Paul Rafla

Paul Rafla is an associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn where he currently practices in the firm’s Finance and Capital Markets Practice Groups. He represents private equity sponsors, corporations and lenders in a variety of banking and other debt financing transactions, as well as in a variety of equity and debt capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings, secondary equity offerings, and investment grade and high-yield debt offerings, among others.

Representative Clients and Transactions *:

• Represented JPMorgan Chase Bank and various other lenders with respect to the approximately $4.6 billion broadly syndicated senior secured credit facilities and approximately $3.4 billion high yield bonds (including a landmark $2.2 billion unsecured PIK Toggle bond) in connection with the pending take private transaction for Skechers USA Inc. by affiliates of 3G Capital.
• Represented JPMorgan and other lead arrangers in connection with Garda World Security’s $2.35 billion term loan facility refinancing.
• Represented BioCryst Pharmaceuticals on its $400 million debt financing for the acquisition of Astria Therapeutics.
• Represented Petco Health and Wellness Company on its $600 million bond financing and $900 million term loan refinancing.
• Represented Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals in connection with its $500 million senior secured credit facility.
• Represented TEN Leasing, a portfolio company of iSquared Capital, in connection with TEN’s ABL credit facility and debut $700 million senior secured notes offering.
• Represented FirstLight Fiber, a portfolio company of Antin Infrastructure Partners, in connection with five year senior secured term loan debt financing.
• Represented Mauser Packaging (a Stone Canyon portfolio company) in connection with its $3.9 billion high yield secured notes exchanges, $1 billion term loan financing, and maturity extensions of Mauser’s ABL credit facility and cash flow credit facility.
• Represented Apollo, Carlyle Credit, HPS, Oak Hill Advisors and several other leading private capital investors in the $2.5 billion preferred equity offering in connection with the financing of the take-private of Citrix.
• Represented R.R. Donnelley & Sons in multiple term loan B financings.
• Represented Ocean Network Express in connection the Atlas’ $10.9 billion take private transaction.
• Represented Linde plc in connection with several credit facilities.
• Represented NextDecade in the largest energy and non-recourse debt financing in the U.S.
• Represented AmeriGas, a subsidiary of UGI, in multiple high yield notes offerings and tender offers for its outstanding debt securities.
• Represented Marquee Brands, an affiliate of Neuberger Berman, in the $70 million term loan seller financing in connection with the acquisition of America’s Test Kitchen.
• Represented Owlet in connection with convertible preferred equity financing.

Paul received his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 2018, where he served as the Managing Editor of The Tax Lawyer. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Accounting from Villanova University in 2012.

Paul was previously a Certified Public Accountant in the Assurance and Audit practice of a Big Four accounting firm.

*Includes transactions prior to Paul’s association with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Capabilities

• Finance
• Business Restructuring and Reorganization
• Capital Markets
• Liability Management and Special Situations
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Private Equity
• Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance

Credentials

Education:

• Georgetown University - 2018 Juris Doctor
• Villanova University - 2012 Bachelor of Business Admin.

Admissions:

• New York Bar