Louis E. Emery is Senior Counsel to the firm. His practice is centered on transportation-related finance and restructurings, with a particular focus on the export and aviation sectors.

Mr. Emery recently stepped down from his position as Assistant General Counsel-Transportation in the Office of the General Counsel of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (“EXIM Bank”) where he supervised in-house lawyers and external counsel that provided the legal support for the financing, asset-management, restructuring and asset recovery for the EXIM Bank.  During his tenure of over twenty years at EXIM Bank, Mr. Emery and his team provided legal support for many billions of dollars of financing for large commercial passenger and cargo aircraft, jet engines, helicopters and spare parts in a significant number of countries around the world.  In addition, he became a key member of the US inter-departmental negotiating team for the development and implementation of the Cape Town Convention and the Aircraft Protocol thereto (the “CTC”), which has become the most successful private international law treaty, and has greatly impacted how aircraft, engines, and helicopters are financed.  Mr. Emery also represented the United States on the development of the Rail, Space and MAC (Mining, Agriculture & Construction) Protocols to the CTC.  He became part of the U.S. Government/EXIM Bank team that negotiated, implemented and adapted the Aircraft Sector Understanding at the OECD, including the creation of a fee discount for airlines in countries that adopted the CTC and utilized export credit for covered aircraft financing.  Over the years, Mr. Emery has worked with the Commercial Law Development Project of the US Department of Commerce on projects relating to the implementation of more efficient and effective models of asset-based financing and leasing regimes.

Before joining EXIM Bank, Mr. Emery was in-house counsel with the US subsidiary of British Aerospace PLC.  In that capacity, he was primarily involved in the sale and financing of commuter and regional aircraft throughout the Americas.  He later transitioned into a business role as the Vice-President, the Americas for BAE’s Asset Management Organisation where he managed the operations of AMO in North and South America in respect of AMO’s fleet of 120 regional jets.

After leaving EXIM Bank, Mr. Emery revived PEL Aviation Services LLC, a consulting firm he started in 1996, and continues to provide consulting services on matters relating to aircraft purchasing, financing, leasing, work-outs, restructurings and the movement toward a larger role for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations in those areas, as well as the development of alternative, non- and lower carbon solutions for the aviation industry.

In 2022, Mr. Emery was asked to join with a number of prominent aviation professionals to develop, structure, and bring into operation a new vehicle specializing in alternative dispute resolution, both mediation and arbitration, for the aviation industry.  At the Farnborough Airshow that year, the Hague Court of Arbitration for Aviation was announced.  Mr. Emery serves on the HCAA’s Advisory Board, as well as the Standing Committee on the Rules.  Since Farnborough 2022, the HCAA has become fully operational, available to accept cases, and is administered by the Netherlands Arbitration Institute.

Mr. Emery has written on matters related to aircraft financing, export credit financing, aircraft leasing and the CTC and has been a featured speaker in many conferences and seminars on these topics.

In addition to his membership in the DC and NY Bars, Mr. Emery is admitted to practice before a number of US District and Courts of Appeal, and the US Supreme Court.

Louis E. Emery

202.349.5006
lemery@robertwraypllc.com