Mr. Kohler has more than 30 years of legal experience in the equipment financing and syndication industry, during which time he has provided advice and counsel to the world's largest non-bank financial services company, as well as national and regional banks and financial institutions, senior executives, officers, and other senior-level employees in both in-house and private practice. Mr. Kohler has a reputation of being a highly effective facilitator between buyers and sellers and financing parties and customers of all types of equipment financing and syndication transactions.
Before joining Baker Donelson, Mr. Kohler served as the general counsel of GE's Capital Markets group, where he managed and/or provided the lead internal legal support on the syndication and sale of more than $48 billion of equipment financing transactions. While there, he oversaw the implementation of any new syndication programs and products, helped maintain the company's broker-dealer license and compliance with laws, and supported portfolio sales and one-off syndications relating to all types of equipment financing transactions originated by GE Capital's numerous equipment financing businesses, including fleet, corporate aircraft, marine, motor vehicle, manufacturing, commercial and industrial, trailer, IT, health care, vendor and railcar. In addition, as region and senior counsel at GE Capital, Mr. Kohler provided the lead legal support on the structuring, negotiation, documentation, review and closing of the acquisition of more than $2.3 billion of indirect equipment leasing and financing transactions across dozens of collateral types.
Mr. Kohler brings all this experience to his clients, advising them on all equipment leasing and finance matters, as well as motor vehicle fleet financing and titling trusts, capital markets and syndication matters, broker-dealer compliance, and general corporate and commercial transactions, including third-party purchase or financing.
Mr. Kohler is very actively involved in writing, speaking, and committee activities within the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA).