Matthew B. Stein’s practice focuses on representing debtors, creditors, statutory and ad hoc committees, indenture trustees, private equity funds and other investors throughout the capital structure in complex restructurings, reorganizations and liquidation proceedings. He has extensive experience in litigation arising from distressed situations and leveraged buyouts, including fraudulent conveyances and preferential payments. He also regularly handles disputes involving contested plan confirmation, including valuation disputes, subordination and recharacterization of claims, cramdown and vote designation issues.
Matt was recognized as a 2017 and 2018 “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer” by Turnarounds and Workouts, which honored 12 top attorneys under 40 in the restructuring practice area. He has also been recognized on the Benchmark Litigation Under 40 Hot List and in The Legal 500’s guide to outstanding attorneys nationwide for Corporate Restructuring (including bankruptcy).
Work Highlights
- Lead counsel to Fred’s, a leading retailer with 556 general merchandise and pharmacy stores across the southeast United States, in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.
- Cyrus Capital Management as the “fulcrum” or critical creditor constituency at the parent company Toys "R" Us in all aspects of Toys "R" Us’ pending Chapter 11 case.
- Special litigation counsel to the Ad Hoc Group of Second Lien Lenders in SunEdison.
- Controlling equity holder in EB Holdings II (Eco-Bat).
- A noteholder in Taberna Preferred Funding IV, challenging the commencement of an involuntary bankruptcy against the issuer of a CDO.
- Official Equity Committee in Hercules Offshore, resulting in the confirmation of a plan that provided equity with a guaranteed recovery of $15 million and reduced the claim of the first lien lenders by $32.5 million.
- Harbinger Capital in LightSquared, successfully restructuring its $2 billion investment, including related litigation by Harbinger against Dish Network and the FCC.
- A governmental entity in Ciber, resulting in the successful remand of a state court litigation removed by the debtor and partial relief from the automatic stay.
- A Delaware limited liability company in a corporate governance dispute with certain members resulting in the successful effectuation of a contested amended operating agreement, appointment of a new CEO, and implementation of other corporate governance structures.
- Aman Resorts Group in its successful dismissal of an involuntary bankruptcy case and related bankruptcy cases.
- Special litigation and conflicts counsel to the Debtors in Relativity.
- Controlling shareholder of Ampal-American Israel Corporation in Chapter 7 proceedings.
- Multiple landlords in The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company.
- Prominent individual investors in the successful back-stopped rights offering for Eastman Kodak in its bankruptcy proceedings.
- Secured creditor in Quiznos.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency in Residential Capital.
- Controlling Pre-LBO Bondholder-directed indenture trustee in Tribune Company.
- Noteholders in connection with a dispute regarding synthetic swap agreements in Lehman Brothers Holdings.
- Second lien agent in Hawkeye Renewables.
- Secured creditor in West End Financial.
- Cozumel Caribe, S.A. de C.V. in its chapter 15 case.
- Hedge funds holding $649 million of secured debt in Winstar Communications.
- Special litigation counsel to Debtors in Fontainebleau.
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