Edward K. Gross

Edward Gross assists clients with large and complex leasing, secured lending and capital markets transactions involving a wide spectrum of capital equipment types and aviation assets.

With over 40 years of experience representing clients regarding these matters, and a recognized industry reputation for his transactional and legal acumen, Eddie employs a practical and commercial approach when structuring, documenting and negotiating these transactions and advising clients regarding the related considerations.

Eddie’s financing provider and capital markets clients include large financial institutions, as well as private equity-backed, manufacturer-affiliated, investment funds and other independent lessors and financiers. He is also frequently engaged by borrowers and lessees to assist with large ticket equipment and aircraft financings, including large public and private corporations and, if relating to business aircraft, ultra-high net worth individuals.

The general equipment financings involve a wide spectrum of structures, including true/tax motivated leases, TRAC leases and “bundled” and other vendor-originated financings. The equipment types include transportation, manufacturing, assembly line, construction, drilling/energy-related, trucks and trailers, medical and high-tech equipment/software.

His aviation finance transactions involve domestic and cross-border leases and secured loan financings of managed and/or chartered business and private jets and service helicopters, with various structures including progress payment and other multi-funding structures.

The capital markets transactions supported by Eddie and Vedder’s Capital Markets team include securitizations of diverse asset classes, sidecar and similar arrangements, large portfolio purchases, “one-off” sales and assignments, facility financings, discounting, back-leveraging and participation transactions.

He is recognized by the industry and the commercial finance bar as a thought leader regarding commercial law matters pertaining to equipment finance. Among other things, Eddie was elected as Fellow to the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers, and contributed to the drafting of the 2022 amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code by the Uniform Laws Commission, especially the expansion of Article 2A to cover "hybrid leases" and the amendments to Article 9 regarding "chattel paper."

Eddie has been recognized for his industry service by the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), receiving the Distinguished Service Award (2008), the Edward A. Groobert Excellence in Leasing Award (2011) and the David H. Fenig Distinguished Service in Advocacy Award (2024).  He has participated in numerous ELFA advocacy initiatives, including the expansion of the Federal "safe harbor" for aircraft lessors and lenders under the Transportation Code (49 U.S.C. Section 44112).