A commercial finance team led by partners Rick Boyd and Tyler Wolf joined law firm Barnes & Thornburg’s corporate department. The team also includes Doug Plante (of counsel), Greg Preston (associate) and Janelle Julyan (senior paralegal).

The team joined from an Atlanta-based AmLaw 200 law firm, where they were members of the commercial finance practice group. Wolf, Plante, Preston and Julyan will be based in Barnes & Thornburg’s Atlanta office, while Boyd will split his time between the Atlanta and Boston offices.

“Rick and Tyler’s sophisticated transactional experience and financial services industry know-how will generate considerable value for our clients, particularly as dealmakers look to explore financing options amid optimism for market conditions in the year ahead,” Jahan Sharifi, chair of the Barnes & Thornburg’s corporate department, said.

The team represents financial institutions in finance transactions related to restaurant chains, limited- and full-service hotels, convenience stores and gas stations, fitness centers and commercial real estate. The team also works on complex loan workouts.

“We’re excited to have such a talented and accomplished team joining our Atlanta office and bolstering our excellent commercial finance offering,” John T.L. Koenig, managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg’s Atlanta office, said. “Their skill sets will no doubt be in demand as the business community in the Atlanta area continues to grow and thrive.”

“We are thrilled to start the year off with the addition of Rick and the Atlanta-based team,” David C. Allen, partner-in-charge of Barnes & Thornburg’s Boston office, said. “Rick and his team will prove a tremendous asset to our clients across the East Coast and the U.S.”

Boyd has more than three decades of experience representing financial institutions in structuring and documenting secured and unsecured lending transactions and representing agent banks and lenders in credit facilities and financing. Advising on franchise, hotel, convenience and gas station, fitness, real estate and government-guaranteed finance, Boyd has worked with clients across a range of industries and property types, including restaurants, automobile dealerships, convenience stores and gas stations, healthcare companies and hospitals, hotels, office, retail, apartments and industrial. He also frequently represents lenders, administrative agents and collateral agents in the collection and restructuring of indebtedness outside of bankruptcy.

Wolf focuses his practice on representing borrowers and lending institutions in a range of finance transactions, including acquisition financing, agented credit facilities and complex workouts. He has experience providing counsel on syndicated and bilateral restaurant finance and convenience store and gas station finance transactions, including acquisitions, refinancings and operating company and property company (opco/propco) structures. Wolf has worked with private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies and non-sponsored borrowers on domestic and international acquisitions, recapitalizations and refinancings.

Plante represents financial institutions in various lending transactions, including those on behalf of restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations. He has experience advising agents, lenders and borrowers on senior secured transactions, acquisition financing, asset-based lending, as well as opco/propco and first- and second-lien structures.

Preston represents lending institutions in financing transactions, including senior secured cash flow facilities and asset-based lending facilities. His experience also includes syndicated and single-lender credit facilities, serving borrowers in various industries and property types, including restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations, and hotels.

Julyan is a commercial real estate, finance and transactional paralegal with more than two decades of experience assisting with commercial real estate and franchise restaurant finance transactions. Supporting attorneys on large multi-property finance transactions, Julyan works closely with borrowers and lenders to ensure all lender requirements are met prior to closing.