Past Board Member, American Bankruptcy Institute’s Regulatory & Commercial Law Committee
Past Donor/Fundraiser, San Jorge Children’s Foundation
Past Member, Moller-Foltz American Inns of Court
Past Pro Bono Attorney, Loyola Gillis Long Poverty Law Center
Past Volunteer, Special Olympics
Past Volunteer, Houston Habitat for Humanity
Student Mentor, Loyola University Alumni Association
Volunteer, Houston Bar Association, “Consejos Legales” Program
Representative Experience
Author, “Guidelines For Distressed Asset Purchases”, The Primerus Paradigm, Fall 2016
Author, “Decoding The Petroleum Marketing Practices Act (PMPA)”, Lexology Archives, March 2019
Author, “Don’t’ Be Late – Filing Proofs of Claims”, Lexology Archives, April 2019
Author, “Bondholders Beware? First Circuit Ruling’s Potential Adverse Impact on Puerto Rico’s Long Term Restructuring Prospects”, Lexology Archives, May 2019
Author, “To Arbitrate or Not Arbitrate, That is The Question: Enforcing Arbitration Clauses in Bankruptcy”, Lexology Archives, June 2019
Author, “Litigation in the Bankruptcy Venue: Similarities With General Federal Practice Regarding Privilege and Expert Discovery”, ABI Journal, July 2019
Author, “Pleading Fraudulent Transfers in the Wake of the U.S. Fifth Circuit’s Ruling in Life Partners Holding, Inc. v. Cowley”, Lexology Archives, August 2019
Contributor, “The Katrina Fund: Repairing Breaches in Gulf Coast Insurance Levees”, 43 Harvard Journal on Legislation 329 (2006)
Contributor, “Unconscious Classism: Entity Equality for Sole Proprietorships”, 11 University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law 2 (2009)
Featured, “Attorney Spotlight”, Finance Monthly, March 2016
Lecturer, “Introduction to Litigation”, University of Puerto Rico School of Law, 2016-18
Panelist, The Ethical Obligations of U.S. District Court Litigators (CLE Seminar), JLMA Learning Center, September 2011
Panelist, The Rights and Obligations of a Creditor/Landlord in Bankruptcy (Webinar), National Association of Credit Management, September 2019
Panelist, CFPB Mortgage-Servicing Regulations and Their Effects on Bankruptcy: An Update (Webinar), American Bankruptcy Institute, October 2021
Panelist, Chapter 11 First-Day Motions (Webinar), Strafford, May 2023
Quoted, “5 Myths in Bankruptcy Practice Debunked”, Law360, May 2024
Provided outside general counsel services to a Fortune 500 oil & gas company. Involved in review, negotiation and drafting of dozens of general business transactions, such as lease agreements, franchise agreements, purchase and sale agreements, NDAs, equipment loans, service contracts, and master service agreements.
Provided outside general counsel services to a Fortune 500 real estate company. Involved in commercial lease drafting, review, negotiation and other related due diligence over portfolio of assets.
Provided outside general counsel services to a big-box retailer. Involved in overseeing diverse docket of litigation matters including general strategic oversight, insurance coverage analysis, coordination with trial counsel, and managing budgets.
Commercial Litigation
Counsel to Fortune 500 oil and gas company in prosecuting Petroleum Marketing Practices Act (PMPA) trademark violations committed by gas station retailer; after injunctive evidentiary hearing was held, substantial damages for lost income, equipment damages, and attorney’s fees and costs were awarded.
Defended Fortune 500 oil and gas company in contractual breach litigation involving numerous leases and supply agreements; after trial was held, only 10% of originally requested seven figure sums in damages were awarded.
Defended CEO of a leading Texas energy retailer from fraud claims asserted by a Bankruptcy Trustee; after strategic motion practice and discovery, pre-trial settlement reached at fraction of multi-million-dollar-exposure.
Construction Law
Represented subcontractor in collecting millions of funds interplead in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas under the Texas Trust Fund Act.
Represented large Texas building supplier in enforcing liens across dozens of projects throughout the state.
Represented project owner in enforcing arbitration clause against general contractor for contractual breach; favorable settlement reached after first day of arbitration.
Creditors Rights/Bankruptcy
Represented warehouse landlord in connection with removal and disposal of thousands of tons of toxic hand-sanitizer located in Mexico as part of major bankruptcy filing in the Southern District of Texas; after contested proceedings, ensured landlord was paid seven-figure sum of back rent and other contractual breach damages amounts due in full as administrative claimant.
Represented the Special Claims Committee of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as part of the PROMESA proceedings, which entailed the prosecution of billions in preference claims.
Represented the ad hoc committee of equity stockholders in the multi-billion-dollar Chapter 11 filing of a publicly traded international movie theater chain.
Financial Institutions
Represented a national mortgage lender in achieving dismissal of commercial debtor’s bankruptcy filing under bad faith theory; this allowed lender to pursue more favorable foreclosure remedies against multi-million-dollar real estate portfolio.
Represented an investment bank in removing a bankrupt debtor-in-possession and orderly administrating and liquidating valuable estate assets, including multi-million-dollar insurance clientele book of business.
Represented a national equipment lender in lifting of the Automatic Stay and disposition of multi-million-dollar collateral in numerous matters.
Real Estate
Represented plaintiffs in complex Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) claim brought against brokers involving large sections of commercial real estate; substantial seven figure settlement reached at mediation.
Defended real estate investor in complex contract breach claim involving a multi-million-dollar hotel sale; matter settled at mediation at fraction of total exposure.
Represented investor in its purchase of a historic, multi-million-dollar golf course free and clear of liens through the Chapter 11 reorganization process. Involved in all aspects of valuation, court advocacy, financing negotiations, and general due diligence.
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