Overview

Jeff O’Connor leads Kirkland’s Asset Finance & Securitization practice. Jeff is recognized as one of the leading securitization attorneys in the United States by several major legal publications. He counsels clients in a broad range of complex asset securitization, structured finance, secured lending and receivables sale transactions involving credit card, auto and equipment, oil and gas, healthcare, manufactured housing and other assets. Clients describe Jeff as “a great technical lawyer” with “really good judgement with respect to legal and business points” who is “well-liked by in-house counsel.”

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Thought Leadership

Publications

Lead author of comment letter to S&P on its vehicle floorplan rating methodology

Author of comment letters and written testimony to influence proposed retail installment sale contract and licensing legislation in Texas, Florida and Montana

“Auto Loan and Lease ABS Sector Review,” Institutional Investor Journals, Spring 2013, Vol. 19, No. 1: pp. 95-97

Seminars

Panelist, “Market Beat: All About Financing - Warehouse Lines, Repo, and Fund Financing,” SFVegas, September 2021

Panelist, “ABS 101,” ABS East, September 2019

Moderator, “Equipment Finance,” ABS East, September 2018

Moderator, “Equipment Finance,” ABS East, September 2017

Moderator, “Risk Retention Compliance,” ABS East, September 2016

Moderator, “Auto ABS: Scheduling for Regular Maintenance,” ABS Vegas, March 2016

Moderator, “Auto Loan and Lease ABS Sector Review,” American Securitization Forum Conference, January 2013

Recognition

Awarded “US Lawyer of the Year: Debt Capital Markets” at IFLR1000's 2021 Canada and United States Awards

Recognized in the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 editions of Chambers Global and the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 editions of Chambers USA for Capital Markets: Securitisation

Recognized in the 2010–2023 editions of The Legal 500 U.S. for Structured Finance: “an excellent technical lawyer, who provides creative solutions to structuring challenges”

Memberships & Affiliations

Co-Chair, Structured Finance Association's Equipment Committee, 2018–2020

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • California
  • Illinois

Education

  • University of Southern California, Gould School of LawJ.D.1990
  • University of Wisconsin-MadisonM.D.1986
  • Marquette UniversityB.S.1982