These facilities—including equipment leasing, trade finance, supply chain financing, and receivables purchase programs—provide targeted capital solutions beyond traditional corporate lending.
Each specialty finance vertical has distinct documentation standards, collateral considerations, and risk frameworks. Legal structures must address asset-specific perfection requirements, industry practices, and the unique cash flow characteristics of underlying transactions or collateral.
Financing and leasing structures for manufacturing equipment, technology infrastructure, medical devices, and transportation assets with appropriate UCC filings and certificates of title.
Letters of credit, documentary collections, trade credit insurance, and structured trade finance facilities supporting import/export transactions with Incoterms and ICC rules integration.
Payables finance programs, reverse factoring arrangements, and dynamic discounting platforms providing working capital optimization for suppliers and buyers.
Invoice factoring, receivables purchase facilities, and whole business securitizations providing liquidity based on account receivable portfolios with notification or non-notification structures.
Specialized inventory lending beyond traditional ABL, including consignment arrangements, floorplan financing for dealers, and commodity-backed facilities with warehouse receipts.
Confirming arrangements, supplier finance programs, and approved payables finance integrating with ERP systems and payment platforms for efficient working capital management.
Equipment leasing arrangements where lessors retain ownership, lessees obtain use rights, with end-of-term purchase options, residual value guarantees, and maintenance responsibilities clearly allocated.
Recourse or non-recourse purchase of accounts receivable with notification to account debtors, concentration limits, eligibility criteria, and dilution reserves protecting factor exposure.
Letters of credit governed by UCP 600 rules facilitating international trade, with issuing banks, advising banks, and confirming banks coordinating document examination and payment obligations.
Technology-enabled supply chain finance connecting buyers, suppliers, and funders through integrated platforms offering early payment discounting and automated invoice processing.
Our network has extensive experience across specialty finance verticals, understanding the unique legal frameworks, documentation standards, and market practices for each asset class and transaction type. We coordinate with industry participants, factor companies, equipment lessors, and trade finance banks to execute efficiently.
Whether you're a specialty lender deploying capital in niche markets, a corporate treasurer optimizing working capital, or a financial institution offering trade or supply chain solutions, we bring focused expertise to your specialized financing needs.
Equipment finance provides secured lending against machinery, vehicles, technology, or other capital assets. Unlike operating leases (where lessor retains ownership and residual risk), equipment finance involves true-sale financing where borrower owns equipment and lender holds a security interest. Structures include traditional term loans, sale-leaseback arrangements, and synthetic leases. Advance rates typically run 70-80% of appraised value, with amortization matching equipment useful life. Legal work focuses on UCC perfection, cross-border title issues for mobile equipment, and managing residual value risk in structures with balloon payments.
Trade finance provides short-term funding for international commerce—import/export transactions, supply chain financing, and working capital tied to cross-border trade. Common structures include letters of credit (issuing bank guarantees payment upon document presentation), documentary collections, supply chain finance (buyers extend payment terms while suppliers get paid early), and pre-export financing (lending against confirmed purchase orders). Legal considerations include ICC rules (UCP 600 for letters of credit), governing law for international contracts, sanctions compliance, documentary requirements, and managing political/country risk.
Both provide liquidity against accounts receivable, but with key differences. Invoice financing is a loan secured by receivables—borrower retains ownership, collections go to borrower, and lender has recourse if invoices aren't paid. Factoring involves selling receivables to the factor, who takes ownership, manages collections directly, and typically assumes credit risk (non-recourse factoring). Factoring is more expensive (2-5% of invoice value) but provides credit protection and administrative relief. Invoice financing is cheaper but keeps collection responsibility and credit risk with the borrower. Many ABL facilities incorporate invoice financing mechanics.
Supply chain finance (also called reverse factoring or supplier finance) allows buyers to extend payment terms (improving their working capital) while suppliers get paid early at attractive rates (leveraging buyer's credit quality). A financial institution pays suppliers shortly after invoice approval (typically 85-95% of invoice value), and buyer repays at maturity (60-120 days). This optimizes working capital across the chain—buyers improve cash conversion cycles without harming supplier relationships, suppliers access cheaper financing than standalone receivables facilities, and financial institutions earn fees for intermediating. Legal work involves tri-party arrangements, fintech platform terms, and cross-border mechanics.
Regulatory considerations vary by specialty finance type. Equipment lessors may need licensing in certain jurisdictions. Trade finance involves sanctions compliance (OFAC, EU sanctions lists), export controls, and anti-money laundering requirements. Factoring and invoice discounting may trigger consumer credit regulations if dealing with individuals. Supply chain finance platforms face fintech licensing, data protection (GDPR), and payment services regulations. Cross-border specialty finance implicates transfer pricing, withholding taxes, and permanent establishment concerns. We help structure specialty finance to comply with applicable regulations while maintaining commercial efficiency.