A decade in, A&O Shearman’s Leveraged Finance Training Camp draws its biggest audience yet

Attendees represented more than 75 firms across banking, private credit, private equity, and financial advisory, including many of the most respected institutions in the market.

The keynote session featured Mark Jagiela, managing director of capital markets at Providence Equity Partners, in conversation with Todd Koretzky, the A&O Shearman partner who founded LFTC a decade ago. Mark offered a sponsor-side perspective on today’s leveraged finance landscape, exploring the evolving interplay between the private credit and syndicated markets, the strategic value of holistic institutional relationships, innovation in financing structures, sector and transatlantic dynamics, and his outlook for deal activity amid shifting market and macro conditions. He also shared advice for young professionals navigating a career in leveraged finance. 

Through presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions led by A&O Shearman partners, attendees gained practical insights into the leveraged finance deal cycle and market dynamics. The agenda covered the anatomy of a leveraged capital structure, financing commitments, credit agreements, restructuring fundamentals, covenant navigation, and liability management exercises. The program also showcased the depth and breadth that recent partner hires have added to the firm’s U.S. finance platform:

• Joe Brown, a Restructuring partner, co-presented “Restructuring Fundamentals” alongside Debt Finance partner Maura O'Sullivan and Restructuring partners Ned Schodek and Sara Coelho, as well as “Case Studies in Covenant Utilization” with Debt Finance partners Gordon Mak and Keith Fujiu.
• Jan Sysel, a Fund Finance partner, co-presented “Anatomy of a Leveraged Capital Structure,” one of LFTC’s core sessions, along with Debt Finance partners Jeff Pellegrino and Keith Fujiu and Markets Innovation Group (MIG) partner Karen Buzard as moderator.
• Christopher Kwan, a Debt Finance partner, joined Jake Mincemoyer, global co-head of Debt Finance, and Debt Finance partner Ilona Potiha Laor for the “Broadly Syndicated vs. Private Credit” session on only his second day at the firm.
  
  Extending LFTC’s reach into Texas, Andrew Lanius, head of U.S. Energy and Infrastructure Finance and another recent addition to the firm, hosted the program’s first-ever viewing event in Houston.

“When we launched LFTC ten years ago, the goal was to provide a clear, practical view of how deals come together while navigating evolving market and legal dynamics,” said Todd Koretzky. “We never expected the level of participation and enthusiasm that we have seen over the past decade. Thank you to everyone who joined us or encouraged your teams to join us over the years—we look forward to seeing you again soon.” 

For more information on LFTC or to contact our debt finance team, please email LevFinTrainingCamp@aoshearman.com.