Milbank LLP Structured Credit partner Sean M. Solis was selected for Lexology’s 2021 Client Choice Award for Securitization & Structured Finance in United States: New York. Previously honored with this recognition in 2019, this is the second time Mr. Solis has been named as the exclusive winner in this category as a result of his commitment to the highest client service within the industry.
Mr. Solis’ clients note that he is “a key player in the BSL and middle-market CLO space” who “represents a substantial portion of CLO asset managers and has his pulse on existing and emerging commercial terms and structures.” He has “worked or negotiated with most players in the market and knows their preferences” and “this state-of-the-art insight enables him to ground clients regarding deal terms and enables him to move quickly to negotiate and close deals efficiently.” Mr. Solis, who is regarded as a name-to-know within the CLO industry, is praised by clients for being “creative and nimble in solving for issues” and for being “a direct and clear communicator, while also empathic and thoughtful.” They also note that, “this makes him a wonderful negotiator.”
A distinguished CLO collateralized loan obligation (CLO) and structured finance attorney, Mr. Solis’ practice focuses on structured products and other similar capital markets transactions, the formation and representation of credit funds, and capital markets regulation, along with a focus on the risk retention regulations in both the EU and US. After joining Milbank in 2018, he has further strengthened the firm’s global CLO team’s capabilities. Milbank’s CLO attorneys, based in the United States and Europe, have been at the forefront of credit arbitration since the inception of CLOs in the late 1980s.
Mr. Solis, who has worked closely with CLO managers and arrangers, is regarded as having a “sunny disposition” and is said to be “a delight to interact with” as he is “passionate about his work.” With widespread industry praise, another client noted that “he is dedicated to providing exceptional service and his attentiveness stands out,” with yet another highlighting that “Sean continuously is one of the most knowledgeable outside counsel we use on all of our middle-market CLOs and leverage facilities. His ability to learn new regulations and ablility to apply them to the current situations is always so impressive.”
Aside from leading the structured credit team at Milbank through a record year for the CLOs and securing the #1 Manager Counsel ranking, in Creditflux rankings for 2020 year-end and 2021 rankings to date, clients take notice that Sean is “also a fantastic mentor to his associates” and that his mentorship is “growing the next generation of great lawyers, while being a very genuine and great person.” “He continues to be very generous on his philanthropic endeavors in supporting charities,” another client shared.
Mr. Solis, who is a frequent speaker at CLO industry conferences, recently discussed the record year the CLO market has had thus far, with over $1 trillion in new issuances, refinancings and resets globally, in the “The $1 Trillion CLO Market: ‘It’s Just You and the Pool’” podcast episode of Law, Policy & Markets: Milbank Conversations.
Lexology’s Client Choice Award recognizes law firms and partners around the world that stand apart for the excellent client care they provide and the quality of their service. The criteria for this recognition focus on an ability to add real value to clients' business above and beyond the other players in the market. Law firms and partners can only be nominated by corporate counsel.
