• Technology company that distributes budgeting, payroll and related software in assessing its strategic options and the restructuring of its balance sheet.

• Owner and operator of a chemical production facility facing construction challenges in developing its strategic options for a capital raise and disposition of its assets.

• Cold storage and third-party logistics company in the assessment of its strategic options and the sale of three of its business lines to separate buyers.

• Industry-leading company specializing in interior design, technology and installation services in its liability management restructuring transaction.

• Technology research and data services company, owned by one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers, in its out-of-court recapitalization.

• Wellhead system design and manufacturing company in the restructuring of its capital structure and development of its go-forward strategic planning.

• Financial institution serving as indenture trustee and in several other capacities in the distressed investing industry (serve on audit & risk committees).

• Chilean renewable energy (wind and solar power) enterprise in its contested, and ultimately resolved, chapter 11 reorganization proceedings.

• Custom furniture designer, manufacturer and retailer in it out-of-court recapitalization and operational turnaround.

New York City and Chicago

Partner: 2006-2022; Counsel: 2003-2006; Associate: 2000-2003

• Specialized in out-of-court and in-court troubled company mergers and acquisitions, balance sheet and operational transformations, and related financing transactions.

• Led some of the Firm’s largest and most complex corporate restructuring engagements across a broad range of industries totaling hundreds of billions of dollars in transaction value.

• For the last 20 years, focused primarily on advising boards and senior executives on high-level, strategic business planning and on governance and fiduciary duty matters.

• Served on Skadden’s Opinion Committee for 16 years, handling all insolvency-related work involving structured transactions, derivatives and complex financial products.

• Selected Skadden engagements:

  • Blue Bird Bus: record-setting Chapter 11 restructuring that lasted only 32 hours.

  • Kmart Corp.: largest retail Chapter 11 ever; 2,400 stores & 250,000 employees.

  • CEDC, Inc.: first ever cross-border restructuring of Russian and Polish entities.

  • WeWork: crisis refinancing of work-space company after failed $47 billion IPO.

  • Endo: opioid manufacturer facing over $100 billion in opioid and other claims.

  • Unicredit: Italy’s largest bank facing investor claims arising from Madoff failure.

  • Refco: one of the largest commodities frauds/reorganizations in history.

  • Jackson Hewitt: pre-arranged Chapter 11 that discharged consumer class actions.

  • Prudential: litigation with Lehman arising out of a $500 million failed swap.

  • Centro Properties: first ever restructuring of U.S. and Australian entities.

  • Noble Corp.: one of the first cryptocurrency enterprises that failed.

  • Vertis: first ever pre-packaged Chapter 11 utilizing private rights offering.

  • Spectrum Brands: litigation over complex valuations/cram-down interest rates.

  • Kirwan: litigation to the Second Circuit over Luxembourg entities in Chapter 11.

  • Yellowstone: litigation to the Ninth Circuit in equitable subordination matter.

  • Distressed thrifts in development and execution of their strategic plans.

  • Mortgage service providers in out-of-court and in-court reorganizations.

  • Real estate: numerous restructurings for borrowers, lenders and sponsors.

  • mREITS: several mortgage REITS facing risk of collapse during the pandemic.

  • Buyside: acquirers of assets pursuant to section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code.

  • Lenders: traditional banks and funds in in-court and out-of-court restructurings.

  • Several non-US financial institutions in preparing their global resolution plans.

Partner: 1997-2000; Associate: 1992-1997

• Represented primarily lenders, acquirers and Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 trustees in predominately in-court acquisitions and business liquidation situations.

• Developed and led litigations seeking recoveries on account of insider and other voidable transactions, including preferences and fraudulent transfers.

• Led multiple investigations on behalf of trustees into alleged pre- and post-bankruptcy fraudulent conduct of insiders and investors, including Ponzi-schemes.

Law Clerk, Des Moines, Iowa, 1991-1992

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, J.D., 1991, Cum Laude

Iowa State University, B.S., Economics, 1988, Valedictorian, Economics