LAWYER
Bruce D. Hickey
Partner | Boston
Bruce D. Hickey

Bruce D. Hickey is a partner in Dechert's global finance practice. Mr. Hickey has over 30 years of experience representing a broad client base that includes foreign and domestic banks, institutional investors, hedge and infrastructure funds and investment banking institutions in a variety of finance matters including capital markets commercial mortgage debt transactions, large-ticket equipment finance transactions, structured finance, lease financings of commercial real estate, infrastructure projects and energy projects.

Mr. Hickey’s real estate and finance experience spans from real estate lease financings including construction and permanent financings of office buildings, corporate campuses, retail sites, distribution centers as well as research and development and light industrial facilities to acquisitions, syndications and originations of high-yield subordinated commercial mortgage debt. Mr. Hickey also has extensive experience in acquiring, leasing and financing large-ticket equipment with a focus on the aviation and rail sectors. Such equipment finance experience includes complex cross border transactions, synthetic lease transactions and tax driven investments. Mr. Hickey has deep expertise in build-to-suit construction projects structured with operating lease products in conformance with U.S. accounting principles. In addition, Mr. Hickey has advised clients in development and financing of renewable energy projects, infrastructure projects involving airport facilities and chemical factories and project financings.

Mr. Hickey is a member of the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council, and he is a fellow of the American College of Investment Counsel. He has presented on the topics of leasing and synthetic lease financing to the ACIC, Equipment Leasing and Finance Association as well as at a number of other conferences. Mr. Hickey is Chair of the Winchester, MA, Historical Commission, a local preservation instrumentality on which Mr. Hickey has served since 2000.

  • Representation of debt and equity investors in a €330 million build-to-suit cogen project in Germany for a major U.S. manufacturer. A synthetic lease structure was utilized to provide the manufacturer with operating lease treatment for U.S. GAAP purposes.
  • Representation of a private equity fund in a joint venture in the development, construction and financing of US$200 million chlor-alkali and bleach manufacturing facility to be located on an existing chemical production facility located in California. The financing was provided on a project finance basis in reliance upon chemical purchase contracts and utilizing an “opco-propco” structure.
  • Representation of an offshore fund in the acquisition of loans in the two most junior tranches of debt the repayment of which is to be made from participations in secured financings on four Airbus A330 aircraft owned by a major U.S. legacy carrier. This cross-border financing was structured to accommodate offset obligations due foreign parts suppliers.
  • Representation of a syndicate of debt and equity investors in a US$261 million synthetic lease build-to-suit financing of 1200 31,800 gallon tank cars on lease to a major U.S. oil company.
  • Representation of a private hedge fund in its development of a commercial aviation and MRO platform including negotiation of a revolving credit warehouse line and term loan facility, negotiation of numerous acquisitions of aircraft subject to leases with domestic and off-shore commercial lessees as well as purchase money financings outside of the line of credit.
  • Representation of major Asian bank in a US$220 million synthetic lease financing of two California campuses of a high-tech company including construction and term financing.
  • Representation of two major international banks in a synthetic lease financing of drill line equipment to be used off the shores of Brazil and leased to a Dutch lessee with parent guaranties in Switzerland and Bermuda.
  • Representation of nearly all of the lenders in the three most senior mezzanine loan tranches in the financing of US$4 billion EOP Manhattan portfolio acquisition.
  • Representation of HNW partnership in acquisition of a 48% interest in a coal-fired electrical plan in Georgia and related private placement.
  • Representation of owner and debt syndicate in a US$230 million bareboat charter/time charter financing of a newly constructed articulated tug-barge utilizing a Jones Act compliant coastwise citizen as the bareboat charterer.
  • Representation of an owner/operator of a 39MW photo voltaic solar power project in a permanent financing utilizing senior secured and second lien notes and a revolving credit facility.
  • Representation of joint venture in its acquisition of a portion of the common facilities supporting a coal-fired generatingunit.
  • Representation of the lessee in a synthetic lease financing of a build-to-suit facility including office space and light manufacturing.
  • Representation of a syndicate of lenders in a US$1 billion structured financing of royalty payments under a sale and license back of intellectual property by a life insurance company.
  • Representation of a developer of a 444MW photo voltaic solar power project with a municipal off taker utilizing taxable bond financing to be repaid through power prepayment by off taker.
  • Credit Facilities: Loan Agreements, Guarantees and Security — Structured Finance Institute's Conference on Negotiating and Drafting Major Commercial Agreements, Boston, MA (June 14, 2004)
  • Unraveling the Uncertainties of FASB Revised FIN46 — World Research Group's Financing Credit Tenant Lease Loans Forum, New York, NY (April 28, 2004)
  • Analyzing the Effects of the Rollout and Impact of FIN 46 — Institute for International Research 6th Annual Credit Tenant Leases and Synthetic Lease Structures Conference, New York, NY (October 16, 2003)
  • Proposed New Structures and Alternatives to Synthetic Leasing — Structured Finance Institute Off Balance Sheet Financing Conference, New York, NY (October 2, 2003)
  • Advantages and Disadvantages of Leveraged Lease Financing as a Synthetic Lease Alternative — Financing, Leasing and Monetizing Capital Assets Under the New FASB Accounting and SEC Reporting Rules Conference, New York, NY (January 27, 2003)
  • Alternatives to Synthetic Lease Financings — Structured Finance Institute: Opportunities for Off-Balance Sheet Financing, New York, NY (June 10, 2002)
Services Industries
    • Colby College, A.B., 1985
    • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1988
    • Massachusetts
    • Fellow, American College of Investment Counsel
    • CRE Finance Council
    • International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading
    • Vice Chairman, Winchester Historical Commission