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Elizabeth Taraila

Senior Counsel

Liz’s practice focuses on representing financial institutions in their roles as corporate trustees and agents. Her experience includes handling complex debt structures and risk management. In addition to her law firm practice, Liz also has practical business experience both as in-house counsel and as a default specialist for two top corporate trustees.

Liz's expertise encompasses an extensive range of financial products (including standalone bond issuances, MTN programmes, project bonds, CLOs and securitisations, project finance transactions, and leveraged and acquisition financing), from conception and origination through amendments, distress, default and litigation. She works with a diverse range of clients around the globe.

Her strategic approach to legal challenges is backed by a deep understanding of the business implications of each transaction. Liz is driven by a passion for helping clients navigate the complexities of corporate finance with clarity and foresight.

Experience

Representative matters

  • Luckin Coffee Inc. Cayman Islands joint provisional liquidation: A global financial institution, as trustee/creditor, on the Luckin Coffee Inc. Cayman Islands joint provisional liquidation and related Chapter 15 recognition proceedings.
  • The Hertz Corporation Chapter 11 Bankruptcy: A global financial institution, as trustee/creditor, on The Hertz Corporation United States Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
  • Agrokor d.d. Croatian extraordinary administration procedure: A global financial institution, as trustee/creditor, on the Agrokor d.d. Croatian extraordinary administration procedure and related Chapter 15 recognition proceedings.
  • JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup's RMBS global settlements: Lead default account manager for a bank, as trustee, on JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s and Citigroup’s RMBS billion dollar global settlements related to various RMBS put-back claims.
  • Advising BNY Mellon, as trustee/creditor, on the Europcar Mobility Group S.A. French safeguard proceedings and related Chapter recognition15 proceedings (prior firm experience).
  • Lead in-house counsel advising BNY Mellon, as trustee/creditor, on the Wind Hellas EUR1.8bn Restructuring in the United Kingdom (prior work experience).
  • Lead in-house counsel advising BNY Mellon, as trustee/creditor, on the Belvedere SA French safeguard proceedings (prior work experience).
  • Lead in-house counsel advising BNY Mellon, as trustee/creditor, on the USD5bn Lehman Brothers’ Dante repackaging programme in Lehman Brothers’ United States Chapter 11 Bankruptcy (prior work experience).
  • Sallie Mae on the private placement of USD3bn student loan-backed auction rate notes and reset rate notes (including EUR750m and GBP500m reset rate note tranches) issued by SLM Student Loan Trust 2003-10 (prior firm experience).

Qualifications

Admissions

Attorney-at-Law, New York, 1998

Academic

J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 1996

B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1992

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.