Thatcher A. Stone - Profile

Thatcher is a seasoned commercial finance, aviation, and structured finance attorney with a top AV rating. He has extensive experience collaborating with airlines, energy companies, manufacturers, financial institutions, and export credit agencies globally to navigate and resolve complex financial transactions. His renowned advocacy for airline passenger rights gained international acclaim following a landmark 2005 case against Continental Airlines in New York, establishing contractual passenger rights in cases of denied boarding. Thatcher possesses in-depth knowledge of export credit agencies, the credit rating processes at major national rating agencies like Moody's and S&P, and all aspects of the aviation sector. Presently, Thatcher represents clients pursuing legal action against foreign airlines in New York for denied boarding and discrimination, a domestic airline in New York for contract breaches, and is handling an appeal involving two airlines for a frequent flyer contract dispute in the Ninth Circuit. Additionally, Thatcher is actively involved in financing over 55 new jet aircraft for a European carrier, 35 new aircraft for an Asian carrier, and 5 new aircraft for a Latin American carrier, all with export credit backing. Demonstrating his versatile legal prowess, Thatcher played a key role in successfully unwinding a complex U.S. leveraged lease financing arrangement for manufacturing facilities that violated the IRS' limited use property regulations, resulting in substantial cost savings for the lessee operator upon termination.