Jeffrey C. Krause

Jeffrey C. Krause is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn where he is a member of the firm’s Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group. He has a broad corporate restructuring practice that handles significant debtor and creditor representations, acquirers of assets from chapter 11 debtors, lessors, landlords, secured and unsecured creditors.

Jeff frequently advises boards and shareholders on fulfilling fiduciary duties and minimizing litigation risks when faced with financial distress. He represents defendants in preference actions, fraudulent transfer actions and large, complex commercial disputes, including lender liability claims.

Awards and Accolades:

• Chambers USA, “Band 1 Bankruptcy/Restructuring: California” (2013 - 2026)
• Lawdragon, “500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers” (2022 - 2026)
• The Best Lawyers in America®, “Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency & Reorganization Law” (2003 - 2026) and “Lawyer of the Year” (2017)    
• Turnarounds & Workouts, “Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer” (2018)

Representative Clients and Transactions:

• Represented Berkshire Hathaway Energy as proposed plan sponsor in the $18 billion acquisition of Energy Future Holdings
• Represented Blackstone, Cerberus, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and MSD & BDT as secured lenders in restructuring transactions and enforcement of secured debt
• Represented BrightSpire Credit 1, LLC as mortgage lender on San Jose hotel through two chapter 11 cases
• Represented Divco as landlord and mezzanine lender in multiple chapter 11 cases
• Represented Mercury Financial in connection with the collapse and bankruptcy filing of Synapse Financial Technologies
• Represented officers and directors of Tattooed Chef, Inc. in multiple actions, including securities litigation and action by litigation trustee appointed under chapter 11 plan
• Represented Romano's Macaroni Grill as chapter 11 debtor
• Represented Space X as purchaser of assets out of chapter 11 case of Akoustis Technologies, Inc
• Represented Welltower as term loan lender and landlord in chapter 11 case on skilled nursing facility operator, Genesis Health Care, Inc. and multiple other restructuring matters and as buyer of distressed assets

Memberships and Professional Involvement:

• Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy
• Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association (Former Member of Executive Committee of Section on Commercial Law and Bankruptcy and Past Chair of Pro Bono Debtor Assistance Project)
• Member, Sections on Litigation and Business Law, American Bar Association (Past Co-Chairman of Bankruptcy and Insolvency Committee of the Litigation Section)
• Member, TMA Distressed Investing Conference Planning Committee (2022)
• Trustee, Turnaround Management Association Global Leadership (2024)
• Vice President Elect, Education, Turnaround Management Association Global Leadership (2025)
• President, Turnaround Management Association, Southern California Chapter (2017)
• Adjunct Professor, University of Southern California School of Law (1994-2000) (2002)
• Board Member, Financial Lawyers Conference (1999-2002)
• Director, California Bankruptcy Forum (1997-2000)
• President, Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum (1996-1997)
• Member, Debtor-Creditor Committee, Business Law Section (1992-1995)
• Member, UCC Committee, Business Law Section, State Bar of California (1987-1990)
• Adjunct Professor, Loyola School of Law teaching Real Property Secured Transactions (1987-1988)

Publications:

• “In a Class All Their Own,” Vol. 20, No. 5, Los Angeles Lawyers 42 (July-August 1997)
• “Whose Lawyer Are You: Fiduciary Obligations of Debtor in Possession’s Counsel,” 31 Beverly Hill Bar Ass’n Journal, Vol. 2 (1997)
• “Appellate Practice Educational Materials for Federal Judicial Center Programs for New Bankruptcy Appellate Panel Judges,” (1996 and 1997);
• “Non-Collusive Foreclosure Sales of Real Property Are Not Avoidable As Fraudulent Transfers,” 3 ABA Bankr. Litigation Newsletter 18, (1995)
• “The Bias of the Courts Against Single Asset Real Estate Cases is Creating Bad Law in the Area of Classification,” 22 Cal. Bankr. J. 45, (1994)
• “Foreclosure Sales Should Not Be Treated As Fraudulent Transfers,” 1 ABA Bankr. Litigation Newsletter 7, (1993)
• “United States Trustee Guidelines Regarding Prepetition Retainers,” 18 Cal. Bankr. J. 135, (1990)
• “California Real Property Financing: Bankruptcy and Secured Real Property Transactions,” CEB, (1989) (Contributing Author)
• “Treatment of Prepetition Retainers,” 17 Cal. Bankr. J. 153, (1989)
• Steinberg, Bankruptcy Litigation, (1989) (Contributing Author)
• Consultant, Bernhardt, California Mortgage and Deed of Trust Practice (2d ed. 1989 CEB)

Speaking Engagements:

• American Bankruptcy Institute Complex Financial Restructuring Program (2019, 2020, 2022)
• UCLA School of Law and Financial Lawyers Conference, “Bankruptcy Nuts and Bolts all day seminar: Asset Sales under Bankruptcy Code section 363” and “Executory Contracts under Bankruptcy Code section 365”
• USC Gould School of Law Real Estate Law and Business Forum, “Real Estate Valuation in Workouts and Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Cases and Other Valuation Triggering Events”
• Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum, “Be WARNed: Risks of Liability for Insiders, Secured Lenders and Buyers for Unpaid Employment Related Claims”
• Turnaround Managers Association, Southern California Chapter, “Distressed Valuations – ‘What is the Right Real Estate Valuation Approach and How to Plead Your Case!’”
• Turnaround Managers Association, Annual Western Regional Conference, “Litigation of Valuation Issues for Operating Businesses and Cramdown Interest Rates After Momentive”
• California Receiver’s Forum, “Labor and Employment Issues for Receivers Administering Operating Business”
• American Bankruptcy Institute Battleground West, “Healthcare Restructuring”
• Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum, “Recent Developments Debate Program”

Jeff attended the University of California Los Angeles, where he received his B.S. in Economics in 1977, and his J.D. in 1980. Jeff served on the UCLA Law Review, and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Capabilities

• Business Restructuring and Reorganization
• Betting and Gaming
• Crisis Management
• Energy and Infrastructure
• Finance
• Litigation
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Oil and Gas
• Power and Renewables
• Private Equity
• Real Estate
• Real Estate Disputes
• Royalty Finance

Credentials

Education:

• University of California, Los Angeles - 1980 Juris Doctor
• University of California, Los Angeles - 1977 Bachelor of Science

Admissions:

• California Bar