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Laura Metzger

Partner

New York

Laura Metzger is a partner in the Restructuring Group and a member of Orrick's Board of Directors. Laura served as Orrick’s New York Office Leader from 2015 to 2022.

She regularly represents financial institutions, direct lenders, funds, and investors involved in bankruptcies, out-of-court restructurings, foreclosures, distressed sales and acquisitions, loan and claims trading, bankruptcy litigation and refinancing involving syndicated loan facilities, debtor-in-possession financing and exit financing. She also represents start-up and later stage venture companies (with a focus on technology, blockchain and crypto) and venture capital investors in connection with liquidity crunches, rescue financing, wind-downs and negotiated resolutions with key stakeholders and investments or claims against insolvent counterparties.

Recognized as “outstanding” by The Legal 500 US, Laura was also named a Recognized Practitioner by Chambers USA, which praised her “very commercial and solution oriented” approach. She is “a very capable lawyer who gives great advice,” according to clients. Her clients include Royal Bank of Canada, UBS O’Connor, Red Rock Biofuels, Jade Mountain Partners, ECN Capital Corporation, Equinor, Portigon AG, Macquarie, PwC,Transurban, the Bank of Nova Scotia, and Erste Abwicklungsanstalt among others.

Laura has been involved in many prominent bankruptcy and out-of-court restructuring cases, including FTX, Talen Energy, Celsius Networks, Three Arrows Capital, restructurings related to the collapse of Tera and Luna, Mt. Gox, Legacy Reserves, White Eagle, Cobalt, Chesapeake Energy, Shopko, The Weinstein Company, Lily Robotics, Seadrill, Chaparral, CHC Helicopters, Erickson, GT Advanced Technologies, Hostess, Pocahontas Parkway, Indiana Toll Road, Eagle Bulk, Fresh & Easy, American Airlines, Chemtura Corporation, Lazare Kaplan, Hawker Beechcraft, Metro Fuel, Claim Jumper Restaurants, Abitibibowater, Nortel, Fabrikant, Scotia Pacific, VICORP, Sea Containers, Lyondell, Foxwoods, Delta, US Air, Northwest, Star Diamond, and Ritchie Risk-Linked Strategies Trading (Ireland) Limited. She handles cross-border restructuring matters in major international jurisdictions such as Canada, Europe, Cayman Islands and B.V.I.

Laura also has expertise in the esoteric asset class, life settlements. She represents clients in the life settlement and premium finance markets, acting for buyers, sellers and owners of life settlements and premium finance loans, and has extensive experience with the various legal issues impacting such assets.

  • Laura's recent notable engagements include:

    • Representing a biofuel company in the restructuring of its debt, which includes negotiating a forbearance agreement, issuing additional bonds, advising on capital raising efforts and managing through a non-judicial foreclosure
    • Representing Royal Bank of Canada in implementing a bespoke derivatives transaction in the Talen Energy bankruptcy
    • Advising a payments and DeFi fintech company in the Terra ecosystem in connection with handling of the fallout from the collapse of the Terra ecosystem
    • Advising a client that experienced a substantial crypto hack which precipitated the need for a financial restructuring and new capital infusion
    • Representing a leading global bank as first lien lender and DIP lenders in the bankruptcy proceedings of Legacy Reserves
    • Representing Jade Mountain Partners as representative for the purchasers of the White Eagle portfolio of life settlement policies from bankruptcy
    • Representing Equinor on its acquisition with Total of Cobalt International Energy's operating interest in the North Platte discovery in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico
    • Representing Royal Bank of Canada in the restructuring of a shopping mall
    • Representing Level Forward as potential acquirer of The Weinstein Company
    • Representing Lily Robotics, a maker of self-navigating drones, as debtor in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case and the associated restructuring. The case is expected to serve as a model for the treatment of pre-order customers in Chapter 11 cases
    • Representing a Multinational Investment Bank and Financial Services Company in the GT Advanced Technologies Inc. case pending before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire
    • Representing Transurban (895) US Holdings LLC and Transurban (895) LLC, on the nearly $600 million restructuring of the Pocahontas Parkway, an 8.8 mile toll road located southeast of Richmond, Virginia
    • Representing funds and financial institutions in connection with a variety of matters in the American Airlines Inc. bankruptcy proceedings, including the purchase, sale, foreclosure and restructuring of claims, loans and leases relating to more than 100 aircrafts
    • Representing agents in restructuring of several film slates
    • Representing a financial services institution on the restructuring of seven loan facilities totaling more than $1.5 billion secured by life insurance policies

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