Focuses on a wide variety of financing transactions, representing private equity sponsors, hedge funds, financial investors, special situation investors, portfolio companies and other corporate borrowers.
Drives direct lending and special situation transactions, as well as leading the finance aspects of complex restructuring transactions.
Experience structuring a range of fund financings, as well as investment grade and corporate lending.
Co-leader of the firm’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) group.

Amy Kennedy structures a wide variety of financing transactions across the credit spectrum, focusing on special situations transactions.

Amy also advises in the direct lending and private credit space, and structures leveraged financing arrangements for complex leveraged buyouts. She has also worked on a range of complex international and cross-border banking and restructuring transactions. Amy is also experienced in more general lending, including investment grade and corporate transactions. In addition, Amy leads fund financing transactions, including net asset value (NAV), general partner (GP) and subscription lines.

Her clients include private equity sponsors, special situations investors, banks and other financial institutions (including hedge funds, non-bank alternative capital providers and direct lenders) and corporates (including client portfolio companies).

Amy has experience with complex senior/mezzanine/second-lien structures, payment-in-kind (PIK) lending, high yield, unitranche/private placement and U.S. financings. Amy has also represented both banks and corporations in Islamic/Shari’ah based lending, including co-conventional structures.

Amy has worked across a number of sectors including health, oil and gas, telecommunications, real estate and retail.

Amy is co-leader of our environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) group and has experience in cutting-edge green and sustainability-linked financial products in the public and private debt markets.

Prior to joining Akin, Amy was a partner in the global finance and private equity practice groups in a leading global law firm. She has practiced in London, New York and Dubai.

In 2019, Amy was identified by The Lawyer as one of their “Hot 100” and named a “Rising Star in Finance” at the annual Euromoney Legal Media Group Europe Women in Business Law Awards. She is also included in Legal 500 UK 2020 for Real Estate—commercial property investment and Real Estate—property finance. She is also ranked as Highly Regarded in IFLR1000 2020 for Banking. Amy is listed by the Euromoney Legal Media Group’s inaugural Rising Stars Awards for the practice area category banking and finance and also as a Rising Star in the country category for the United Kingdom.

Representative Work

Advising Bain Capital Special Situations on its funding of a merger between The Markerstudy Group and Atlanta Group, The Ardonagh Group’s personal lines broking business, to create a major new player in the U.K. insurance market.
Advising a private equity investment firm on the restructuring of its portfolio company, a South African headquartered health and wellness business.
Advising a private equity investment firm on its offer to buy-back GPB890m of lender debt through a reverse Dutch auction – the first of its kind in the European debt market.
Advising the ad hoc group of lenders on the refinancing of Hurtigruten AS, a Norwegian cruise line and coastal ferry business.
Advising HPS Investment Partners in the refinancing of Havila Kystruten, a Norwegian shipping company.
In relation to the $1.9 billion financial restructuring of Swissport, advised a PIK lender group on a €500 million new long-term debt facility and a €300 million super senior interim financing.

In relation to the $872 million financial restructuring of PGS ASA, advised an ad hoc lender group on facilities consisting of a $135 million revolving credit facility (RCF), $215 million RCF and $522 million term loan B (TLB). In connection with the restructuring of its RCF and TLB facilities, advised on a series of amendments to its approximately $300 million export credit facilities.
Advising in connection with the financing arrangements for the acquisition of a leading U.K. modular building construction specialist (and its subsidiaries) by a provider of investment capital for small and mid-sized companies in the U.K. and Western Europe.
Advising the creditors in connection with additional financing provided to a cosmetics company, including the inclusion of a third-party Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) facility, and re-negotiated intercreditor and security package.
Advised Fremont Realty Capital on its financing arrangements for the acquisition of Porthaven Care Homes Group.*
Advised on financing arrangements in connection with a real estate portfolio acquisition (and subsequent disposal) by Apollo.*
Advised Investcorp on its sale of GL Education to Levine Leichtman Capital Partners.*
Advised a U.K. listed PLC on its financing arrangements (including in connection with an initial public offering (IPO) and subsequent refinancing).*
Advised Blackstone and Fajr Capital on their sale of a minority investment in GEMS Education.*
Advised Centerbridge Partners in connection with its investment in M7 Real Estate and related transactions.*
Advised William Hill on the financing arrangements of its agreement with NeoGames to develop and supply a Player Account Management System for William Hill’s proprietary U.S. betting and gaming platform.*
Advised the Abu Dhabi Investment Bank in connection with certain financing arrangements (including Shari’ah and co-Shari’ah/conventional financings).*
Advised PT Medco in connection with certain reserve based lending (RBL) facilities.*
Advised Investcorp in connection with the refinancing of one of its portfolio companies.*
Advised Kindred Group plc. on its financing arrangements for the acquisition of 32Red plc.*
Advised William Hill on its financing arrangements for the acquisition (and subsequent disposal) of OpenBet.*
Advised Navios Maritime Partners in connection with certain affiliate transactions and related financing arrangements.*
Advised Neuberger Berman in connection with certain financing arrangements.*
Advised Xylem Inc. on its financing arrangements in connection with various acquisitions.*
Advised Iason Hellenic in connection with the refinancing of certain of its financing arrangements.*
Advised Miami’s Crescent Heights on its financing arrangements for the acquisition of Vintners’ Place.*
Advised Taghleef on its TLB financing arrangements.*
Advised the Dubai pay-TV firm OSN in connection with its syndicated term loan and RCFs.*
Advised WellTower on the financing of the acquisition of Signature Care Home.*
Advised Bain Capital Credit on their investment in the refinancing of Humana AB.*
Advised OMERS and V.ships on a refinancing of its existing debt facilities.*
Advised Findus on its €200 million PIK notes issuance.*
Advised Advent International’s €1.1 billion public-to-private acquisition of UNIT4 N.V.*
Advised Hellman & Friedman on their €1.7 billion acquisition of Scout24.*

* Experience prior to joining Akin

In relation to the $872 million financial restructuring of PGS ASA, advised an ad hoc lender group on facilities consisting of a $135 million revolving credit facility (RCF), $215 million RCF and $522 million term loan B (TLB). In connection with the restructuring of its RCF and TLB facilities, advised on a series of amendments to its approximately $300 million export credit facilities.
Advising in connection with the financing arrangements for the acquisition of a leading U.K. modular building construction specialist (and its subsidiaries) by a provider of investment capital for small and mid-sized companies in the U.K. and Western Europe.
Advising the creditors in connection with additional financing provided to a cosmetics company, including the inclusion of a third-party Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) facility, and re-negotiated intercreditor and security package.
Advised Fremont Realty Capital on its financing arrangements for the acquisition of Porthaven Care Homes Group.*
Advised on financing arrangements in connection with a real estate portfolio acquisition (and subsequent disposal) by Apollo.*
Advised Investcorp on its sale of GL Education to Levine Leichtman Capital Partners.*
Advised a U.K. listed PLC on its financing arrangements (including in connection with an initial public offering (IPO) and subsequent refinancing).*
Advised Blackstone and Fajr Capital on their sale of a minority investment in GEMS Education.*
Advised Centerbridge Partners in connection with its investment in M7 Real Estate and related transactions.*
Advised William Hill on the financing arrangements of its agreement with NeoGames to develop and supply a Player Account Management System for William Hill’s proprietary U.S. betting and gaming platform.*
Advised the Abu Dhabi Investment Bank in connection with certain financing arrangements (including Shari’ah and co-Shari’ah/conventional financings).*
Advised PT Medco in connection with certain reserve based lending (RBL) facilities.*
Advised Investcorp in connection with the refinancing of one of its portfolio companies.*
Advised Kindred Group plc. on its financing arrangements for the acquisition of 32Red plc.*
Advised William Hill on its financing arrangements for the acquisition (and subsequent disposal) of OpenBet.*
Advised Navios Maritime Partners in connection with certain affiliate transactions and related financing arrangements.*
Advised Neuberger Berman in connection with certain financing arrangements.*
Advised Xylem Inc. on its financing arrangements in connection with various acquisitions.*
Advised Iason Hellenic in connection with the refinancing of certain of its financing arrangements.*
Advised Miami’s Crescent Heights on its financing arrangements for the acquisition of Vintners’ Place.*
Advised Taghleef on its TLB financing arrangements.*
Advised the Dubai pay-TV firm OSN in connection with its syndicated term loan and RCFs.*
Advised WellTower on the financing of the acquisition of Signature Care Home.*
Advised Bain Capital Credit on their investment in the refinancing of Humana AB.*
Advised OMERS and V.ships on a refinancing of its existing debt facilities.*
Advised Findus on its €200 million PIK notes issuance.*
Advised Advent International’s €1.1 billion public-to-private acquisition of UNIT4 N.V.*
Advised Hellman & Friedman on their €1.7 billion acquisition of Scout24.*

* Experience prior to joining Akin

Education
L.P.C., Inns of Court School of Law, 2006
M.A., University of Oxford, 2005

Bar Admissions
Solicitor, England and Wales

Recognitions

Legal 500 UK, 2022 - Bank Lending: Investment Grade Debt and Syndicated Loans and Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Power.
Euromoney Expert Guides: Rising Stars 2020 and 2021, United Kingdom – Banking and finance, 2020 and 2021.
IFLR1000, 2020 - Ranked as Highly Regarded for Banking.
Named in The Lawyer’s “Hot 100” 2019.
Euromoney Europe Women in Business Law Awards - Named “Rising Star in Finance” at the annual awards.

Speeches and Publications

Speaker, “Emergence of ESG Transparency – U.S. and EU Developments” Webinar, April 15, 2021.
Moderator, “Applying Reporting Standards and Tools: UNPRI, TCFD, SASB” Webinar, MFA ESG 2021, April 6, 2021.
“An Introduction to the Issues and Challenges for Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Investing,” ACIC CLE Webinar, January 2021.
“ESG Regulation: Are you Ready to Disclose?,” ELFA and Akin Webinar, London, November 2020.
“Financing Trends and Regulatory Changes,” ELFA and Akin Webinar, London, November 2020.
“Exploring European Bonds, Loans and Covenants,” Podcast, London, May 2020.