Ilia Dvorkin

Ilia advises on project finance, asset finance, restructurings, and bespoke capital solutions, supporting clients through complex cross-border transactions. 

• Supported clients on ECA-backed financings and multi-jurisdictional refinancing deals in emerging markets.  

• Acted for major regional and international banks on secured and syndicated lending facilities for aviation acquisition

Ilia leads major aircraft leasing and financing transactions, including PDP financing, sale‑and‑leasebacks, and cross‑border regulatory structures. 

• Advised major global lessors and Russian flag carriers on PDP financing for A320neos and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. 

• Acted for a major international lessor in a cross-border sale and leaseback of a fleet of narrowbody aircraft into CIS, with customs and tax optimisation.  

• Acted for numerous major international lessors and banks in relation to their operating lease portfolios in the CIS region. 

Ilia is one of the first CIS lawyers to successfully lead a high-profile aircraft repossession and has advised international lessors, insurers, and banks on multiple enforcement actions and repossessions worldwide. 

• Secured court-approved repossession and deregistration of aircraft for a major lessor in Eastern Europe following default.  

• Advised a global lessor on asset recovery strategy after airline insolvency in CIS jurisdictions, including export logistics.  

• Managed enforcement claims and dispute resolution on behalf of ECAfunded lenders, preparing for cross-border enforcement actions.  

• Developed tailored repossession roadmaps for insurers and financiers, ensuring compliance with deregistration and export protocols across multiple legal regimes.  

Ilia frequently integrates maritime asset financing within broader structured facilities, advising on multi-asset collateral packages involving shipping assets.

• Advised a structured finance sponsor on a mixed-collateral multiasset facility, securing both aircraft and shipping assets.  

• Assisted investment banks and private investors with facility structuring that included maritime vessels under unified security structures.  

• Advised a Middle Eastern client on the financing of multiple vessels operated by a Norwegian shipping company.  

• Advised an international leasing company on an ECA-supported loan to finance several cruise vessels built in Finland.