David Ridley

Partner, New York

Biography

“He has a fantastic understanding of the technical complexities of matters, as well as a strong understanding of the commercial dynamics of a transaction.”
Chambers US - 2024

“Solution oriented, great knowledge of where the market is, quick turnaround times, flawless, fun to work with.”
Legal 500 US – Finance - 2022

Overview

David Ridley is a partner in the Debt Finance practice and is co-head of the firm's US Private Credit & Direct Lending pillar. David's practice focuses on leveraged and corporate finance, representing major commercial and investment banks, private credit funds and corporate borrowers.

David steers clients through a wide range of corporate finance transactions with an emphasis on domestic and cross-border acquisition finance. He has significant experience with broadly syndicated facilities, unitranche facilities, pro rata facilities, investment grade facilities, second lien facilities, mezzanine finance, venture debt, ABL facilities, DIP financing, preferred equity, warrants and equity co-invests. David's experience also includes distressed lending, workouts and restructurings. Business sectors where David has been particularly active include technology, digital infrastructure, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

Based in New York, David has also spent 12 months on secondment to the Firm's London office. Prior to joining White & Case, he worked as a Senior Associate at a leading Australian law firm.

Bars and Courts
New York
Education
LLB
University of Technology
Sydney
BA
University of Technology
Sydney
Languages
English

Experience

Representative transactions include:

Representation of a group of credit funds as purchasers of US$990 million in preferred equity interests issued by Press Ganey (a portfolio company of Ares and Leonard Green Partners).

Representation of the lead arrangers in connection with a refinancing for Paradigm Outcomes (a portfolio company of OMERS), which provided for the establishment of a US$700 million term loan facility and a US$100 million revolving credit facility.

Representation of Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, as sole lead arranger and lender, in connection with a US$300 million Senior Debtor-In-Possession (DIP) credit facility provided to certain subsidiaries of Hornblower Holdings LP in connection with their commencement of Chapter 11 proceedings in the US Bankruptcy Court.

Representation of a club of direct lenders on the debt financing of STG Partners' approximately US$1.5 billion take-private acquisition of Momentive Global, Inc. The financing involved US$450 million of term loans and a US$40 million revolving facility.

Representation of a direct lender in connection with a US$50 million venture debt financing for Trax Retail.

Representation of the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with US$3.1 billion of senior secured credit facilities provided to Ball Corp., consisting of a US$1.35 billion Term A loan, a US$1.25 billion revolving credit facility and a US$500 million multicurrency revolving facility.

Representation of a club of direct lenders in connection with senior secured credit facilities provided to Clearlake Capital to finance the acquisition of Discovery Education.

Representation of the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with US$685 million in senior secured credit facilities provided to Cano Health. The financing was provided in connection with an investment in Cano Health by JAWS Acquisition Corp. (a special purpose acquisition company). Also represented the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with US$130 million in incremental facilities provided to Cano Health and a subsequent repricing transaction.

Representation of the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with a US$225 million asset based credit facility made available to certain affiliates of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in connection with its acquisition of S&S Activewear, a wholesaler of imprintable apparel and accessories.

Representation of the lead arranger and administrative agent in connection with a US$250 million term loan credit facility with certain affiliates of Indivior plc, a pharmaceuticals company specializing in the treatment of opioid addiction.

Representation of the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with US$600 million in senior secured credit facilities, the proceeds of which were used to finance Francisco Partners' acquisition of Forcepoint. Also represented the lead arranger and administrative agent on an incremental term loan in connection with Forcepoint's acquisition of Deep Secured.

Representation of the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with US$435 million in senior secured credit facilities provided to SmartBear, a provider of software development and quality tools. The financing consisted of a US$385 million term loan and a US$50 million revolving credit facility, which was provided in connection with an investment in SmartBear by Vista Equity Partners. Also represented the lead arranger and administrative agent on incremental term loan facilities in connection with Smartbear's acquisitions of Bugsnag and Bitglass.

Representation of a direct lender in connection with senior secured credit facilities provided to certain affiliates of J.F. Lehman & Company in connection with its acquisition of Entact, LLC, a provider of environmental remediation and geotechnical services.

Representation of the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with Univision's amend-and-extend transaction with respect to US$2 billion of first-lien term loans and the refinancing of the company's revolving credit facility with a new US$610 million revolving credit facility.

Representation of a direct lender in connection with senior secured credit facilities provided to Transtelco, a digital infrastructure service provider based in the United States and Mexico. Also represented the lenders in connection with an incremental term loan credit facility to fund the acquisition by Transtelco of Neutrona, a software-defined network service provider operating in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Representation of a direct lender in connection with the provision of senior secured credit facilities to fund the acquisition by Grain Management of Summit Broadband, a fiber-optic telecommunications provider in central and southwest Florida.

Representation of the lead arrangers in connection with US$1.91 billion in senior secured credit facilities provided to Owens-Illinois Group, Inc. consisting of US$910 million in term loan facilities provided to certain of the company's U.S., Australian and New Zealand subsidiaries, together with a US$300 million revolving facility and a US$700 million multicurrency revolving facility.

Representation of the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with US$700 million in first lien credit facilities (consisting of a US$610 million term loan facility and a US$90 million revolving facility) and a US$245 million second lien term loan facility to finance the acquisition by ABRY Partners of Millennium Trust Company LLC.

Representation of Rain Carbon, Inc. in connection with a €390 million term loan facility made to its wholly owned German subsidiary Rain Carbon GmbH and a US$150 million multi¬currency revolving credit facility made available to RCI and certain of its subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, Germany and Belgium, as well as in connection with subsequent upsize and refinancing transactions.

Representation of a direct lender in connection with its provision of senior secured financing to Gibson Brands, Inc., a multinational manufacturer of musical instruments and consumer audio equipment, as well as in connection with the subsequent Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and foreign insolvency proceedings.
Representation of Kansas City Southern, a railroad operator in the United States, Mexico and Panama, in connection with a US$600 million revolving credit facility.

Representation of the lead arrangers and administrative agent in connection with the provision of US$3.365 billion in senior secured credit facilities to certain affiliates of Mallinckrodt plc. Also represented the administrative agent in the subsequent Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and represented the collateral agent in connection with US$2.905 billion in first lien exit financing, consisting of a US$1.76 billion Takeback Term Loan Facility, the reinstatement of US$495 million of existing first lien senior secured notes and the issuance of US$650 million of new first lien senior secured notes.

Awards and Recognition

Leading Individual (Band 5), Chambers USA – Banking & Finance (2021-2024)

Next Generation Lawyer, Legal 500 US – Commercial Lending (2019-2021)

"He has a fantastic understanding of the technical complexities of matters, as well as a strong understanding of the commercial dynamics of a transaction."
Chambers USA (2024)

"[David] is a very good and strong technical lawyer…he's thorough and commercial…[He] has an encyclopedic knowledge of transaction terms and up-to-the-minute market standards."
Chambers USA (2022)

"[David is] Solution oriented, great knowledge of where the market is, quick turnaround times, flawless, fun to work with."
Legal 500 US (2022)