Expert Aviation Finance Partner Jim Bell to join WFW London

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) is delighted to announce that aviation and asset finance rising star Jim Bell will be joining the firm’s Global Aviation group in London. Jim is currently a Partner at Bird & Bird in the same city. His start date is to be confirmed.

Jim has a wealth of experience advising banks, ECAs, funds, lessors, airlines, helicopter operators, individuals and manufacturers across a wide spectrum of complex, international aviation matters, with particular expertise in the fields of export finance, debt capital markets, tax leasing and Islamic finance transactions. Over the past decade, Jim has advised on many of the most innovative and high-profile aviation finance transactions in the market, including several that were named “Deals of the Year” by leading sector publication AirFinance Journal. Legal directory Legal 500 UK describes Jim as “very commercial, bright and talented” and “genuinely one of the very rare aviation lawyers who combines strong technical expertise with an acute business sense”.

Paris-based aviation finance Partner Charles Viggers commented: “Jim is an outstanding lawyer with a great reputation in the market whose expertise both complements and adds to our existing aviation practice in London. Jim has built a very successful practice and we greatly look forward to welcoming him to the team”.

Managing Partner Chris Lowe added: “Aviation has been one of the firm’s core areas of expertise since its foundation in 1982 and Jim joining us enhances our practice as it expands to take advantage of the opportunities represented by a dynamic aviation sector”.

Jim said: “WFW has a superb reputation for asset finance and joining the firm represents a fantastic opportunity for me to leverage my practice further. I know and respect WFW’s existing aviation finance partners and greatly look forward to working with such talented colleagues who share my values of hard work, collegiality, pragmatism and the pursuit of excellence”.