Michael E. Draz is a Shareholder at Vedder Price and a member of the firm’s Global Transportation Finance Team, focusing his practice on aviation and rail finance.

Mr. Draz has significant experience representing commercial banks, operating lessors, finance companies, manufacturers, private equity funds, hedge funds and other investors in a variety of transaction structures, including securitizations, warehouse loan facilities and other structured financings, cross-border operating leases, leveraged leases and portfolio acquisitions and divestitures. Mr. Draz also has experience representing investors in structuring and establishing strategic joint ventures and new leasing platforms for aviation and rail assets.

Mr. Draz was listed as one of the Legal 500 United States Leading Lawyers in the category of Transport: Rail and Road—Finance from 2019 to 2022.  He has been recommended by Legal 500 United States in Transport: Aviation and Air Travel—Finance from 2018 to 2022.  In 2019 and 2020, he was included in Airline Economics “40 under 40” list, which recognizes the most talented individuals in the commercial aviation industry. In 2020, he also received the “Highly Commended” designation due to the significant volume of nominations he received from colleagues, clients and peers. Additionally, Mr. Draz has been recognized as a “Rising Star” in aviation in each year since 2015 and, since 2019, recognized among the world’s leading aviation attorneys by Euromoney Legal Media Group’s Expert Guides. Mr. Draz was also recognized as an Emerging Lawyer in the Corporate Finance Law and Secured Transactions Law categories by Leading Lawyers from 2017 to 2021.

Mr. Draz is conversant in Polish and Spanish.