Alison is an aviation solicitor with both private practice and in-house experience, having worked at two international law firms and three major airlines in the Middle East and Asia. Her main area of expertise involves advising airlines on all aspects of their aviation business including purchases, banking and asset finance matters, such as pre-delivery financing, the purchase, financing and leasing of aircraft/engines and all related onboard equipment and technology.
Alison also advises on a range of aviation contracts: procurement-related contracts (including GDS/IT-related), ground handling, catering, jet fuel supply, security agreements. Alison also has experience in advising on passenger regulatory matters and customer relations matters.
Expertise
- Aviation
- Asset purchase and finance
- Fleet restructuring
- Commercial contracts
- Customer relations
Experience
Air Asia Group
- Conducted due diligence and directed the Group in relation to its contractual commitments in light of the pandemic.
- Advised on and oversaw execution of three Group guarantee-backed finance facilities for specific projects within the Group’s core businesses.
- Liaised and advised on multi-jurisdictional insolvency matters.
Gulf Air
- Negotiated a multimillion-dollar Murabaha trade commodity-based revolving credit facility with a major Middle Eastern banking group.
- Advised on fleet restructuring (Boeing and Airbus).
- Negotiated and provided legal advice on airframe, engine and parts delivery planning.
- Reviewed and implemented lease novations with various lessors.
- Negotiated an innovative leasing structure for new Boeing aircraft deliveries (named by the Air Finance Journal as “2018 – Deal of the Year”).
- Negotiated and concluded Engine TCAs, in a difficult manufacturer climate.
- Negotiated and concluded wheels, brakes, seats and APU agreements.
- Advised on and negotiated aircraft charter agreements.
- Advised on and finalised share sales, both public and private, intra-group company transfers and company sales, and negotiated JV agreements.
- Negotiated a Formula 1 Gulf Air-Bahrain Grand Prix sponsorship agreement together with related licensing agreements.
Oman Air
- Advised on aircraft finance and leasing negotiations for an incoming 787 Fleet.
- Reviewed and negotiated emergency wet leases.
- Advised on a complex route opening to Manila.
- Advised on IATA standard contracts (ground handling, catering, jet fuel supply, security, engine leases).
- Advised on the legal regime and liabilities under the Montreal Convention/Warsaw Convention, EU Regulations, country-specific regulations and Conditions of Carriage and overseeing of all disputes relating to baggage, passenger and commercial.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Career
Alison qualified as a solicitor in 2000. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2022, she worked at the following firms:
- Air Asia Group, Chief Legal Officer
- Gulf Air, General Counsel
- Oman Air, General Counsel
- DLA Piper
- Dentons