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    Lee Adler photograph

    Lee R. Adler

    Partner

    New Orleans
    504-584-9351
    lee.adler@phelps.com
    Areas Of Focus
    BusinessFinance and Lending

    Lee Adler knows how to bring parties together to achieve a common goal and close the right deal. He works with regional, national and global financial and  heavy industry clients, including shipyards, offshore services providers and their investors, directing all phases of transactions to buy, sell, lease, lend and borrow. Clients rely on Lee’s ability to forge constructive business relationships that keep deals moving forward on time and with his client’s priorities top-of-mind.

    Lee partners with clients on the full lifecycle of each transaction, including structuring the parties, drafting the terms, and helping them meet contractual obligations long after the deal is done. A seasoned negotiator, he keeps an eye on both the big picture and the details, and how different options affect not just the deal, but the client’s business overall.

    In addition to his heavy industry, finance and maritime transactional practice, Lee’s experience extends to the entertainment, gaming and professional sports sectors.

    Lee’s practice is also heavy on representation of lenders and borrowers in loan transactions, providing working capital facilities, term loans and construction and permanent financings of:

      • Hotels
      • Manufacturing plants
      • Movie theaters
      • Nursing homes
      • Paper mills
      • Restaurants
      • Riverboat casinos
      • Television and radio stations
      • Vessels

    Outside of his legal practice, Lee is active in his community, fostering educational opportunities for often underrepresented students through his work with several local nonprofits.

    In addition to his heavy industry, finance and maritime transactional practice, Lee’s experience extends to the entertainment, gaming and professional sports sectors.

    Lee’s practice is also heavy on representation of lenders and borrowers in loan transactions, providing working capital facilities, term loans and construction and permanent financings of:

      • Hotels
      • Manufacturing plants
      • Movie theaters
      • Nursing homes
      • Paper mills
      • Restaurants
      • Riverboat casinos
      • Television and radio stations
      • Vessels

    Outside of his legal practice, Lee is active in his community, fostering educational opportunities for often underrepresented students through his work with several local nonprofits.

    Experience

    • Counseled borrower for credit facility to provide construction and permanent financing of four tugboats to be chartered to an LNG plant operator.
    • Structured multimillion-dollar loan for leading U.S. marine transportation solutions providers to finance construction of the first-ever U.S. flagged, Jones Act-compliant windfarm service operations vessel (SOV).
    • Represented leading Gulf Coast shipyard in its $28.6 million acquisition of the shipyard division of a peer company. The deal helped our client expand its new construction and repair capacity to better serve its key defense and commercial customers.
    • Counseled borrower for issuance of notes in a private placement to provide construction and permanent financing of 15 vessels and barges to be chartered for tanker escort and related services for the operator of the Alaska Pipeline in Valdez, AK. Further represented affiliated companies for acquisitions of properties.
    • Structured a $100 million financing deal for an emerging clean energy startup, and in a separate $90 million credit facility. The deal helped the client improve its service offerings and expand to additional states.
    • Advised the largest privately-owned and operated shipbuilder in the United States in its acquisition of nearby Gulf Coast facilities.
    • Worked with major utility company to oversee and negotiate multiple debt transactions.
    • Advised owner in the acquisition of a minority share of a NBA franchise.
    • Helped lenders secure multiple motion picture financings. 
    • Advised the largest privately-owned and operated shipbuilder in the United States in its acquisition of nearby Gulf Coast facilities.
    • Worked with major utility company to oversee and negotiate multiple debt transactions.
    • Advised owner in the acquisition of a minority share of a NBA franchise.
    • Helped lenders secure multiple motion picture financings. 

    Insights

    • August 15, 2024

      185 Phelps Lawyers Chosen for Best Lawyers in America, 20 Named "Lawyer of the Year," 26 Added to “Ones to Watch” List…

    • June 6, 2024

      Chambers USA Guide 2024 Ranks 24 Phelps Practice Areas and 69 Lawyers…

    More +
    • November 2, 2023

      Sixteen Phelps Attorneys Honored on New Orleans Magazine’s Top Lawyers List…

    • August 17, 2023

      Best Lawyers in America Selects 208 Phelps Lawyers, Names 12 "Lawyer of the Year," Adds 47 to "Ones to Watch" List…

    • June 1, 2023

      Chambers USA 2023 Ranks 20 Phelps Practice Areas and 60 Lawyers…

    • November 17, 2022

      Phelps Represents Bollinger Shipyards in Acquisition of VT Halter Marine and ST Engineering Halter Marine Offshore…

    • August 18, 2022

      Best Lawyers in America Selects 158 Phelps Lawyers, Names 10 "Lawyer of the Year," Adds 40 to "Ones to Watch" List…

    • June 1, 2022

      Chambers USA 2022 Ranks 19 Phelps Practice Areas and 56 Lawyers…

    • November 1, 2021

      Twenty Phelps Lawyers Named Top Lawyers by New Orleans Magazine…

    • May 20, 2021

      Chambers USA 2021 Ranks 18 Phelps Practice Areas and 52 Lawyers…

    • April 23, 2021

      Phelps Represents Bollinger Shipyards in $28.6 Million Acquisition of Gulf Island Fabrication’s Shipyard Division…

    • October 5, 2020

      Two Phelps Partners Welcomed to New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law Hall of Fame…

    • August 20, 2020

      127 Phelps Lawyers Selected to Best Lawyers in America, 16 Named "Lawyer of the Year" and 37 Chosen for First Class of "Ones to Watch"…

    • February 4, 2019

      Phelps Team Advises PosiGen on $90M Credit Facility…

    Recognition

    • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
    • Banking and Finance Law (2015-2025), Real Estate Law (2010-2025), Securitization and Structured Finance Law (2011-2025), "Lawyer of the Year" Securitization and Structured Finance Law (2025), The Best Lawyers in America
    • Best Lawyers list, Biz New Orleans (2017-2021)
    • Louisiana Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (2007-2008, 2013-2016)
    • Leadership in Law, New Orleans CityBusiness (2012, 2018, 2020 Hall of Fame)
    • Top Lawyers, New Orleans Magazine (2012-2021)
    • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business - Marine Finance
    • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
    • Banking and Finance Law (2015-2025), Real Estate Law (2010-2025), Securitization and Structured Finance Law (2011-2025), "Lawyer of the Year" Securitization and Structured Finance Law (2025), The Best Lawyers in America
    • Best Lawyers list, Biz New Orleans (2017-2021)
    • Louisiana Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (2007-2008, 2013-2016)
    • Leadership in Law, New Orleans CityBusiness (2012, 2018, 2020 Hall of Fame)
    • Top Lawyers, New Orleans Magazine (2012-2021)
    • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business - Marine Finance

    Education

    • Tulane University Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1988
    • Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1985
    • Tulane University Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1988
    • Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1985

    Credentials

    • Louisiana
    • Louisiana

    Memberships and Affiliations

    Professional

    • Louisiana State Bar Association
    • American Bar Association
    • Louisiana Bankers Association

    Civic

    • Success Preparatory Academy - Former Chairman
    • Breakthrough Collaborative Educational Program - Former President
    • Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) - Former President
    • Isidore Newman School - Former Board of Governors
    • Newman Alumni Association - Former President
    • New Orleans Vanderbilt Club - Former President
    • Young Leadership Council’s RECreate New Orleans

    Professional

    • Louisiana State Bar Association
    • American Bar Association
    • Louisiana Bankers Association

    Civic

    • Success Preparatory Academy - Former Chairman
    • Breakthrough Collaborative Educational Program - Former President
    • Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) - Former President
    • Isidore Newman School - Former Board of Governors
    • Newman Alumni Association - Former President
    • New Orleans Vanderbilt Club - Former President
    • Young Leadership Council’s RECreate New Orleans
    • Overview
    • Experience
    • Insights
    • Recognition
    • Education
    • Credentials
    • Memberships and Affiliations

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    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Real Estate
    • Maritime
    • Real Estate and Construction
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