Jeff concentrates his law practice in the area of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganization and related restructuring. Jeff's law practice also includes a wide variety of commercial litigation arising out of or related to commercial bankruptcies or insolvencies.
Representative Experience
Counsel to the Official Committee of Equity Holders in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of CDC Corp. (N.D. Ga.)
Lead debtors' counsel in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of Wolf Camera, Inc. and Allied Holdings, Inc. (N.D. Ga.).
Special counsel for debtors in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. (M.D. Fla.).
Counsel for Foreign Representative in the Chapter 15 bankruptcy case of Grant Forest Products, Inc. (Del.).
Counsel for numerous secured lenders and DIP lenders in a wide variety of chapter 11 cases (e.g. Sea Island Company (S.D. GA); Maronda Homes (PA); Bill Heard Enterprises (AL); Security National Properties (DEL); Newcare (MA); South Fulton Hospital (GA); Bland Farms (GA); Publix Distributing and Lionel Wilde (GA); Jack Keller (GA); Raleigh Federal (NC) Maryland Farms (TN); Century Springs East (GA); Fountainhead of Virginia Beach (VA)).
Special counsel to debtors and trustees in bankruptcy-related litigation (e.g. Gainesville-PH Properties (FL); Nationwide Furniture (GA)). Counsel for large unsecured creditors (e.g. Commodore Electronics (NY and Bahamas)).
Counsel for corporate trustees in defaulted bond issues (e.g. Visionland Chapter 9 (AL); Mutual Benefit Life rehabilitation (NJ)).
Counsel to both lenders and borrowers on bankruptcy issues related to deal structures.
Presentations and Speaking Engagements
ICLE in Georgia Panelist, Dead Dirt: Bankruptcy 101 for Real Estate Practitioners (2009).
ICLE in Georgia Panelist, Hot Topics in Real Estate Restructuring and §363 Sales (2007).
ICLE in Georgia Panelist, The KERP Phenomenon and the Road Ahead (2006).
ABA Section of Business Spring Meetings, Lender Liability Updates (2007, 2009).
Georgia Bankers Association Panelist, Feeling "Subprime?" Seeing Another Side of "Participation?" What To Do When Loans Go Bad (2007).
University of Illinois College of Law, Great American Cities (2007).
ABI Southeast Workshop Panel Moderator, Dead Dealers: Problems and Challenges with Auto-dealer Insolvencies (2009).
ABI Southeast Workshop Panel Moderator, Employee Distress-What About My Retirement (Defined Benefit Pension Plans in Bankruptcy) (2006).
ABI Southeast Workshop Panel Moderator, Developments in Banking and Commercial Law Affecting Bankruptcy Law Professionals (2005).
AIRA Panelist, Emerging Issues in Chapter 11 (2002).
ACB Panelist, Proposed Bankruptcy Reform Act (2002).
CLE Panelist, The Intersection of Bankruptcy Law and Environmental Law (1992).
Publications
Chapters on Section 361 of the Bankruptcy Code (Adequate Protection) Norton Annual Surveys of Bankruptcy Law, 1991-1997.
"A Rock and a Hard Place, Bankruptcy Waivers in Loan Workouts," ABA Banking Journal, October 1995.
"New Restrictions on the Statutory Employer Rule," 21 Georgia Bar Journal 94.
Other Distinctions
Highly ranked {2} as one of America's Leading Lawyers for Bankruptcy and Restructuring Law by Chambers USA (2010-2011)
Selected by Law & Politics and Atlanta Magazines as a Georgia Super Lawyer in Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (2004-2011); Selected for inclusion in the July/August 2010 Law & Politics' Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition.
Named to Georgia Trend magazine's Legal Elite in Bankruptcy Law
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law in the 2011 edition
Listed in Who's Who Legal: Georgia (Insolvency)
Work Experience
Bankruptcy Practice Group Leader, Troutman Sanders LLP, 2004 - present
Partner, Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP, 1982 - 2003
Associate, Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP, 1975 -1982
Memberships
· Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy (Circuit Council for the Eleventh Circuit)
· Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute - Director
· American Bar Association (Chairman, Lender Liability Subcommittee of the CFS, 2007-2009; Editorial Board, Commercial and Business Litigation Newsletter, 2000-2002)
· American Bankruptcy Institute (Southeastern Workshop Advisory Board)
· University of Georgia Board of Visitors
· State Bar of Georgia (Mentor, Pilot Project on Transition into Practice)
Fellow: American College of Bankruptcy (Circuit Council for the Eleventh Circuit).