Profile
Cindy Davis Chairs the Banking and Financial Services Practice and focuses her practice on representing domestic and international banks, finance companies, hedge funds, private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers in complex financing transactions. Cindy has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for Banking and Finance Law and selected as Banking and Finance Attorney of the Year for the Americas by the Euromoney Women in Business Law Awards. She frequently represents lead arrangers and agents in structuring and negotiating syndicated loan transactions. Her typical transactions include U.S. and international asset-based and cash-flow secured and unsecured credit facilities, acquisition financings and other leveraged buyouts, and first and second lien credit facilities. Cindy is experienced in structuring complex credit transactions, including those involving multicurrency facilities and cross-border lending arrangements. Cindy’s finance practice ranges from middle-market club deals to multibillion-dollar investment-grade widely syndicated credit facilities. She has represented clients on financings in virtually every type of industry, including food and agribusiness, retail, health care, media/telecom, lender finance, and gaming.
Concentrations
- Asset-based lending
- Cash-flow lending
- Leveraged finance and recapitalizations
- Acquisition finance
- Cross-border finance
- First and second lien loans
- Unitranche facilities
- Syndicated loan transactions
- Investment grade credit facilities
- Business and debt restructuring and workouts
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented the lead arrangers in a $1.1 billion cross border secured credit facility provided to WK Kellogg Co. (NYSE: KLG) in connection with the separation and spin-off by Kellogg Company of its North American cereal foods business.
- Represented the administrative agent and lead arranger in the U.S. equivalent of approximately $850 million syndicated senior secured multicurrency cross-border credit facilities to a sugar processing and manufacturing company and certain of its subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom.
- Represented a U.S. multinational fast food restaurant franchise chain (with over 40,000 locations worldwide), as borrower, in a $400 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility provided by a syndicate of banks led by Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
- Represented an investment vehicle of a private equity sponsor, as borrower, in connection with senior secured and mezzanine financings, the proceeds of which were used to finance the acquisition of a specialty retailer of branded apparel, accessories, beauty products and home furnishings.
- Represented a leading U.S. bank in connection with a senior secured asset based credit facility to a developer, manufacturer and marketer of advanced healthcare performance products including a broad portfolio of blood glucose monitoring supplies and technologies.
- Represented the Mexico representative office of an international bank, as administrative agent and lead arranger, in $250 million multi-currency senior secured credit facility provided by syndicate of U.S. and Mexican financial institutions to a leading sugar producer and soft drink bottler in Mexico.
- Represented the administrative agent, collateral agent and lead arranger in a $700 million syndicated asset-based credit facility to a leading retail and wholesale supplier of crop protection products, fertilizer, seed and related products.
- Represented the gaming authority subsidiary of an Indian tribe, as borrower, in connection with $200 million senior secured credit facilities used to finance its gaming and casino operations.
- Represented a national finance company in connection with a $30 million enterprise value first lien revolving credit facility to a large restaurant franchisee owned by a private equity sponsor.
- Represented an international bank, as administrative agent and arranger, in a €200 million term loan to a Swiss subsidiary of a global manufacturer of agricultural equipment.
- Represented a rural lender in connection with a $70 million syndicated revolving credit facility to a publicly traded citrus producer.
- Represented the administrative agent and lead arranger in a $625 million syndicated senior secured credit facility to a privately held seafood and fishing company and its vessel owning subsidiaries.
- Represented the administrative agent and lead arranger in a Euro 700 million multi-currency senior unsecured investment grade cross-border credit facility to a publicly traded manufacturer of paper and packaging products and its European subsidiaries.
- Represented a leading U.S. bank in connection with a secured credit facility to a casino and racetrack operator.
- Acted as special finance counsel for a publicly traded leading global consumer products company and certain of its Luxembourg subsidiaries, as borrowers, in a $1.275 billion senior secured multi-currency credit facility provided by Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and lead arranger, and a syndicate of other financial institutions.
- Represented the lender finance division of a national finance company in connection with a $100 million asset-based revolving credit facility to a startup investment partnership formed to make hard money real estate loans to commercial real estate investors and developers.
- Represented a provider of technology solutions for the global gaming and entertainment industry, as borrower, in a $195 million cross border credit facility provided by a global investment manager and other institutional investors.
- Represented the administrative agent and lead arranger in a $1 billion multi-currency senior unsecured investment grade cross-border credit facility to a global manufacturer of agricultural equipment and certain of its U.S., UK and Dutch subsidiaries.
- Represented the administrative agent and lead arranger in connection with $200 million first lien, second lien and subordinated credit facilities used to finance the acquisition of a U.S. food manufacturer by an international company.
- Represented a public retail marketer of natural gas and electricity, as borrower, in connection with a $50 million credit facility provided by a national bank.
- Represented an international bank providing a credit facility being used to finance the startup of a quick service restaurant franchise joint venture in Russia.
- Represented Irish investment subsidiary of global bank as sole lender in $200 million unsecured Russian ruble term loan to Russian subsidiary of global confection company.
- Represented a national finance company, as agent, in connection with $67.5 million of senior credit facilities provided to a national restaurant chain.
Recognition & Leadership
- Selected, Euromoney, "Women in Business Awards - Best in Banking & Finance - Attorney of the Year," 2021
- Shortlisted, 2020
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2007-2024
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Banking and Finance Law, 2019-2025
- Listed, Euromoney's Expert Guides: "Women in Business Law," 2021-2022
- Listed, IFLR1000, "Highly Regarded Practitioner - Banking (Georgia)," 2018-2024
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Georgia Super Lawyers, 2007, 2013 and 2014-2019
- Listed, "Top 50 Female Lawyers in Georgia," 2014-2015
- Member, Winning Team, Debt Financing Deal of the Year 2014, for $2.9 billion Financing of Amaya's Acquisition of The Oldford Group Limited, The M&A Advisor's 13th Annual Advisor Awards, 2014
- Member, Winning Team, ACG New York Champion’s Awards, Deal of the Year (over $500mm); Cross-Border Transaction of the Year (over $250mm) for $1.8 billion Acquisition of MacDermid, Inc. by Platform Acquisition Holdings Limited, 2014
- Member, Winning Team, "M&A Deal of the Year (Over $1 Billion to $5 Billion)" for Platform Specialty Products Corporation (f/k/a Platform Acquisition Holdings Limited) acquisition of MacDermid, Incorporated and related entities, The M&A Advisor’s 6th Annual International M&A Awards, 2014
- Named, Atlanta Business Chronicle, "Legal Dealmaker"
- Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0
- Board Member, Zoo Atlanta, Board of Directors, 2015-Present
- Member, Zoo Atlanta Leadership Council, 2012-2014
- Board Member, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Board of Directors, 2000-2007
- Member, State Bar of Georgia, Business Law Section
- Member, The Florida Bar
- Past President, The Women’s Finance Exchange, Atlanta Chapter
Credentials
- J.D., with honors, University of Florida Levin College of Law, 1990
- B.B.A., Accounting, cum laude, University of Massachusetts, 1987
- Florida
- Georgia