Areas of Practice

Stephanie Stephens represents banks, finance companies and other lenders in negotiating, documenting, and closing secured and unsecured debt financing transactions, including revolving credit, term credit, senior, subordinate, mezzanine, asset-based and cash-flow multi-tranche loans.

Her experience also includes commercial and investment grade syndicated credit facilities, acquisition financing, note purchase transactions, loan participations, credit and facility reviews, asset and stock acquisition financing, real estate lending and other working capital credit facilities.

Professional Experience

· Winston & Strawn (2008-2009)

· Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman, LLP (2007-2008)

· Jenkens & Gilchrist, LLP (1998-2006)

Practice Group and Specialty Team Memberships

· Business

· Corporate Finance and Securities

· Electronic Discovery, Technology and Strategy

· Mergers and Acquisitions

Representative Matters and Clients

· Representation of agent lender in a $175,000,000 revolving and term loan credit facility for the acquisition of a rebate processor by a holding company formed by a financial sponsor. Facility was secured by all assets, including intellectual property and several leased locations.

· Representation of agent lender in a $200,000,000 revolving credit facility to borrowers in the business of selling construction materials and steel products, secured by all assets of the borrowers, including several mortgages for real property located throughout the United States. Proceeds of facility were used, in part, to repurchase receivables, terminate an associated asset securitization, and cash collateralize the repayment of outstanding IRB Debt.

· Representation of agent lender in a $47,000,000 revolving credit and term loan facility to one borrower in the business of carpet manufacture and distribution. Facility funded, in part, a major asset purchase and was coordinated with a simultaneous tranche B loan for the purchase of specific equipment. Eligible accounts included receivables due from factors.

· Representation of single lender in a $15,500,000 revolving and multiple term loan facility to one borrower engaged in milk and fruit concentrate packaging and distributing. Facility was secured by all assets, including real property. Concerns for documentation included dairymen's liens and liens created under the Perishable Agriculture Commodities Act as well as Food Security Act issues.

· Representation of single lender in a $9,920,000 revolving and term loan facility involving multiple subordinated notes, intellectual property and complex structural issues arising from the refinance of the pre-existing non-bank facility.

· Representation of single lender in a $4,050,000 revolving and term loan facility. Funding was used by the borrower to purchase substantially all of the assets of a food service company and its subsidiaries. The loan documentation included validity guaranties, intellectual property security agreements and subordination agreements.

· Representation of single lender in a $20,000,000 multiple borrower revolving credit facility to an equipment wholesaler.

· Representation of agent lender in a $90,000,000 revolving and multiple term loan credit facility. Security included foreign stock in multiple jurisdictions, extensive intellectual property, and manufacturing facilities in six states.

Publications

· "Arrivals and Departures: Federal Sentencing Discretion in Koon v. United States," 50 Arkansas Law Review 797, 1998

· "Spearing Tool takes a Sledgehammer to Search Certainty: Suggestions for Conducting UCC Searches," Lending Law Update, Fall 2005

Professional and Community Activities

· Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (2013)

News

02.27.2013, Stephens Selected as Leadership Council on Legal Diversity