Biography: Capital Markets

John Woodhall is a partner and co-head of Sidley's global finance practice in London which comprises a team of over 50 lawyers.

Mr Woodhall has worked in the securitisation market since its inception in the UK and was closely involved with the development of securitisation in Asia during the mid to late 90s. He has been in the forefront of the development of securitisations including advising in relation to the first European based pan-European ABCP Programme; the first non-performing loan securitisations in Europe; the first CMBS structures in Hong Kong; the first auto loan securitisations in Indonesia and Thailand; one of the first securitisations of non-renminbi earnings (shipping freight) by a Chinese state entity, and exotic asset classes ranging from champagne stocks to music publishing rights and satellite broadcast income to litigation claim proceeds.

More recently, he has advised on the restructuring of many of these products including acting for a government in Asia in relation to the Lehman Minibond situation, advising a leading hedge fund in relation to the restructuring of its international bank lines and related debt/asset swaps, advising in relation to the restructuring of a €1 billion pan-European trade receivables securitisation and advising in relation to CMBS restructuring proposals.

Mr Woodhall's most recent experience includes advising a major US leasing company in relation to the securitisation of its UK lease book and advising on financing structures designed to achieve SRT and other regulatory capital relief under the CRD and Basel II/III regimes.

He recently co-chaired a roundtable discussion at Sidley's offices on the current issues in the CMBS market. A diverse group of more than 30 CMBS bondholders, servicers and special servicers, restructuring advisers, borrowers and arrangers attended the discussion. He is a regular speaker at securitisation conferences in the UK and Europe.

Mr Woodhall has been recognised by clients as a 'Leading Lawyer' in the field in structured finance and securitisation in the recently published Chambers UK 2010 Guide. The global Sidley structured finance and securitisation team is ranked in the top tier in the Chambers Global 2010 Guide.

Mr Woodhall received his LLB from the University of Leicester in 1977. He is an English solicitor.