Finance

“Skadden, Arps has an established finance group that is recognized for its strategic representation of leading borrower and lender clients … and much sought after for its strengths in acquisition financing and leveraged recapitalizations. Also excels in corporate restructuring and asset-based loan matters.” – Chambers USA 2025 

Skadden’s Finance Group delivers comprehensive, market-leading counsel across the full spectrum of financing transactions for major corporations, financial institutions, private equity sponsors, hedge funds and other participants worldwide.

Leaders in Dealmaking

Our finance lawyers combine deep market insight with a practical, solutions-oriented approach, guiding clients through every stage of the financing lifecycle. We are known for handling high-stakes transactions and providing tailored strategies that advance clients’ business goals. Skadden is regularly ranked among the top firms for Banking and Finance by Chambers USA and Best Lawyers.

Global Reach, Integrated Resources

Leveraging Skadden’s international platform and collaborating closely with colleagues in M&A, private equity, corporate restructuring, energy and infrastructure and capital markets, our finance attorneys provide the highest quality advice on all types of financing transactions, including multijurisdictional matters spanning a wide range of industries.

Core Capabilities

Acquisition Finance

Our finance attorneys advise public and private companies, private equity firms, banks and other financial institutions on acquisition financings that demand precision, accuracy and coordination. We support clients throughout the entire financing process — from bid-stage term sheets and grids, through binding commitment papers and other definitive documentation, to closing deliveries and post-closing integration. Our team is dedicated to driving deal certainty by ensuring tight alignment between credit documents and acquisition agreements, including the coordination of cross-border elements.

Asset-Based Lending

Skadden advises lenders, borrowers and financial intermediaries on structuring, negotiating and documenting secured financings across diverse collateral classes. The team has extensive experience throughout the full lifecycle of ABL facilities, including drafting and negotiating loan documents, advising on cross-border issues and providing strategic counsel on loan workouts, restructurings and enforcement of remedies, ensuring legally sound and commercially effective financing solutions for our clients.

Investment-Grade Finance

Our finance team drives complex investment-grade financings for top corporations and financial institutions worldwide. Attuned to the latest trends and developments in dealmaking, our team manages high-value transactions efficiently, striving to anticipate challenges and keep financings on track, while ensuring each deal fits within the client’s broader capital structure. Our attorneys help secure optimal terms, structuring and negotiating acquisition financings, syndicated loans and bridge financings with speed and accuracy.

Leveraged Finance

Skadden’s finance and capital markets teams advise borrowers and lenders worldwide on all types of leveraged financings, including integrated bank and bond financings, bridge financings, term loan A (TLA) financings, term loan B (TLB) financings and refinancings. We offer an in-depth understanding of the global financial landscape and experience with the full range of leveraged financing structures in both syndicated and private credit markets, including dividend recapitalizations, repricings and amend and extend transactions. Our attorneys regularly assist clients in navigating the balance between lender protections and necessary operational flexibility, which is particularly valuable when economic conditions or business plans shift.

Private Credit

Our attorneys provide commercially savvy advice on the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border private credit transactions to sponsors, investors, lenders and companies, including large and middle market clients. Our team advises on all aspects of direct lending, including unitranche facilities, first and second lien loans, mezzanine financings, preferred equity financings, asset-backed loans, structured financings and restructurings. We work with private capital participants across asset classes, including private equity, real estate, infrastructure and energy.

Project and Infrastructure Finance

Skadden’s finance, capital markets and energy and infrastructure teams offer a full suite of project and infrastructure finance services, representing borrowers, financial institutions, funds, export credit agencies, multilateral institutional investors and government and corporate lenders. We structure and negotiate development loans, construction financings, term financings, portfolio loans, warehouse facilities, revolving credit facilities, bridge loans and private placements.

Data Centers and Digital Infrastructure. In the digital infrastructure sector, our team manages complex arrangements to support the acquisition, development and permanent financing of assets, drawing on experience in leveraged, corporate, project and real estate finance. In recent years, Skadden has handled dozens of data center financings across the United States, Canada and Europe, with an aggregate deal value of tens of billions of dollars. Read more: Digital Infrastructure.

Special Situations and Liability Management

Skadden advises clients on structuring and executing financing solutions for stressed, distressed and otherwise complex situations. Our financing, capital markets and corporate restructuring teams represent clients across the spectrum of credit and bond financings, liability management exercises and restructurings, both in and out of court. We design sophisticated intercreditor arrangements, collateral packages and exchange and tender structures, analyzing capital structures and existing financing arrangements to craft creative strategies to help protect downside risk and maximize value. Our team advises on secondary debt and equity acquisitions, position-build strategies and monetization pathways through refinancings, liability management transactions, debtor-in-possession (DIP) financings and distressed M&A.

Structured Finance

Our structured finance practice is recognized for its pioneering role in developing key innovations in the securitization and structured products markets, handling a wide range of transactions, including both traditional and esoteric asset classes. The team has represented a diverse roster of prominent clients in structured finance matters, including corporations, investment banks, investment funds, loan originators and other financial institutions.