Vedder Price

Derek Watson

Partner

Derek Watson is a Partner and a member of the firm’s Global Transportation Finance team.

Mr. Watson has extensive experience in a broad range of asset finance transactions across the aviation, shipping and rail sectors, with a particular focus on cross-border commercial and business aircraft financing, leasing, sales and purchases, including portfolio transactions, tax-based financings, export credit-supported financings and progress payment financings. His clients include banks, lessors and owners.

Mr. Watson has been ranked in Chambers High Net Worth Private Aircraft (Global-wide) since 2016 and in Chambers UK Asset Finance since 2017. Mr. Watson has been recognized among the world’s leading aviation attorneys by Euromoney Legal Media Group’s Expert Guides since 2018 and was recommended by Legal 500 UK in Transport Finance and Leasing from 2020 to 2025.

Derek Watson

Partner

Education

  • The College of Law, York, Diploma in Legal Practice, 1997
  • Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, MA Law, 1996, with honors

Derek Watson

Partner

Admissions

  • England and Wales, 1999

Affiliations

  • Member, International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT)

Derek Watson

Partner