New York, NY – September 23, 2019 – Seward & Kissel LLP announced today that effective January 1, 2020, partner Michael S. Timpone has been appointed head of the firm’s Maritime and Transportation Finance Group, and partners Edward S. (Ted) Horton and Keith J. Billotti have been appointed co-heads of the firm’s Maritime and Transportation Capital Markets and Corporate Securities Group.

Timpone has earned an international reputation for shipping finance with ground-breaking transactional work. He has received consistent recognition throughout his career, including Lloyd’s List’s North American Deal of the Year award for an inventive deal he structured for Ridgebury Tankers. Timpone currently serves as chair of the Marine Financing Committee for the Maritime Law Association of the United States and has been recognized by Chambers USA and Chambers Global for Transportation/Shipping: Finance. Timpone succeeds Larry Rutkowski, widely acknowledged as the preeminent shipping finance lawyer in the world. Rutkowski will continue to focus on client work and development.

“Mike is an extraordinary talent who is more than ready to take this next step,” said Rutkowski. “The lawyers in our Maritime and Transportation Finance Group look forward to his leadership, and I look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role.”

Horton has represented domestic and foreign issuers in a broad range of capital markets transactions and general corporate matters, with a concentration in the maritime transportation and offshore industries. Ted has been practicing at Seward & Kissel since 2001 and since that time has brought many of today’s shipping and offshore companies public and has extensive experience in all types of public and private debt and equity offerings, corporate restructurings, and M&A transactions in the shipping space. Horton also represents institutional shareholders and private investment funds in a variety of transactions, including shipping related investments. Ted is ranked in Chambers USA, and is a regular speaker at shipping finance forums around the world.

Billotti is regularly recognized for his extensive experience in capital markets transactions, with particular experience in representing issuers and underwriters in the maritime industry in diverse corporate transactions and securities offerings. He has developed innovative solutions for his clients, including the creation of novel share structuring arrangements that enable companies to be cross-listed on exchanges in both the United States and other countries, including Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. His transactions are frequently awarded in trade publications, including most recently when Euronav’s merger with Gener8 Maritime received Lloyd’s List’s Deal of the Year award. Billotti has lectured on a variety of securities law topics at conferences around the world, and has also published articles on share structures and financing techniques.

Billotti and Horton succeed Gary Wolfe, who thought of the solutions that enabled the shipping industry to tap the U.S. and international capital markets, and who was recently recognized by Lloyd’s List as a top-10 lawyer in the worldwide shipping industry. Wolfe will remain actively involved in the practice, continuing his focus on client work and development.

“Ted and Keith have played a critical role in the group’s growth and the value we deliver to our clients. I could not think of two more qualified lawyers than Keith and Ted to assume this position,” said Wolfe. “With Ted and Keith’s leadership, we expect to build on our momentum as the preeminent capital markets practice in the world that focuses on advising issuers, underwriters, and other industry participants in the maritime sector. I am excited to continue to work hand-in-hand with Keith and Ted and our clients in the coming years.”

“I congratulate Mike, Keith and Ted on their appointments,” said Jim Cofer, managing partner of Seward & Kissel. “There is no doubt that Larry and Gary have built Seward & Kissel into the unquestioned leading U.S. law firm in the maritime industry not only through their stellar work, but also through their ability to nurture talent around them. They will continue to play a key role in the development of the firm’s maritime practice and the work we do for clients.”

Related Attorneys

Keith J. Billotti

(212) 574-1274
billotti@sewkis.com

Edward S. Horton

(212) 574-1265
horton@sewkis.com

Michael S. Timpone

(212) 574-1342
timpone@sewkis.com

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