Steven Klein is a partner in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and is a member of Gibson Dunn’s Real Estate Practice Group. Steven’s practice covers a broad range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, financings, leasing, construction and development, restructurings and recapitalizations. He also has substantial experience in REIT offerings, REIT mergers and formation of investment funds. He has advised clients on securitized financing agreements, permanent and mezzanine loan agreements, loan restructuring agreements, partnership and limited liability company agreements, private placement memoranda, property management agreements, retail and office leases and regional shopping centre agreements.

Steven has been recognized as a leading lawyer by:

  • Chambers USA in New York Real Estate
  • Expert Guide to the World’s Leading Real Estate Lawyers
  • The Best Lawyers in America®
  • The Legal 500
  • Lawdragon
  • Who’s Who Legal Real Estate
  • IFLR1000
  • New York Magazine‘s “Best Lawyers”

Highlights of Steven’s recent experience include:

  • Welltower in the sale of its existing partner’s joint venture interests in 147 skilled nursing facilities to a new partner, with a new joint venture agreement, master lease, and restructuring of existing partner’s joint venture and master lease for 58 assisted living facilities.
  • Welltower in its acquisition of a portfolio of 86 seniors housing properties owned by Holiday Retirement.
  • Welltower in its establishment of a healthcare real estate fund with KeyBank. The new unitranche loan program will provide first mortgage financing on seniors housing and skilled nursing facilities.
  • AECOM Capital in several acquisition, development, joint venture and construction financing projects across the United States.
  • Monarch Alternative Capital LP in its joint venture with American House Senior Living Communities, for the acquisition, development and management of senior housing properties across the United States.
  • Sherwood Equities’ in a multi-decade lease for nine marquee billboards at Two Times Square and 1600 Broadway to Providence Equity Partners.
  • Sherwood Equities in its sale of a retail condominium at 1600 Broadway to a joint venture between Bayerische Versorgungskammer and Paramount Group, Inc.

Additional relevant information about Steven includes:

  • Steven is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and the Advisory Board of NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate.
  • Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Steven was Chair of the Real Estate department of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
  • Steven received his Juris Doctor from Rutgers University School of Law in 1986.

Eric M. Feuerstein is a partner in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Co-Chair of the Real Estate Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Mr. Feuerstein’s practice concentrates on financings, debt purchases, acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings and development.

Mr. Feuerstein is ranked as one of the leading real estate lawyers in New York (Band 1) by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and has also been recognized by The Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal Real Estate, Lawdragon and The Best Lawyers in America®. Chambers USA notes Mr. Feuerstein is “one of the best strategic transactional lawyers you will find anywhere on the planet,” he is “acclaimed by clients for both his legal skills and his understanding of the business aspects of transactions,” “a very hard and diligent worker, who brings a lot of accuracy and attention to the work.” BTI Consulting named Mr. Feuerstein to its Client Service All-Stars list, featuring an “elite group of attorneys recognized by clients for client service excellence.” Mr. Feuerstein was profiled in the New York Post as one of four lawyers in “Commercial Real Estate’s Top Movers & Shakers” and was also named by Private Equity Real Estate as one of the “100 Most Influential” in the real estate private equity industry over the past decade.

Mr. Feuerstein serves on the Board of Trustees of Park Avenue Synagogue.

Mr. Feuerstein received his Juris Doctor from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1995 and his Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Cornell University in 1991.

He is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Jason Hsu is Of Counsel in the Denver office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where his practice focuses primarily on commercial real estate finance.

Jason has experience representing institutional lenders and investors in the origination and restructuring of mortgage and mezzanine loans for the acquisition and refinancing of hotels, office buildings, multi-family housing complexes, and mixed-use projects located throughout the United States.

Jason has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Real Estate Law since 2021.

He received his Juris Doctor in 2014 from Fordham University. He also received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan in 2009.

Jason is admitted to practice in the States of New York and Colorado.

Samantha Noh is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she practices in the firm’s Real Estate practice group.

In 2022, she received her J.D. from Stanford Law School, where she was Managing Editor of the Stanford Law Review. Samantha received her Masters degree in Cultural Heritage Studies from University College London in 2018, and her Bachelors degree in Anthropology from Harvard University in 2015, graduating magna cum laude.

Samantha is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Jacky Fung is an associate in Hong Kong. He is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group.

His practice focuses on civil and commercial litigation. He has advised companies and professional parties in a range of contractual and tortious matters. Jacky also has experience advising on regulatory investigations and internal investigations.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Jacky was an associate at another U.S. law firm. He received his Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business Administration (Law) (both with First Class Honours) and his Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the University of Hong Kong. He also spent a year at Yale University as a visiting student during his undergraduate studies. 

Jacky is admitted to practice in Hong Kong and the State of New York. He is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Ellen Stucky is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group.

Ellen received her Juris Doctor from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in 2023. Ellen also received her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 2023.

Prior to attending law school, Ellen worked as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche. Ellen received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame in 2015.

Ellen is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.

Terry Wong is a litigation associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He practices in the firm’s Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Data Innovation and White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Groups.

Terry represents individuals and major multinational corporations, in criminal, regulatory, and internal investigations, as well as in complex civil litigation. He regularly advises companies on issues related to technology, data privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer protection.

Terry maintains an active pro bono practice. He represented Mr. Jones in a historic civil rights victory over an LAPD officer in Deon Jones v. City of Los Angeles, in which a federal jury unanimously determined that the officer had violated Mr. Jones’ Fourth Amendment rights and awarded Mr. Jones $375,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. Terry has also represented clients in a variety of other pro bono matters, focusing on areas of criminal justice, immigration, and constitutional rights.

Terry received his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School, where he was named a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and served as an Executive Managing Editor of the Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems. While in law school, Terry interned at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, New York for both the Criminal and Civil Divisions. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Peace, War, and Defense from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Terry is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Vivian Lu is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP where she currently practices in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group.

Vivian earned her Juris Doctor in 2020 from New York University School of Law. She received her Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University in 2015.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Vivian served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Kara F. Stoll of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She also worked in the Washington DC office of global intellectual property law firm in their patent prosecution group prior to her clerkship.

Vivian is a member of the bar of the State of New York and the District of Columbia and is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Zaneta Kim is an associate in the Palo Alto office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department. Her practice focuses on securities, cyber/data privacy and other complex business litigations. Zaneta also represents companies, boards and special committees in government and internal investigations and routinely handles other shareholder and securities related matters, such as responding to books and records demands and FINRA inquiries.

Representative matters include securing an appellate win upholding the dismissal of securities claims against a company that provides online personal styling services, securing dismissals of class action privacy claims alleging violations of wiretap law in connection with online retailers’ use of session replay technology, and representing an international logistics company in a DOJ’s antitrust investigation involving a bid-rigging conspiracy.

Zaneta earned her law degree from Georgetown Law in 2017. While in law school, she served as a student attorney in Georgetown Law’s Appellate Litigation Clinic and as a judicial extern in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She received her Bachelor of Arts from University of California – Los Angeles in 2013.

Zaneta is a member of the California Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; the Northern, Southern, Central, and Eastern District Courts of California; and California state courts.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Zaneta was an associate at another leading global law firm.

Christopher Scott is a litigation associate in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s New York office.

Christopher received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2023 and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia in 2017. During law school, Christopher interned at the Massachusetts Division of Administrative Law Appeals and the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Office of the Chief Staff Attorney.

Christopher is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Michael A. Rosenthal is a retired partner in the New York and Texas offices of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He was previously Co-Chair of Gibson Dunn’s Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group for over 30 years. Mr. Rosenthal has extensive experience in reorganizing distressed businesses and related corporate reorganization and debt restructuring matters. He has represented complex, financially distressed companies, both in out-of-court restructurings and in pre-packaged, pre-negotiated and freefall chapter 11 cases, acquirors of distressed assets and investors in distressed businesses. Mr. Rosenthal’s representations have spanned a variety of business sectors, including investment banking, private equity, energy, retail, shipping, manufacturing, real estate, engineering, construction, medical, airlines, media, telecommunications and banking. He has been recognized for his ability to build consensus, to mediate disputes, and to bring practical results to complicated business situations.

Mr. Rosenthal has broad experience in representation of the debtors in some of the most significant and unique multi-jurisdictional chapter 11 cases filed in the Southern District of New York: Arcapita Bank B.S.C.(c) (SDNY, Bahrain, Cayman Islands); and Almatis B.V. (SDNY, Netherlands, Germany).. Other debtor clients have included, among others, Mesquite Energy, Inc. (as successor to Sanchez Energy), TBS International, Ltd.; Building Materials Holding Corporation; Prentiss Copley Investment Group; FINOVA; FLAG Telecom; Atlantic Coast Airlines; First Republic Bank Corporation; Resorts International; Financial News Network (now known as CNBC); and National Gypsum Company (now known as Asbestos Claims Management Corporation). Non-debtor clients have included, among others, AIG, Truck Insurance Exchange, the George Kaiser Foundation (as the largest investor in Solyndra LLC), Investcorp and various of their portfolio companies, First Reserve and various of their portfolio companies, Intel, General Electric Credit Corporation, Textron Financial, L Catterton Partners, Oldcastle, Q Investments, Tenet Healthcare, Cooper Industries, Jacobs Engineering, Bechtel, The Shaw Group Inc. and Bernhard Capital Partners LLC

Mr. Rosenthal has been active in representing and providing advice to entities regarding their rights and exposure related to difficulties in the financial services sector, including issues related to loan restructurings, spin-offs, derivative products, securitizations and customer account issues. Among others, he has represented PWC (Zurich) as foreign representative in the chapter 15 case of Lehman Brothers Finance A.G. (SDNY, Switzerland), (the Swiss affiliate of Lehman that originated much of Lehman’s non-U.S. derivatives business), the Lehman Brothers Private Equity Funds and various other large, public companies involved in the global restructuring of Lehman and its affiliates. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, Mr. Rosenthal played an important role in providing input and advice regarding proposed U.S. financial regulatory reform legislation—recently enacted as the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Regulatory Act— including testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on issues related to the new Orderly Liquidation Authority enacted to facilitate the efficient resolution of systemically significant financial companies.

In addition to debtors, acquirors and investors, Mr. Rosenthal has represented creditors’ committees, secured and unsecured creditors, bondholders and trustees. He also has substantial experience in advising private equity firms and others on distressed and fulcrum security investing strategies. In this regard, Mr. Rosenthal is frequently consulted to analyze the capital structure of companies and to advise on first lien/second liens issues and the strengths, weaknesses and relative priorities of outstanding bond and/or equity security issues.

Mr. Rosenthal is one of the country’s leading lawyers on restructuring issues related to companies with asbestos, sex abuse and other mass tort liability. He has advised the trustees of some of the largest section 524(g) asbestos settlement trusts, companies seeking to resolve their asbestos, sex abuse and other mass tort exposure, insurers that provide coverage for mass tort liabilities, and entities seeking to acquire or invest in companies that have such exposure. Most recently, he is advising the AIG Member Companies in connection with their potential exposure for the sex abuse liability of the Boy Scouts of America and their affiliated local counsel and chartered organizations, and of various Catholic dioceses and archdioceses.  And, he represented Truck Insurance Exchange in a recent landmark United States Supreme Court decision which unanimously rejected the insurance-neutrality doctrine and held that an insurer with financial responsibility for a bankruptcy claim is a ‘party in interest that may object to a reorganization plan under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.’ Truck Insurance Exchange v. Kaiser Gypsum, Inc., 144 S. Ct. 1414 (2024).

Mr. Rosenthal has lectured and published at the national and local levels on matters involving bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. He has also published and written extensively on directors’ fiduciary obligations in the context of distressed businesses. Mr. Rosenthal is consistently ranked as one of the best bankruptcy lawyers in the United States. He has been ranked in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Who’s Who Legal, The Daily Deal, The Legal 500, The Best Lawyers in America® and Texas, New York Super Lawyers and Legal Media Group’s Expert Guides Guide to the World’s Leading Banking, Finance and Transactional Lawyers. Chambers has described Mr. Rosenthal as “a seasoned and experienced lawyer” and notes that clients appreciate his “help in navigating difficult bankruptcy issues,” finding him “efficient, thoughtful and proactive” in his approach.

Mr. Rosenthal received his Juris Doctor in 1979 from the University of Chicago and his Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude in 1976 from the University of Virginia. He also studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Mr. Rosenthal is a member of the Bars in New York and Texas.

Mr. Rosenthal has been responsible for or active in the representation of the following debtors, either in out-of-court restructurings or Chapter 11 cases or as reorganized entities:

  • Mesquite Energy, Inc. (as successor to Sanchez Energy); Represented the reorganized entity, a Texas-based oil and gas producer which filed a chapter 11 case in the Southern District of Texas, in its post-effective date operations and liquidation which resulted in net asset value that vastly exceeded the emergence net asset value.
  • Arcapita Bank B.S.C.(c): Representation of Arcapita Bank, a Bahrain-based investment bank and private equity company, and its affiliates, in their Chapter 11 cases filed in the Southern District of New York and in ancillary proceedings in the Cayman Islands. At the time of its chapter 11 filing, Arcapita, a leading global manager of Shari’ah-compliant alternative investments, had approximately $7 billion in assets under management related to approximately 30 portfolio companies located around the world. The cross-border and Shari’ah-compliant aspects of the Arcapita restructure were both complicated and unique. The confirmed chapter 11 plan of reorganization for Arcapita went effective on September 17, 2013. Gibson Dunn received The American Lawyer‘s 2014 Global Legal Award, for “Global Finance Deal of the Year: Restructuring and Insolvency (Middle East),” and The M&A Advisor’s 2014 Turnaround Award for “Cross-Border Restructuring Deal of the Year (Over $1 Billion)” for its work on the Chapter 11 restructuring of Arcapita Bank B.S.C.
  • TBS International Ltd.: Representation of TBS International and its affiliates in their recent, successful Chapter 11 cases in the Southern District of New York. TBS is an international ocean shipping company. In April 2012, scarcely 50 days after filing for Chapter 11, TBS confirmed its prepackaged Chapter 11 plan.
  • Almatis, B.V.: Representation of Almatis and its affiliates in their Chapter 11 cases filed in the Southern District of New York. The Frankfurt-based, Netherlands- incorporated debtors are one of the world’s leading suppliers of alumina products. Despite a hotly contested valuation litigation surrounding the filing of a prepackaged plan of reorganization, a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization was, in a short five-month time frame, confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court and consummated.
  • Building Materials Holding Corporation: Representation of Building Materials Holding and its subsidiaries in their successful, pre-negotiated Chapter 11 cases filed in Delaware. The debtors have a significant national presence in the building materials and construction services sectors, and confirmed a pre-negotiated plan of reorganization that, among other things, implemented a debt to equity conversion of the debtors’ secured revolver and term debt owed to a 70-member bank/hedge fund syndicate.
  • Lehman Brothers Finance, S.A.: Representation of PwC, as liquidator of Lehman Brothers Finance, A.G., a Swiss affiliate of Lehman that originated much of the non-U.S. derivatives business. The representation has involved advising PwC on its rights and obligations as liquidator, including those rights and obligations arising from the filing on behalf of the liquidator of a petition under Chapter 15 of the Bankruptcy Code for Lehman Brothers Finance, S.A., and on the tens of billions of dollars of intercompany claims between LBF and Lehman Brothers Holding Inc.
  • Dexia, Ltd.: Represented Dexia, a large French/Belgian insurance holding company, on its exposure, investment and ownership interest in Financial Security Assurance Holdings, Inc. (“FSAH”), a U.S. entity that owns FSA Inc., one of the three largest U.S. monoline insurance carriers, and several non-insurance entities that issued billions of dollars of underwater Guaranteed Insurance Contracts. Mr. Rosenthal advised Dexia on its options relative to the sale of FSAH and/or the financial restructuring of these entities, and ultimately, assisted Dexia in the sale of FSAH to Assured Guaranty, Ltd.
  • FINOVA Group Inc., et al.: Representation of Chapter 11 debtor in stand-alone reorganization involving approximately $11 billion of debt. Plan confirmed less than six months after filing.
  • FLAG Telecom Holdings Limited: Representation of London-based Chapter 11 debtor in its six-month reorganization case that restructured more than $3 billion in debt.
  • Building Industry Restructurings: Representation of various major U.S.-based construction and homebuilding entities in their out-of-court restructuring efforts. The names of these entities cannot be disclosed at this time.
  • Prentiss/Copley Investment Group: Representation of The Prentiss/Copley Investment Group in connection with an out-of-court restructuring of 122 office buildings and industrial properties located throughout the United States.
  • Kalikow Real Estate Company: Representation of New York developer Peter Kalikow in simultaneous restructuring negotiations and Chapter 11 cases. Continued representation to enforce discharge provisions of plan.
  • Asbestos Claims Management Corporation: Representation of Chapter 11 debtor with billions of dollars of asbestos-related liabilities. The plan, which was confirmed and consummated less than a year after the case was commenced, resulted in the creation of one of the few asbestos trusts that is operational and well-funded today.
  • Resorts International, Inc.: Representation of Chapter 11 debtor in the pre-packaged stand-alone reorganization of high-profile Merv Griffin Casino in Atlantic City, and in the sale of Paradise Island, Bahamas Casino, which is now known as The Atlantis. The case was concluded in a matter of months.
  • First Republic Bank Corporation: Representation of First Republic Bank, one of the largest bank holding companies ever to seek Chapter 11 protection, in a vigorously contested Chapter 11 case in which pension fund surpluses were preserved for creditors of insolvent bank holding companies through a settlement negotiated with the FDIC.
  • Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.: Representation of Hawaiian Airlines in its Chapter 11 case, including labor negotiations, aircraft lessor litigation and formulation of code share/frequent flyer alliance with American Airlines.
  • The Shaw Group/Military Housing: Representation of The Shaw Group in connection with restructure at privatized Army, Navy and Air Force military housing projects.
  • American Pad & Paper Company: Representation of Chapter 11 debtor that was one of the largest manufacturers and marketers of nationally branded and private label paper-based office products in the North American office products industry.
  • Financial News Network: Representation of Chapter 11 debtor, including its highly publicized section 363 auction between Dow Jones/Westinghouse and General Electric’s NBC unit, which led to the formation of NBC’s cable news affiliate, CNBC. The Second Circuit decision upholding the sale established new precedent concerning flexible auction procedures.
  • Money’s Foods U.S., Inc.: Representation of Chapter 11 debtor in stand-alone reorganization of second-largest mushroom producer in North America. During the case, the company sold several of its operating farms pursuant to section 363 sales.
  • Graham-Field Health Products, Inc.: Representation of Graham-Field Health Products, Inc. and its affiliates, suppliers of medical and home health care products, in their Chapter 11 cases.
  • NACO Finance Corporation: Representation of NACO Finance Corporation in complex reorganization.
  • Sunnyside Cogeneration Associates: Representation of Sunnyside Cogeneration Associates, a Utah cogeneration facility, in an out-of-court restructuring.
  • AutoFuel Company: Representation of AutoFuel d/b/a AFCO, a distributor of motor fuels in the Southwest and Hawaii, in its Chapter 11 case in the Northern District of Texas.
  • Metrocall: Representation of debtor in Chapter 11 case in the Northern District of Texas.
  • Comtel Telcom Assets, L.P.: Representation of debtor in Chapter 11 case in the Northern District of Texas.

Mr. Rosenthal has been responsible for or active in the representation of the following entities involved in mass tort cases:

  • AIG: Representation of AIG as insurer in hotly contested litigation surrounding responsibility for legacy sexual abuse liability of Boy Scouts of America as well as various Catholic dioceses or archdioceses.
  • Truck Insurance Exchange: Representation of Truck Insurance Exchange as the primary insurer of Kaiser Gypsum Company, including in connection with successful petition for certiorari to United States Supreme Court which resulted in landmark decision establishing principle that insurers have standing to be heard regarding any aspect of a chapter 11 plan or reorganization.
  • Koch Industries: Representation of ultimate parent of Bestwall LLC in connection with asbestos related advice regarding Bestwall case and funding of qualified settlement trust.
  • Yarway Corporation: Representation of chapter 11 plan sponsor (Tyco International) that contributed $325 million to establish section 524(g) asbestos settlement trust.
  • Grinnell LLC: Representation of Tyco International plc in establishing and funding a qualified settlement fund to resolve asbestos claims.
  • Asbestos Claims Management Corporation:  Representation of chapter 11 debtor (formerly known as National Gypsum Company) with billions of dollars of asbestos-related liabilities in connection with successful chapter 11 case that resulted in creation and funding of NGC Settlement Trust.
  • NGC Settlement Trust:  Representation of the settlement trust created in the chapter 11 reorganization of National Gypsum Company to resolve billions of dollars in asbestos-related claims.
  • Cooper Industries/Federal Mogul:  Representation of Cooper Industries in connection with its asbestos issues arising in connection with the chapter 11 cases of Federal Mogul, Inc. and its affiliates.
  • Confidential Liability Management Representations: Confidential representation of a number of major companies seeking advice on asbestos liability management.
  • DII Industries Asbestos PI Trust:  Representation of DII Industries Asbestos PI Trust, the multibillion dollar trust funded by Halliburton Company to resolve the asbestos claims against Halliburton, DII Industries and other Halliburton affiliates.  The trust is one of the largest of its kind ever to be created.
  • Participation in most major asbestos cases: Participated in most of the major asbestos-related cases that have been filed over the years.

Mr. Rosenthal has been responsible for the representation of the following acquirors of substantially all of the business and assets of Chapter 11 debtors:

  • GCL Poly-Energy Holdings Limited: Representation of GCL Poly-Energy Holdings Limited, one of the world’s largest solar photovoltaic enterprises, in its acquisition of the Solar Materials division of SunEdison, a Chapter 11 debtor in the Southern District of New York.
  • Celanese/Clear Lake Cogeneration: Representation of Celanese, one of the world’s largest chemical companies, in connection with negotiation of agreements with Clear Lake Cogeneration, a Chapter 11 debtor and affiliate of NRG Energy, also a Chapter 11 debtor, to restructure and, in certain instances, acquire cogeneration assets critical to continued, uninterrupted, operation of Celanese’s largest chemical plant in Clear Lake, Texas.
  • NRG Energy/Cajun Electric: Representation of NRG Energy in acquisition of the electric generating assets of Cajun Electric Power Cooperative, Inc., a Chapter 11 debtor in the Middle District of Louisiana. Cajun Electric is the utility provider to virtually all of rural Louisiana.
  • NRG/O’Brien Environmental: Representation of NRG Energy in the acquisition of a controlling interest in O’Brien Environmental Energy, Inc., a Chapter 11 debtor in the District of New Jersey, through a competing plan of reorganization and highly contested auction.
  • The Shaw Group/IT Group: Representation of The Shaw Group, a worldwide engineering and construction company, in its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of IT Group, Inc., another large worldwide engineering and construction company, which is a debtor in a Chapter 11 case in the District of Delaware.
  • Tenet Healthcare/Allegheny Health: Representation of Tenet Healthcare in the purchase of eight Philadelphia area hospitals and the medical school owned by Allegheny Health, Education and Research Foundation and its affiliates, which are debtors in Chapter 11 cases in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
  • TELUS/PSINet: Representation of TELUS, one of Canada’s largest telecommunication providers, in its acquisition of Canadian assets of PSINet, Inc., a Chapter 11 debtor in the Southern District of New York.
  • Jacobs Engineering/Stone & Webster: Representation of Jacobs Engineering Group in the highly contested auction to acquire the assets of Stone & Webster, Inc., a Chapter 11 debtor in the District of Delaware.

Mr. Rosenthal also spearheaded the successful representation of creditors, equity holders and Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committees in the following Chapter 11 cases:

  • Solyndra: Representation of affiliates of the George Kaiser Foundation and the Rob Walton Foundation, as principal lenders to and investors in Solyndra LLC, a solar energy firm that filed a Chapter 11 case in the District of Delaware. These affiliates provided debtor in possession financing to and sponsored the successful chapter 11 plan of reorganization for Solyndra.
  • Lehman Brothers: Representation of all of the Lehman Brothers Private Equity Funds, and various other parties, in connection with their rights and obligations related to the Chapter 11 filing of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and the Securities Investor Protection Act case filed against Holdings’ broker-dealer subsidiary, Lehman Brothers Inc.
  • Zale Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee: Representation of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Zale Corporation, the largest jewelry store chain in the United States with thousands of retail locations.
  • I.C.H. Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee: Representation of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of I.C.H. Corporation, a large U.S. insurance holding company.
  • KCS Energy Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee: Representation of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of KCS Energy, Inc.
  • Sunrise Energy Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee: Representation of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Sunrise Energy Company and Sunrise Energy Management Company, which successfully concluded their Chapter 11 proceedings in seven months.
  • DII Industries Asbestos PI Trust: Representation of DII Industries Asbestos PI Trust, the multibillion dollar trust funded by Halliburton Company to resolve the asbestos claims against Halliburton, DII Industries and other Halliburton affiliates. The trust is one of the largest of its kind ever to be created.
  • Textron Financial/Brooke: Representation of loan servicing in issues related to financial distress at Brooke Capital Corporation and Brooke Credit Corporation.
  • NGC Settlement Trust: Representation of the settlement trust created in the Chapter 11 reorganization of National Gypsum Company to resolve billions of dollars in asbestos-related claims.
  • Atlantic Coast/United Airlines: Representation of Atlantic Coast Airlines, as a creditor in the Chapter 11 cases of UAL Corporation and its affiliates currently pending in the Northern District of Illinois.
  • Shaw Communications/360 Networks: Representation of Shaw Communications, Canada’s largest cable TV provider, in the 360Networks case pending in the Southern District of New York.
  • Nortel Networks/GST Telecom: Representation of Nortel Networks, a creditor in the GST Telecom, Inc. Chapter 11 case in the District of Delaware.
  • Cooper Industries/Federal Mogul: Representation of Cooper Industries in connection with its asbestos issues arising from the Chapter 11 cases of Federal Mogul, Inc. and its affiliates currently pending in the District of Delaware.
  • Crosby Capital/Aviva America: Representation of Crosby Capital, a secured lender in the Aviva America, Inc. Chapter 11 case in the Northern District of Texas.
  • Potomac Electric/Ferranti International: Representation of Potomac Electric Power Company as large unsecured creditor in the Ferranti International Controls Corporation Chapter 11 in the Southern District of Texas.
  • Bank of Nova Scotia: Representation of The Bank of Nova Scotia in various troubled credits.

Christina M. Brown is of counsel in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and is a member of the Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Group. Christina represents a diverse array of parties in bankruptcy and insolvency related matters, financings, debt exchanges, and in-court and out-of-court restructurings. In 2023, she was recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Representative Clients and Transactions:

  • Advised an ad hoc group of secured creditors to Endo International plc, a specialty pharmaceutical company with approximately $8 billion in funded debt, in Chapter 11 proceedings in which the first lien creditors purchased substantially all of the Debtors’ assets pursuant to an innovative Plan sale, ending a multiyear effort to resolve opioid liabilities.
  • Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in the Chapter 11 restructuring of Serta Simmons Bedding, providing new liquidity and capital structure relief.
  • Advised an ad hoc group of term lenders in the Chapter 11 proceedings of Cano Health.
  • Advised an ad hoc group of first lien lenders in the Chapter 11 proceedings of Skillsoft, a global ed-tech company with over $2 billion in funded debt.
  • Represented an ad hoc group of first lien lenders in connection with the bridge financing and in-court restructuring of NPC International, the largest franchisee company in the United States.
  • Represented an ad hoc group of secured lenders in the out-of-court restructuring of David’s Bridal, the nation’s largest bridal-store chain.

Christina received her B.S. in Engineering and Architectural Design from Stanford University in 2007 and her J.D. and LL.M. from Duke University in 2012. Prior to entering the legal profession, she worked as a transportation engineer in the Los Angeles area.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Christina practiced in the Restructuring Group at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Aiyanna W. Isom is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Her practice focuses on Litigation and White Collar Defense and Investigations.

Prior to joining the firm, Aiyanna served as a law clerk to the Honorable Barrington D. Parker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Denise Cote of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

 Aiyanna received her Juris Doctor in 2020 from Harvard Law School, where she served as a Notes Editor of the Harvard Law Review.  Aiyanna received her Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania.

 Aiyanna is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Peter Jacobs is an associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He currently practices in the firm’s litigation practice group.

Peter earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2022, and his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Cornell University in 2013. During law school, Peter was the Comments Editor for the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law and completed an externship with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Conviction Integrity Unit. Between college and law school, Peter worked as a journalist, covering international breaking news and foreign affairs.

Clare Platt is an associate in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Los Angeles office. She practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Clare earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the New York University School of Law. While in law school, Clare was a staff editor for the NYU Law Review and served as a civil procedure teaching and research assistant for Professor Arthur R. Miller. Clare advised clients on First Amendment issues with the NYU Technology Law and Policy Clinic and served as the president of the Domestic Violence Advocacy Project.  

Clare received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, where she graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors.

Nicole Jibrine is an Associate in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and Labor and Employment Practice Group.

Nicole assists clients in a wide variety of labor and employment matters, including federal and state litigation and mediation proceedings, as well as investigations and advising clients on day-to-day employment issues.

Nicole graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2020, where she served as an Executive Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law. She graduated from Cornell University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Nicole was an associate in the Employment Practice Group of an Am Law 200 firm in New York.

Nicole is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Hannah Stone is an associate in the San Francisco office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.  Her practice focuses on commercial litigation matters in federal and state court, internal investigations, and high-stakes matters related to government investigations, regulatory inquires, and enforcement actions. 

Hannah’s representative matters include defending a financial institution in connection with civil and criminal investigations by the DOJ and multiple U.S. Attorney’s Offices relating to federal guaranteed loan programs for alleged violations of the False Claims Act; representing a leading technology company in litigation and securing opinion from the California Court of Appeal reversing order denying motion to compel arbitration; conducting independent investigation for a national professional sports team in connection with allegations of sexual abuse involving the team’s youth development program; representing a law firm in obtaining favorable settlement of professional negligence claims; and representing a leading IT service provider in a two-week civil jury trial in the Central District of California.

She also maintains an active pro bono practice, including representing youth offenders in their post-conviction matters.  

Hannah graduated summa cum lade from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif. While in law school, she served as a Judicial Extern to the Honorable Robert G. Klausner, United States District Judge for the Central District of California. Hannah also was a member of the Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic and served as an articles editor for the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review. Prior to law school, Hannah received her B.S. in Journalism from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where she was recruited and played for the Division I tennis team.

She is admitted to practice in the State of California.

Chumma Tum is an associate in the Denver office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she practices in the firm’s Litigation Department and is a member of the White-Collar Defense and Investigations, FDA and Health Care and False Claims Act/Qui Tam Defense Practice Groups. Chumma’s practice focuses on government and internal investigations, white-collar defense and complex civil litigation, particularly within the health care and life sciences industry. She has experience with internal and government investigations, including civil and criminal investigations by the Department of Justice and Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

Chumma received her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center, where she served as an editor for the American Criminal Law Review. While in law school, she also served as a legal intern for the Honorable Patti B. Saris, then Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Chumma graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and she served as a Reginald C. Lindsay Fellow with the US District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

Chumma’s representation experience includes:

  • A global technology services company in connection with civil litigation that alleges novel theories of FCA liability against the company. 
  • A leading pharmaceutical distributor in criminal and civil investigations by DOJ related to the distribution of controlled substances.*
  • A diagnostic laboratory in multiple state enforcement matters, including suspension proceedings and FCA investigation.*
  • A medical device company in connection with the development of the company’s compliance policies with respect to a new product line.*

*Matters handled prior to Chumma joining Gibson Dunn

Monica Paladini is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she practices in the firm’s Litigation Department and its Labor and Employment, Class Actions, and Trial practice groups.

Monica’s practice focuses on business litigation, with particular emphasis on employment litigation, mass and class actions, and complex commercial disputes.  She has litigated a range of labor and employment matters, including defending employers against wage and hour and discrimination actions in federal and state courts, as well as in arbitrations.  She has taken and defended depositions, authored and argued motions, negotiated favorable settlements, and prepared and taken witnesses at trial.  Monica also dedicates a significant portion of her practice to advising employers with respect to business-model development and a variety of business-related contracts and arbitration agreements.

 Monica’s representative experience includes:

  • Obtained a complete defense verdict in an 8-day jury trial alleging age discrimination, worker misclassification, and violation of the Cal-WARN Act, including novel legal issues related to COVID-19.  Monica served as third chair eliciting important testimony from key witnesses.
  • Prevailed on class decertification in a state-wide California class action on commonality and predominance grounds after garnering deposition testimony from plaintiff’s witnesses demonstrating that the putative class members’ experiences varied.   
  • Obtained a full defense victory following a week-long, class action bench trial, successfully arguing that the requirements of California Labor Code section 226 did not apply to the company’s unique bonus structure—a conclusion recently embraced by the California Supreme Court.   
  • Secured a complete victory after multi-week, bifurcated panel arbitration on behalf of an aerospace engineering manufacturer in a breach of contract dispute related to an environmental remediation indemnity provision.
  • Represent a number of gig economy clients in putative class actions, PAGA actions, and government enforcement actions alleging misclassification of workers as independent contractors.
  • Presented multiple CLE classes to clients on topics including recent trends in independent contractor classification.

Monica also has a strong commitment to pro bono work and community involvement.

Monica earned her Juris Doctor from the Pepperdine University School of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to the Order of the Coif and the Order of the Barristers.  She served as the Business Production Editor for the Pepperdine Law Review, a legal writing teaching assistant to Professor Mireille Butler, and a research assistant to Professor Peter T. Wendel.  Monica also served as a judicial extern for the Honorable John A. Kronstadt in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Address from Liberty University, where she graduated summa cum laude.

Prior to law school, Monica worked in marketing where she taught training seminars on marketing strategies and tools, developed, and implemented digital marketing campaigns for an array of businesses of various industries, and served as the director of marketing for a national manufacturer of building materials.  She authored a monthly column in a print magazine focused on emerging technology.  She also holds her private pilot license and motorcycle license.

Monica is a member of the State Bar of California and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Brenton Gutkowski is an associate in the Orange County office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP where he currently practices in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Brenton earned his Juris Doctor in 2023 from the University of San Diego School of Law where he graduated summa cum laude and was elected to the Order of the Coif. During law school, he served as Articles Editor of the San Diego Law Review and was a judicial extern to the Honorable Michael S. Berg of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

Prior to attending law school, Brenton graduated magna cum laude from The Ohio State University. He majored in Public Policy Analysis with a minor in Global Public Health.

Brenton is a member of the bar of the State of California and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of California.