In the latest of a number of new hires in its Baltimore office, Baker Donelson has added Gregory J. Faherty, an attorney with more than 15 years of experience navigating complex commercial transactions in the areas of equipment finance and general commercial lending.
Mr. Faherty, who joins as a shareholder in the Firm's Financial Services Transactions Group, represents a range of clients in the areas of equipment finance and general commercial lending matters. His practice includes drafting, documenting and negotiating equipment transactions from inception through closing. He provides advice and counsel on direct originations, as well as a wide range of syndicated transactions. In addition, he advises clients on the documentation of core middle-market equipment assets in the transportation, vendor, corporate aircraft, marine, rail and vehicle/fleet industries.
Mr. Faherty previously served as a Senior Vice President/Director of Operations for Bridge Funding Group, a national subsidiary of BankUnited, with a portfolio of equipment and franchise transactions that, at its height, exceeded $2 billion. He gained firsthand experience with the legal and compliance implications of lease/loan documentation, and he handled originations and syndications of all varieties of commercial transactions. Mr. Faherty also served as a Senior Vice President/Documentation Group Manager for Capital One Equipment Finance and a Vice President/Operations Manager for SunTrust Equipment Finance & Leasing Corp.
Frank C. Bonaventure, co-chair of the Firm's Financial Services Transactions Group and a shareholder in the Baltimore office, said, "Greg is a strong strategic addition to our specialty financial transactions practice, which continues to grow. He brings an outstanding legal background in handling complex specialty-equipment assets, including aircraft, marine and railcar finance. Our clients will benefit from his ability to provide legal counsel on matters involving equipment loans and leases with target transactions ranging in value up to $50 million."
Mr. Faherty is the latest attorney to join Baker Donelson in a months-long hiring spree, including a number of significant new hires in the Baltimore office. The Firm recently announced the additions there of health care regulatory attorney Robert Wells and trial attorney Constantine "Gus" Themelis. Other notable additions in Baltimore have included former general counsel for Volvo Financial Services (USA) Bonnie L. Michael, trust and estate planning attorney Bridgette E. Becker, and energy project and infrastructure development attorney Joseph G. Tirone.
Baker Donelson's lateral hire activity has also extended beyond Baltimore. In October, the Firm expanded its geographic reach into a new market, announcing the addition of a team of six North Carolina health care attorneys. Through the hiring of more than 25 shareholders and of counsel across its existing footprint in 2021, the Firm has also added attorneys in its corporate, technology, privacy, energy, global business, real estate, and litigation practices.