Katherine E Bell

Partner, Corporate Department

Orange County

T 1(714) 668-6238

F 1(714) 668-6338

Katherine Bell is a partner in the Finance and Restructuring practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Orange County office.

Her practice focuses on commercial and corporate finance transactions. Ms. Bell regularly represents commercial banks, investment banks, finance companies, other lenders, and borrowers in working capital facilities (cash flow and asset-based), acquisition financings, structured financings, and other leveraged finance transactions including leveraged buyouts, restructurings, and recapitalizations. Ms. Bell has significant experience negotiating intercreditor relationships, including 1st lien/2nd lien transactions, split collateral arrangements, and unitranche transactions. She has industry experience in a variety of business sectors and has considerable experience in cross-border transactions. Ms. Bell recently co-authored Asset-Based Lending: A Practical Guide to Secured Financing (Practising Law Institute, 8th ed. 2015), which is generally considered to be the definitive treatise on asset-based lending.

Accolades and Recognitions

Chambers USA, Banking and Finance, 2016
Clients commend her “full understanding of what's on the table” and describe her as “a highly effective and efficient advocate for her clients.” Chambers USA 2016
Chambers USA, “Up and Coming” in 2014 and 2015
Chambers USA, “Associate to Watch” in 2011, 2012, and 2013
Chambers USA, “Up and Coming Finance Lawyer of the Year” shortlist in 2012

Speaking Engagements and Publications

"Strategies for Growth" – Southern California Women's Business Connection (April 2018)
“Enforceability of Intercreditor Agreements” – American Bankruptcy Institute Webinar (February 2017)
Co-author of the treatise “Asset-Based Lending – A Practical Guide to Secured Financing,” Practising Law Institute (8th Ed. 2015)
"RadioShack - Bankruptcy Court Implicitly Recognizes Enforceability of Agreement Among Lenders But Limits Coverage of First Out Contingent Indemnification Claims" - Paul Hastings Client Alert (May 2015)
"Comparing Intercreditor Arrangements" -- LSTA Loan Market Chronicle 2015
“Predictions for Intercreditor Arrangements in 2015 and Beyond – The Devil Really is in the Details” – The Secured Lender (April 2015)
“LexisPSL Banking Finance Cross-Border Guide (California)” – LexisNexis
“Women in Commercial Finance: Growing Our Ranks” — The Secured Lender
Numerous speaking engagements and training programs on a variety of topics, including:

Intercreditor Agreements
Split Collateral Intercreditor Arrangements
Trends in commercial loan documentation
Interplay between the Uniform Commercial Code and Bankruptcy law
Unitranche facilities
Credit Agreements
Due Diligence
Confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements

Moderated the “Southern California Women’s Business Connection: Bringing Together Financial Professionals and Entrepreneurs” (March 2017)
Moderated the “Intercreditor Issues Panel” at the CFA 71st Annual Convention (November 2015)

Professional and Community Involvement

Member of the Commercial Finance Association Executive Committee
Secretary of the Board of Governors of the Financial Lawyers Conference
Member of the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Orange County Bar Association
Chair of the Women in Commercial Finance Committee of the Commercial Finance Association. In this role, Ms. Bell works with committee members to impact the organization’s national visibility, presence in local Chapters, and outreach to member firms with Diversity and Women’s Networking groups. Click here to learn more about WICF

Education

Cornell Law School, J.D., 2001
University of California at Irvine, B.A., 1998

Rankings & Awards

Recognized by Chambers USA 2019
Chambers USA 2019: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business listed the firm in 44 practice areas and named 107 firm lawyers to its rankings of leading lawyers and law firms in the United States.
April 26, 2019

Recognized by Chambers USA 2018
Chambers USA 2018: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business listed the firm in 45 research areas and named 112 firm lawyers to its rankings of leading lawyers and law firms in the United States.
May 15, 2018

Recognized by Chambers USA 2017
Chambers USA 2017: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business named 46 of the firm’s practice areas and 112 individuals to its ranking of leading lawyers and law firms in the United States.
June 05, 2017

Recognized by Chambers USA 2016
Chambers USA 2016: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business named 47 of the firm’s practice areas and 112 individuals to its ranking of leading lawyers and law firms in the United States.
June 08, 2016

United Way's Emerging Tocqueville Leaders
United Way recognized Panteha Abdollahl and Katherine Bell as members of its Emerging Tocqueville Leaders.
May 06, 2014

Recognized by the Chambers USA Women in Law Awards
Chambers USA 2012 has named Paul Hastings partner Barbara Brown to the "Employment Lawyer of the Year" shortlist and associate Katherine Bell to the "Up & Coming Finance Lawyer of the Year" shortlist, which are part of its upcoming Women in Law Awards to honor outstanding female stars of the US legal community.
December 19, 2011

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Katherine E Bell

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