US > Finance > Bankruptcy: West
Bankruptcy: West
PRACTICE: The Davis Wright Tremaine LLP credit recovery and bankruptcy practice is geographically spread throughout the US network, from Seattle in the north to Los Angeles in the south. The practice is rooted in the firm’s broad industrial sector and corporate law expertise, with six of the partners active in the practice fully committed to bankruptcy, credit recovery and restructuring. Linking bankruptcy work to specialist industry practices gives the group niche expertise in industries such as agribusiness, foods and beverages, energy and telecoms. Active and very competent in mid-value casework, the practice handles numerous creditor-side instructions for commercial finance companies, equipment lessors and other finance providers.
In 2008, lawyers represented the Canadian receiver in Chapter 15 - main bankruptcy jurisdiction - proceedings in connection with the US business assets of Madill Equipment Canada. Debtor-side representation has resulted in numerous successful Chapter 11 reorganizations. The complex Kistler Aerospace case required $600m of pre-petition debt restructuring.
CLIENTS: Clients include Associated Grocers, Adelphia Communications and Brown & Cole.
INDIVIDUALS: Ragan Powers in Seattle has represented clients in numerous bankruptcies and insolvencies with great success. In San Francisco, Harvey Schochet, who is also licensed as a Certified Public Accountant, has considerable experience in distressed commercial real estate. Portland-based chair of the practice Joseph VanLeuven has a wide practice with particular strength in the representation of banks and asset-based lenders.
PRACTICE: Holland & Hart LLP’s bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights practice is the largest in the Mountain West Region - which covers Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. The practice represents many financial institutions, commercial lenders, landlords and equipment lessors as well as business owners of all types.
Lawyers represented a coal mining company in the Cajun Electric case, a major utility bankruptcy, and succeeded in preserving the client’s coal supply contract. The practice also assisted the largest bicycle manufacturer and distributor in the US in the successful purchase of the bicycle business unit and assets from the Schwinn bankruptcy.
CLIENTS: The practice represented parties in the Western Integrated Networks, Western Pacific Airlines, Kaiser Steel and Handy & Harman Refining bankruptcies.
INDIVIDUALS: Risa Wolf-Smith, the practice chair, has handled some of the largest bankruptcy sales in Colorado - she has niche expertise in technology-related bankruptcy. In Salt Lake City, Mona Burton has participated in the larger Utah bankruptcies and brings expertise in the health and retirement care sector to a wide-ranging practice.
PRACTICE: Bush, Strout & Kornfeld is a seven partner, Seattle-based law firm which commits almost wholly to commercial debtor and creditor advice. The practice has established a reputation for constructively assisting businesses in difficulty.
Representative cases include the restructuring of Associated Grocers, a wholesaler with annual revenues of $1bn, an instruction which required the restructuring of obligations to 17 lenders. The practice has represented Christiana Bank in numerous matters involving the Alaska and commercial fishery industry, a complex niche which requires the interaction of bankruptcy and Admiralty law.
CLIENTS: Clients include Worldpoint Logistics, Alaska Power & Telephone, and Advanced Technology Video.
INDIVIDUALS: Gayle Bush specializes in out-of-court workout agreements, Chapter 11 reorganizations and liquidations across the business range. Armand ‘Jay’ Kornfeld is a veteran of financially troubled companies in diverse industries and ranks as the regional expert in commercial fisheries and the seafood processing sector.
PRACTICE: Duane Morris LLP’s West Coast offices in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco house some eight members of the firm’s reorganization and bankruptcy practice. A strong local penetration has been established and the California-based lawyers also contribute to the nationwide and international offering.
Representative matters include acting as chief reorganization counsel in numerous confirmed plans including Palomar Mountain Spring Water, CinemaStar and Audre.
CLIENTS: Clients include Liberty International, CitiCapital and Wells Fargo.
INDIVIDUALS: In San Diego, Christopher Celentino has a wide-ranging insolvency practice and is expert in construction litigation. Mikel Bistrow, also in San Diego, has considerable expertise in credit and lending including securitization and construction finance-she is admitted to the US Supreme Court
PRACTICE: Lane Powell PC’s bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice comprises 12 attorneys practicing from the firm’s Seattle and Portland offices. It is well-established in the states of Washington, Oregon and Alaska and also takes instructions from California and other states. Key industry niches include agriculture, fisheries, shipping, healthcare, retail, real estate and construction. The practice has a blue-chip following of banks and other financial institutions which regularly instruct when loans become problematic.
CLIENTS: Clients include Transamerica Commercial Finance, Mutual Life Insurance, General Electric Capital, Wells Fargo Bank and Navisar Financial.
INDIVIDUALS: Charles Ekberg has wide experience of debtor representation in many industries. Mary Jo Heston has quickly built a strong practice which includes international insolvency. Both are based in Seattle.