Mr. Van de Vuurst's clients have counted on him to oversee nearly every corporate, regulatory and transactional matter that they have. He strategically guides clients through opportunities and navigates regulatory hurdles, all the while keeping an eye on the bottom line. Robert takes the time to understand a client's current business operations, past history, and future goals and provides efficient, thoughtful and innovative solutions to legal issues.
In addition to his outside general counsel work, Robert has overseen and been directly responsible for more than $1 billion in equipment purchases and sales, both to and from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and private parties. He has served as outside general counsel for several major corporate clients, including 12 years for Edwards and Associates, Inc., which was the largest independent broker-dealer of used helicopters in the world at the time. Robert was lead counsel and oversaw the transaction for Edwards & Associates, Inc. and its shareholders when the company was sold to Bell Helicopter Textron in 1999. Other corporate clients that Robert has represented as outside general counsel include Harris-Tarkett, Inc. in Johnson City, Tennessee and Dart Helicopter Services, Inc.
Robert currently serves as outside general counsel for the world's largest aftermarket helicopter accessory manufacturer as well as the world's second-largest helicopter leasing company. He handles, among other issues, equipment sales, purchases and leases; finance and debt matters, including secured and unsecured credit and bond facilities, completion contracts and distribution agreements; regulatory matters, including the filing and prosecution of Supplemental Type Certificates, Part 135 and 145 regulatory issues; alcohol and drug testing and records compliance matters; Human Resource issues, general litigation supervision, and trademark/IP matters. He also assists with tax issues, asset ownership and structuring, finance and asset securitization matters, and domestic and international equipment registration and securitization.
Robert also has a unique wealth of hands-on corporate management experience as well. He previously served as the COO of Era Group Inc., and President of Era Helicopters LLC, one of the largest helicopter operators in the world, where he was primarily responsible for all day-to-day activities, including its offshore oil and gas support operations in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, its tour division in Juneau and Denali, Alaska, its air medical EMS operations in the northeast United States and Florida, its joint venture Part 142 Training Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana, all international and joint venture activities (including a large operation in Brazil), and its international operations and aircraft leasing division. Era had approximately 900 employees, 180 aircraft, and $275 million in annual revenue, all of which were under Robert's direct supervision. In his role as President, he gained valuable experience in finance and accounting matters (including the negotiation and closing of a $350 million dollar revolving credit facility and an initial public securities offering). Robert's corporate management experience uniquely positions him to serve as outside general counsel. Understanding a company's business challenges and having sat in the same seat as the clients he serves is the intangible value he brings to the table.