Leslie A. Plaskon

LESLIE PLASKON serves as a global co-leader of the firm’s Global Finance practice and is a member of the firm's Executive Committee. Leslie represents alternative lenders, investors, hedge funds, traditional banks, and investment banks, as well as borrowers and sponsors. She specifically focuses her practice on complex finance transactions, cross-border matters, and intercreditor arrangements, including asset-based and cash flow facilities, first lien and second lien transactions, split collateral, unitranches, and “FILO” facilities. Leslie has extensive experience with distressed situations, debt restructurings, and bankruptcy matters, including debtor-in-possession and exit financing facilities, exchange offers, restructuring support agreements, credit bid arrangements, 363 sales, and Chapter 11 plans. She has advised banks, agents, direct and specialty lenders, investors, and steering committees in Chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, and workouts.

Leslie’s practice covers an expansive range of industries including retail, manufacturing, healthcare, agribusiness, technology, publishing, packaging, aerospace, energy, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, transportation, shipping, real estate, financial services, food services, food and beverage, and restaurants. She has in-depth experience with deals of all sizes, from bi-lateral domestic financings and “club” deals for middle market companies to more broadly-syndicated credit facilities for large publicly traded companies, as well as private sponsor-owned businesses with cross-border operations.

Leslie has been recognized in Chambers USA for New York Banking & Finance (2025). She was shortlisted as the “Structured Finance Lawyer of the Year” at the 2024 Women in Business Law Americas Awards and was recognized in The Secured Lender's March 2023 issue of “Women in Secured Finance.” She has been profiled in ABF Journal’s 2021 inaugural “Top Women in Asset-Based Lending” feature, which highlights the career paths of the most influential and innovative women in the industry. She has been recognized as a “visionary in strategy and forward planning” by Legal 500, and has also been recognized as Highly Regarded by IFLR 1000.

Prior to joining Sidley, Leslie was a partner at another global law firm.

Leslie’s experience includes the following representations:

• An ad hoc group of secured lenders in Vertex Energy, Inc., et al., a leading energy transition company and marketer of high-quality refined products in their Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Secured a restructuring support agreement for the ad hoc group of prepetition lenders, which provided debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing consisting of US$80 million in new money plus US$200 million roll-up financing.
• BowFlex Inc., a global marketer, developer, and manufacturer of health and fitness equipment that was sold under several canopy fitness brands, including BowFlex, Nautilus, Schwinn and JRNY. Successfully obtained court approval and confirmation of their Chapter 11 liquidation plan in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. The confirmation of BowFlex’s Chapter 11 plan followed a US$37.5m sale of substantially all of their assets.
• WhiteHawk Capital Partners in connection with providing financing to newly formed acquisition vehicles of Brigade Capital Management, LP and Macellum Capital Management, LLC.
• Funds affiliated with Whitebox Advisors, ATW Partners, Wazee Street Capital Management, Morningside Ventures, Highbridge Capital Management, in the bankruptcy proceedings of Rockley Photonics Holdings Limited, resulting in the debt for equity exchange of their secured debt holdings and in their provision of exit financing to the debtor.
• Whitebox Advisors and other investors in the financing of the acquisition of a conventional oil refinery in Mobile, Alabama and the funding for its conversion to renewable diesel by Vertex Energy, Inc.
• Great American Capital Partners in connection with a FILO term loan to Vitamin Shoppe.
• Great American Capital Partners as administrative agent and lender in connection with acquisition financings for Franchise Group, Inc.
• WhiteHawk Capital Partners LP, as administrative agent and collateral agent, in connection with a US$116 million secured asset-based term loan facility with crossing liens and third lien debt to a manufacturer in the automotive industry.
• Nautilus, Inc. and its subsidiaries, a worldwide marketer, developer, and manufacturer of fitness equipment, as borrower, in a US$30 million secured term loan credit facility with Crystal Financial SPV LLC, as a lender and Crystal Financial LLC d/b/a SLR Credit Solutions, as agent.
• IAA, Inc., as borrower, in connection with the refinancing of an existing revolver and term loan with a new revolver and term loan facility.
• New Sbarro Finance, Inc., as borrower, in connection with a secured term loan credit facility.
• Whitebox Advisors and other investors in the purchase of US$81.5 million aggregate principal amount of Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2026 and warrants to purchase approximately 26.5 million ordinary shares of Rockley Photonics Holdings Limited.
• EQT Private Equity and PRO Unlimited in connection with PRO Unlimited’s acquisition of Workforce Logiq.
• United Airlines in connection with its financing agreement with Avianca Holdings S.A., alongside Kingsland Holdings Limited.
• Several large financial institutions in a US$8.7 billion acquisition financing of PetSmart, the largest specialty pet retailer, by a consortium led by BC Partners.
• The administrative agent in connection with a reserve-based credit facility and financing of a large cap sponsor’s US$2.2 billion acquisition.
• GA Capital, as administrative agent in US$150 million term loan financing for Sears Canada.
• The lead financial advisor in a US$350 million acquisition financing of a trailer leasing operator.
• Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. as agent, and other joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners of a US$415 million asset-based revolving loan credit facility to XPO Logistics, Inc., an intermodal and logistics management company.
• A large financial institution in connection with a US$150 million asset-based revolving facility to a global provider of medical device solutions.
• The agent in the restructuring of an international manufacturer of playground equipment. 
• Morgan Stanley, as agent, on the US$700 million bankruptcy exit financing to a leading global auto supplier of climate, interior, and electronic systems to global automotive original equipment manufacturers. 
• Great Rock Capital, GA Capital, TPG, and other alternative lenders in connection with numerous financings, including PCX Aerostructure, General Wireless, Wood-Mode, Evine, Reichhold Chemicals, Hancock Fabrics, and Sypris Inc.
• Furniture Brands, Centerline, and other borrowers in various finance facilities.

In addition, Leslie has represented either the agent bank, lender group, or steering committee in the bankruptcy cases or out-of-court restructures involving, among others, CHC Helicopters, SandRidge Energy, Southcross Energy Partners, RG Steel, BearingPoint, Eddie Bauer, New Vision Broadcasting, American Safety Razor, Greatwide Logistics Services, Leiner Health Products, Lenox China Inc., and Allegiance Telecom.

Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

• Member, ABF Journal Editorial Board
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Turnaround Management Association
• Member, American Bankruptcy Institute