Jason Berne represents lenders and borrowers in a wide range of financing transactions, including secured and unsecured credit facilities, private placements, real estate related financing, multi-party syndications and mortgage loans. He has advised debtors and creditors in a variety of workout matters, including creditor-assignment financing transactions.

Mr. Berne was with the firm’s Middle East practice during 2005. He advised clients on a range of international commercial transactions including joint venture formation, corporate formations and governance, labor and employment advice, distribution and service arrangements, real estate transactions, intellectual property protection, and technology-related transactions.

Mr. Berne has studied in Edinburgh, Scotland and Sussex, England. Before attending law school, he worked for management consulting and financial analysis firms in London and Chicago.

Select Representations

Recent Financing Representations

• Counsel for administrative agent on multiple transactions with private equity funds in connection with more than $350 million in acquisition financings
• Counsel for lender in connection with inventory financing transactions totaling more than $200 million
• Multiple transactions representing publicly traded borrower, including $600 million unsecured domestic facility, $200 million private placement, and $60 million European facility (Germany, Switzerland and U.K. subsidiaries as borrowers)
• $550 million in secured financing for publicly traded borrower; collateral included real-estate, inventory, equipment and pledges of equity interests in multiple U.S. jurisdictions, U.K. and Canada with subsidiaries in all three countries; coordinated local counsel in each jurisdiction
• Counsel for lender in connection with financing acquisition of alcoholic beverage distributorships totaling more than $75 million
• Coordinate multiple financings (private placement, credit facility and vendor financing) for tractor and heavy machinery dealer totaling more than $90 million
• $80 million management buyout of coal mining company and subsequent acquisition of additional coal mines; continuing representation in connection with various financing agreements and vendor contracts
• Multi-stage $60 million private equity purchase of packaging company representing administrative agent
• Multiple tenant-in-common financings representing sponsor totaling approximately $75 million in investment
• Counsel for lender on multiple transactions secured by fine art collection totaling more than $70 million
• $55 million syndicated financing of medical device company representing administrative agent; included several layers of subordinated debt and equity financing
• Multiple transactions representing lender in connection with facilities secured by FCC radio and television licenses totaling more than $50 million
• Counsel for lender in connection with $45 million financing of casino and race track
• $35 million private equity purchase of emergency evacuation helicopter service company representing senior lender with subordinated financing component; coordinated multiple local counsel and FAA counsel

Recent Restructuring Representations

• Foreclosures representing lenders totaling more than $125 million in connection with variety of real estate developments, including coordinating appointment of receivers, reviewing receiver reports and negotiating with subordinated lenders; coordinate with local counsel in multiple jurisdictions across the United States
• Coordinate with bankruptcy counsel in variety of distressed transactions, restructurings and foreclosures
• Deed-in-lieu arrangements representing lenders totaling more than $30 million
• Representations of multiple lenders in connection with the sale of distressed notes secured by real estate and personal property totaling more than $25 million

Bar and Court Admissions

Illinois

Missouri, 2000

Education

Saint Louis University, J.D., cum laude, 2000

University of Sussex-England, M.A., 1995

Georgetown University, B.A., cum laude, 1992