Jason C. Ewart

Jason Ewart regularly advises underwriters and issuers on high-value debt transactions, including leveraged loan and capital markets matters. 

Mr. Ewart represents diverse clients in a range of debt transactions, with a particular focus on high-yield debt offerings and acquisition financings. His work encompasses a considerable number of bridge loan facilities, convertible debt offerings, restructurings, exchange offers, and consent solicitation processes, including high-profile, multibillion-dollar transactions. Mr. Ewart, who holds an MBA degree, handles matters requiring sophisticated business acumen in industries spanning from consumer retail and manufacturing to the automotive, media, oil and gas, power, and security sectors, among others.

Mr. Ewart’s experience includes advising:

Underwriters

• BMO Capital Markets as representative for the initial purchasers in the private offering of US$700 million issued by Moss Creek Resources Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Surge Energy US Holdings Company* 
• Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays, and J.P. Morgan as joint book-running managers in connection with Blackstone Mortgage Trust’s public offering of convertible senior notes* 
• Credit Suisse Securities (USA), RBC Capital Markets, Barclays Bank, and Citigroup Global Markets, as initial purchasers in connection with Meredith Corporation’s private offering of US$1.4 billion for the purposes of financing Meredith Corporation’s acquisition of Time, a multinational mass media corporation* 
• Deutsche Bank and Guggenheim Partners as dealer managers in connection with 99 Cents Only Stores’ exchange offer and consent solicitation process to exchange outstanding notes; 99 Cents Only is the leading operator of extreme value stores in California and the southwestern United States* 
• Goldman Sachs and Barclays in connection with an offering of US$670 million for the purposes of financing the acquisition of American Trailer Works, a leading manufacturer and distributor of utility and cargo trailers in North America* 
• Morgan Stanley & Co., as representative for the initial purchasers, in connection with the private offering of US$750 million by Dynegy, a producer and distributer of electric energy, capacity, and ancillary services in the United States* 
• RBC Capital Markets, Barclays, and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey as joint book-running managers for The KeyW Holding Corporation’s US$89 million follow-on public offering of common stock; The KeyW Holding Corporation provides mission-critical cybersecurity and cyber superiority solutions to defense, intelligence, and national security agencies in the United States* 
• RBC Capital Markets, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, and Credit Suisse, as initial purchasers in connection with Cleaver-Brooks’ private offering of US$395 million* 

Issuers

• Dole Food Company, one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of fresh fruit and vegetables, in connection with its US$300 million offering and related redemption of existing notes; Morgan Stanley and Co., Deutsche Bank Securities, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, and Scotia Capital (USA) acted as initial purchasers for the offering*
• Flexi-Van Leasing, one of the largest chassis lessors in North America, as issuer in the private offering of US$300 million* 
• The Greenbrier Companies, a railroad transportation company, in connection with its offering of convertible senior notes*
• Vanguard Natural Resources in connection with its exchange of US$168.2 million in debt; the exchange was related to Vanguard’s successful restructuring under chapter 11 and emergence as a new corporation under the name of Vanguard Natural Resources; through its financial restructuring and the sale of noncore assets, Vanguard eliminated approximately US$820 million of debt from its balance sheet and significantly enhanced its financial flexibility*