Frank Thomas is a partner in the firm's Finance practice. He has extensive experience with domestic and cross-border financing, rail and aircraft finance transactions, infrastructure projects, privatizations, restructurings, public-private partnerships, and leasing, as well as advising public authorities or companies acting for public authorities.
His main focus is on projects and transactions in the following sectors: rail, aviation, technology, energy, and infrastructure, as well as utilities.
Frank advises companies, credit and financial services institutions, private equity funds, infrastructure funds, public transport authorities, state governments, and other public authorities.
Frank joined K&L Gates as a partner in January 2009. Prior to joining the firm, he was a partner in the Frankfurt office of an international law firm. Frank started his career at an international law firm before founding his own law firm.
- Recognized by Chambers Germany for Transportation: Rail & Aviation Asset Finance in Germany, 2025-2026
- Recognized by The Legal 500 EMEA as a Recommended Lawyer for Advice to the Transport Sector in Germany, 2024-2025
- Recognized by Chambers Europe for Transportation: Rail & Aviation Asset Finance in Germany, 2014-2024
- Member of the German Lawyers' Association (DAV)
- Bar Association (Rechtsanwaltskammer) Frankfurt am Main
Frank regularly speaks at national and international conferences on finance, transportation, infrastructure, and PPP matters. He is a member of the advisory board of Privatbahn Magazin and a representative of K&L Gates in the Rail Working Group Association on the implementation of international security over rolling stock.
- Restructuring and Remediation Proceedings (Restrukturierung und Sanierungsverfahren), in: Privatbahn Magazin (PRIMA) 01/2022 January/February, page 78 et seq., together with Dr. Georg Bernsau
- Leasing and Electromobility (Leasing und Elektromobilität), in: BEM – Bundesverband eMobilität Online, July 2016
- Net West: New Financing Project Continues to Grow (Netz West: Das neue Finanzierungsprojekt gewinnt weiter an Fahrt), in: Privatbahn Magazin (PRIMA) 05/2015 September/October, page 48
- The Reform and Restructuring of the Approval Procedures for Rail Vehicles (Die Reform und Neustrukturierung des Zulassungsverfahrens für Eisenbahnfahrzeuge), K&L Gates Transport Finance Alert, 30 January 2015
- World champion virtues also in rail transport (Weltmeisterliche Tugenden auch im Schienenverkehr), in: Privatbahn Magazin (PRIMA) - Im Fokus, 05/2014 September/October, page 4
- Regional Rail Carriage Financing: Possible Solutions (SPNV-Fahrzeugfinanzierung: mögliche Lösungsansätze), in: Privatbahn Magazin (PRIMA) 03/2012 May/June, page 82
- Leasing or forfaiting – which way is the trend going? (Leasing oder Forfaitierung – wohin geht der Trend?), in: Privatbahn Magazin (PRIMA) 05/2011 September/October, page 62
- Financing model for regional passenger transport in Switzerland (Fahrzeugfinanzierungskonzept in der Schweiz), in: Privatbahn Magazin (PRIMA) 04/2011 July/August, page 76
- Structural deficits in the public transportation sector (Strukturelle Defizite des SPNV-Marktes), in: Privatbahn Magazin (PRIMA) 04/2011 July/August, page 49
