Overview
Kellie Merkel is a partner in Chapman's Asset Securitization Department. She focuses her practice in the areas of securitization and structured finance, representing investment funds, issuers, trustees, borrowers, lenders, underwriters and marketplace lending platforms in a wide variety of transactions. She has experience representing marketplace lending platforms in privately placed asset securitization transactions, warehouse lending transactions and secured credit facilities, as well as representing investment funds in purchases of marketplace loan portfolios from various marketplace lending platforms. Kellie also has experience in financing transactions for a range of other assets classes, including structured settlements, tax lien certificates, automobile loans, equipment leases and railcar leases.
Representative Matters
Representation of investment bank:
- $1.6 billion structured finance facility for a shipping container leasing company
Representation of issuers in connection with:
- $390 million term securitization of automobile loans
- $92 million term securitization of equipment leases
Representation of borrowers in connection with:
- Revolving line of credit financing—structured settlements
- $50 million equipment lease warehouse facility
- $50 million consumer loan secured credit facility
Representation of indenture trustees in connection with:
- $1 billion term securitization
- $400 million term re‑securitization
Practice Focus
Honors & Awards
Chapman and Cutler 2013 Pro Bono Honor Roll
- For work on a clemency petition through Cabrini Green Legal Aid and with the Spark Chicago program
Admitted
Illinois
Tennessee
Education
Indiana University Maurer School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2013
- Order of the Coif
- Editor-in-Chief, Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies
Indiana University, B.A., Political Science and Spanish, high distinction, 2010