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Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance
Robert Villani

Robert Villani

Partner

Partner
Robert Villani

Robert Villani has extensive experience in structured capital markets with an emphasis on structured credit vehicles such as collateralized loan obligation (CLO) and collateralized debt obligation (CDO) transactions. He has also been involved in traditional and novel asset-backed and mortgaged-backed offerings as well in offerings of both traditional and novel structured credit products, investment funds and other financial instruments. He currently focuses on representing collateral managers in CLO transactions, including with respect to infrastructure loans, and investors in complex ABS portfolio acquisitions.

Robert's experience includes representation of collateral managers, underwriters, issuers, credit enhancers, warehouse providers and other transaction parties in securitizations and repackagings of commercial real estate loans, leveraged loans and other corporate debt instruments, marketplace originated consumer and student loans, automobile and equipment loans and leases, corporate fleet leases, trade receivables, health care receivables, and securities and asset-backed securities. Many of these transactions were among the first of their type.

Robert has also advised participants in the creation and maintenance of several investment funds and asset-backed commercial paper programs, particularly those focused on the acquisition of distressed assets, and has substantial experience working with derivatives and related products.

He is also a regular speaker at leading industry conferences, including SFA Vegas, ABS East, IMN CLO and Opal CLO. Robert is currently ranked by Chambers USA for Capital Markets: Securitization (Nationwide).

Contact details

Career and qualifications

  • Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (BS) 1986
  • University of California, Los Angeles School of Law (JD) 1989
  • Admitted as an Attorney-at-Law in New York 1990
  • Joined Clifford Chance as a Partner 2008

Awards and citations

  • Robert Villani is substantively knowledgeable and excellent and provides good service. I recommend him highly.
    Legal 500, 2022 – United States: Finance Structures finance: Securitization – Tier 2
  • Robert Villani is recognized for his noteworthy securitization practice, which sees him handle CLO transactions for a range of interested parties, and he is particularly active in the representation of asset managers. "Robert is a really good CLO lawyer. He has the required technical skills but can also keep the bigger picture in mind." "He's smart, pleasant and knows the market."
    Chambers USA 2022: Capital Markets: Securitization: ABS (Nationwide) – Band 3
    Chambers USA 2022: Capital Markets: Securitization: CLOs (Nationwide) – Band 2
    Chambers USA 2022: Capital Markets: Securitization: CMBS (Nationwide) – Band 2
    Chambers USA 2022: Capital Markets: Securitization: RMBS (Nationwide) – Band 2
  • Recognized Practitioner
    Chambers USA 2019 - Capital Markets: Securitisation (Nationwide)