Zach Detra is an associate in the Finance & Acquisitions Group of Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP. He represents businesses, organizations, and individuals in complex commercial transactions and related regulatory matters involving the purchase, sale, and lease of aircraft; the development, supply, and support of major aircraft components; protection and transfer of intellectual property; asset sales, new product, and service programs; private equity and debt financings; cross-border initiatives; and business equity and asset acquisitions.

Mr. Detra is a 2006 graduate of McGill University’s Institute of Air and Space Law and a 2005 Graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law where he served as editor-in-chief of the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy. Mr. Detra has an undergraduate degree in Political Economy and English. Prior to joining DGS, Mr. Detra practiced corporate and aviation law at another Denver firm. He is currently a member of the American, Canadian American, Colorado, and Denver bar associations.

Education

McGill University, LL.M., 2006
University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, 2005
Regis University, B.S., B.A., 2002

Aviation-Related Transactions

• Representation of industry-leading aircraft component manufacturer in the successful negotiation of a “life of the aircraft program” agreement with U.K. aircraft engine manufacturer and French aircraft airframe manufacturer for the development, certification, manufacture, sale, and support of a nacelle and thrust reverser system for a new super-mid-size business jet.
• Representation of U.A.E.-based cargo airline in the successful negotiation of a fleet maintenance program agreement with the European affiliate of a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer.
• Representation of various purchasers, borrowers, and taxpayers in all aspects of the purchase, sale, lease, financing, and 1031 exchange of aircraft covered by the Cape Town Convention and requiring International Registry filings. Related to such transactions, Mr. Detra has worked on solutions to complex, cross-border problems involving letters of credit, conversion of financing leases to operating leases, airworthiness directives, insurance requirements, and aircraft registration and de-registration in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.
• Representation of lead lender in loans to leveraged company engaged in the business of leasing wide body aircraft around the world, including strategic planning to protect lender from insolvency and bankruptcy risks.
• Representation of aircraft repair station in negotiation with independent contractor to secure ownership of repair schemes and other intellectual property developed by the independent contractor.

Other Transactions

• Representation of a purchaser in an acquisition of a specialty drilling company which services the pipeline industry in the United States and Mexico.
• Representation of a purchaser in a leveraged acquisition of a diversified automotive instrumentation manufacturing, re-manufacturing, and distribution company.
• Representation of leading targeted advertising software company in numerous technology transfer transactions and its intellectual property protection program.