Akin Gump today announced that Dasha Sobornova has joined the firm’s structured finance team as a partner in the firm’s London office. Ms. Sobornova joins Akin Gump from Mayer Brown, where she was a banking and finance partner, leading the firm’s European collateralized loan obligation (CLO) practice.

With a particular focus on CLO transactions, Ms. Sobornova’s practice involves advising arrangers, investment managers and issuers on a wide range of structured finance work.

She brings to the firm and its clients in-depth knowledge in EU and U.K. securitization regulation, acting as a transactional regulatory advisor in connection with a wide variety of securitization structures. Her extensive experience, including CLO warehouses, new issues, refinancings, resets and re-issues, serves to substantially enhance Akin Gump’s multidisciplinary international finance practice and adds key capability to its structured finance and securitization practice.

Ms. Sobornova’s appointment follows a number of finance partner hires to the London office in recent years, including, most recently, the arrival of partner Clare Cottle in April 2021. Her appointment also complements the practice of Deborah Festa, who joined the firm’s Los Angeles office in May 2021 and leads Akin Gump’s structured finance and securitization practice.

“Expanding Akin Gump’s structured finance capabilities out of our London office is a continued firm focus,” commented Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “Dasha is a highly knowledgeable and experienced practitioner who has worked on a wide variety of complex securitization transactions and restructurings. I am excited by the value she brings to our London office and global finance team, and her broad skill set will be of huge benefit to our U.K. and international clients.”

Ms. Festa said: “Dasha’s experience and breadth of knowledge advising clients in this technical and complex area will be of huge benefit to clients and to our wider finance practice. Her experience in European and U.K. securitization regulation will particularly enhance our global structured finance & securitization practice.”

On her appointment Dasha Sobornova said, “I am delighted to join Akin Gump’s best-in-class structured finance team and dynamic London office. Akin Gump has a sterling reputation in the marketplace, and I look forward to putting my knowledge and experience to work on behalf of our clients.”