Jill H. Feldman

Partner

San Francisco, (415) 268-6474

Download vCard

Education

University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A., 1980)
;
University of California, Hastings College of the Law (J.D., 1986)

Practices

Financial Transactions

Clean Technology + Alternative Energy

Acquisition Finance

Bar Admissions

California

Jill Feldman serves as Chair of Morrison & Foerster's Financial Transactions Group and is a member of the firm's Cleantech Steering Committee. Her practice focuses on international and domestic commercial lending, acquisition finance, mezzanine and second lien finance, equipment leasing and project finance. Before joining Morrison & Foerster, Ms. Feldman was a partner in the San Francisco office of Graham & James, where she was the co-chair of its credit and project finance and development practice.

Because Ms. Feldman’s practice involves highly complex transactions, she often creates unique finance structures to meet the needs of her clients. She develops creative solutions that preserve her client’s financial and operational objectives, while accommodating the requirements of the other parties to the transaction. Her goal is the ultimate success of the deal and her client’s satisfaction with the terms of its agreements. Ms. Feldman has substantial experience representing agents, lenders, borrowers, lessors and lessees in big ticket and middle market, domestic and cross-border, credit facilities, acquisition facilities, asset-based credit facilities, second-lien credit facilities, letter of credit facilities and purchase money and equipment finance leasing transactions. Ms. Feldman also regularly represents private equity funds, investors, purchasers and sellers in renewable energy project and infrastructure construction and finance transactions.

Ms. Feldman has substantial experience in negotiating and closing domestic and cross-border financing transactions for clients in a number of industry sectors, including large-scale manufacturing, wines and spirits, pharmaceuticals, technology and intellectual property (including software and hardware), real estate, exercise facilities and clubs, renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass and landfill gas), and conventional energy.

Ms. Feldman earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from Hastings College of the Law in 1986, where she was a member of the Thurston Society, Order of the Coif and the executive editor of The Hastings Law Journal. She is a member of the State Bar of California and is also a member of the Power Association of Northern California.

Ms. Feldman is recognized in the 2011 and 2012 editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, for excellence in the field of Banking and Finance. In addition, Ms. Feldman is recognized as a leading lawyer by IFLR1000 2013 and 2014 in the field of Bank Lending. Ms. Feldman has also been recommended as a leading lawyer by such clients’ guides as Legal 500 US 2013 in the field of Project Finance, Best Lawyers in America 2013 and 2014 and PLC Which lawyer? 2012. In 2009 she was named by The Daily Journal as one of California’s Leading Rainmakers.

Loans to Manufacturing Companies.

Documented and negotiated loans in the amounts of $270 million to $850 million secured by various plastics manufacturing complex in Texas, Louisiana and South Carolina, representing agents for syndicates of Taiwanese banks.

Staffing Company Loan.

Represented a staffing company in connection with a $69 million secured multicurrency loan facility with separate borrowing base loans in the U.S., England and Australia, and the take-out financing of that loan facility.

Theatre Chain Financing.

Represented the borrower in a $435 million loan secured by the assets of a theatre chain.

REIT Loan.

Documented and negotiated a $250 million asset-based loan to a Real Estate Investment Trust, representing the agent for a syndicate of lenders and taking nine commercial and mixed use real estate properties in Southern California as collateral.

Winery Acquisition Loan.

Represented private equity firm GESD Capital Partners, through its portfolio wine company Ascentia Wine Estates, in a secured, syndicated revolving credit facility in connection with an acquisition of eight wineries located in California, Oregon and Washington, from Constellation Brands.

Winery Financing.

Represented the Agent for a syndicate of lenders in connection with a $115 million syndicated revolving letter and multicurrency letter of credit facility to one of California's largest wineries, secured by winery assets.

California Winery Financing.

Represented the Agent for a syndicate of lenders in connection with a $800 million syndicated term loan, revolving letter and multicurrency letter of credit facility to one of California’s largest wineries, secured by the stock of operating subsidiaries.

Secured Second Lien Loans.

Documented several fully secured second lien loans, with warrants, to finance the acquisition of various high and low technology companies, representing the subordinated lender group.

Bridge Loan to Acquisition of Biomass Facility.

Represented a lender in connection with a $2.5 million bridge loan during the negotiations for the acquisition of a Biomass energy facility in Hawaii.

Multi-State Wind Power Financing.

Represented a private equity fund in the development financing of wind power royalty assets. The transaction was structured as a multiple draw term loan facility, the proceeds of which were used by the borrower to develop a portfolio of wind projects located across the United States.

Wind Power Development - Hawaii.

Represented one of the largest landowners in Hawaii in connection with negotiating land rights and development agreements for a proposed wind power facility to be developed on the Island of Oahu.

Wind Power Services Agreement.

Represented a private equity fund, as the service provider in the development of wind power facilities in the Western United States through royalty-generating service arrangements.

Solar Power Financing—Commercial.

Represented a private equity fund in financings of solar generating facilities for commercial industrial facilities located in Hawaii and Southern California.

Solar Power Financing—Residential.

Represented a private equity fund in negotiating and structuring a financing facility for residential rooftop solar installations.

Multi-State Wind Power Development.

Represented a private equity fund in the development of over 5,000 MW of wind power facilities in the Western United States through royalty-generating joint venture arrangements.

Healthcare Equipment.

Represented a major U.S. healthcare provider in the documentation of leases for a variety of medical equipment.

Aircraft Bankruptcy.

In connection with bankruptcy of Air Canada, negotiated the transfer of ownership of several aircraft from the equity investor to debt investors, documented aircraft trusts, claims trusts, and aircraft management and storage agreements, and negotiated and documented the eventual sale of the aircraft.

Lease Restructuring.

In connection with defaults and bankruptcy actions by America West Airlines, represented a group of Japanese lenders in the restructuring of various aircraft leveraged lease transactions.