London – Global law firm K&L Gates welcomes Andrew Harper as a partner in its Finance practice in London. He joins the firm from Reed Smith LLP.

Harper is an asset finance lawyer, with a particular focus on fixed-wing and rotary aircraft finance and leasing transactions. His experience includes secured debt and export credit agency-supported financings and operating, finance, and tax-based lease structures, as well as aircraft sales, purchases, and portfolio transfers.

His clients include major international banks, export credit agencies, lessors, airlines, arrangers, funds, private equity investors, and manufacturers that engage across the full spectrum of aviation finance transactions, including JOL and JOLCO structures.

Additionally, Harper’s broad perspective and skill set includes the experience he gained through an in-house secondment at a leading aircraft manufacturer. Outside of aviation, his transportation finance experience includes advising on rail, shipping, and equipment financings.

“Andrew joins us at a time of sustained growth and increasing complexity in the aviation finance market, where strong demand for aircraft, constrained supply, and evolving capital sources are reshaping how transactions are structured,” remarked Paul Callegari, managing partner of K&L Gates’ London office. “Clients are navigating more sophisticated multi-source financings, while also responding to regulatory and sustainability pressures. Andrew’s extensive experience positions us to support clients through this next phase of market evolution.”

Matthias Grund, the lead practice area leader of K&L Gates’ global Finance practice, commented: “Andrew brings a highly relevant combination of technical capability and market insight at a time when aviation finance is becoming more structured, selective, and globally interconnected. As leasing platforms consolidate and portfolio and secondary trading activity accelerates, his experience enhances our ability to support clients on complex, cross-border transactions. At the same time, his broader transportation finance background and industry insight are highly relevant as clients adapt to evolving sustainability requirements and long-term fleet transition strategies.”

Harper’s arrival follows recent London office additions, including data partner Sarah Pearce, asset management and investment funds partner Marianna Tothova, and finance partner Gareth McCarter. More broadly, the firm has continued to bolster its global Finance practice since the beginning of last year with the addition of partners Seth Ivey in Charlotte and Rob White in Sydney, as well as of counsel Sean Corcoran and Scott Rudd in Charlotte.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Andrew to the firm and leverage his valuable experience, particularly in Japanese operating lease (JOL) and JOLCO structures, which have long been a cornerstone of aircraft financing,” said Robert Melson, a practice area leader for the firm’s Finance practice and head of the global Aviation Finance practice group. “As European lenders, lessors, and airlines increasingly look to diversify capital sources and access Japanese investor liquidity, his deep familiarity with these structures and cross-border execution will be highly relevant to clients in London and across Europe as well as Asia seeking more sophisticated, capital-efficient financing solutions.”

K&L Gates’ global Finance practice integrates the many disciplines involved in financing and restructuring transactions across markets and industries around the globe. With lawyers in offices across Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, the practice maintains a balance between buy-side and sell-side representation in its work on behalf of lenders, borrowers, servicers, collateral managers, trustees, rating agencies, investors, and other participants in a wide array of financing transactions.