HHR Associate Cynthia Liu Named a 'Rising Star' by Airfinance Journal

August 5, 2021 – Associate Cynthia Liu has been named a 2020 “Rising Star” by Airfinance Journal (AFJ), the publication’s annual list recognizing the most promising legal associates working in aviation finance.

Liu’s profile was featured in the July-August edition of AFJ’s bimonthly magazine, which recognized six promising legal associates in 2020.

The profile noted that Liu used her extensive aviation finance experience to help clients navigate complex aviation matters, citing two matters she served as counsel on: Airfinance Journal’s 2019’s “Middle East Deal of the Year” and “North America Deal of the Year.”

In the Middle East Deal of the Year, Liu was part of an HHR team that advised a group of financing parties, including Citigroup Global Markets and BNP Paribas, in a $500 million Islamic finance murahaba revolving warehouse facility for NCB Capital, a leading investment firm in the Middle East. Terry Sanders led the team, which also included Steve Chung, Walter Song and Alexander Friedman. M. Shams Billah advised on Islamic finance matters, LIBOR and other leveraged finance matters, while Alan Kravitz assisted on tax matters.

In the North America Deal of the Year, Liu assisted Chung in the firm’s representation of Hawaiian Airlines in the Japanese yen-denominated (JPY) financings of six Airbus aircraft. The deal, worth up to $233 million, consisted of two separate loan agreements and came on the heels of Hawaiian’s first-ever JPY financing.

“Cynthia has continued to earn recognition for her strong work ethic and dedication to the field and her ability to get the most innovative deals across the finish line,” Chung said of Liu’s recognition.