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Image: Justin Rawlins

Justin Rawlins

Vice Chair and Managing Director of the Restructuring Group

Overview

Justin Rawlins is Vice Chair and Managing Director of the Financial Restructuring group and a member of the Global Finance practice at Paul Hastings and is based in the firm's Century City office. Mr. Rawlins has extensive experience and is consistently ranked as a leading lawyer in top legal directories. He principally represents asset managers and lenders investing in private businesses with an emphasis on complex financings, special situations and restructurings.

Recognitions

  • Honored with a Client Choice Award, recognizing excellent client service with a focus on the ability to add real value to clients’ businesses above and beyond other players in the market, by Lexology and ILO, 2017 and 2018.
  • Ranked in Chambers USA (2014-2023)
  • Recognized in The Legal 500 U.S.
  • Recognized in Best Lawyers
  • Recognized by Super Lawyers

Education

  • Loyola Law School. J.D. cum laude, 2000 (National Jesuit Honor Society, Alpha Sigma Nu; Order of the Coif)
  • University of Southern California, B.A., 1997

Representations

Select Lender Representations

  • A leading cyber security company (counsel to agent and lender)
  • Resorts World Casino New York City (counsel to agent and lender) 
  • Avianca (counsel to DIP lender and exit facility lender)

 Select Loan Workouts and Restructurings

  • Ruby Tuesday (counsel to prepetition lender, DIP lender and exit facility lender)
  • A tier 1 automotive supplier (counsel to agent and lender)
  • Steak house chain (counsel to agent and lender)
  • A multi-state logistics company specializing in the transportation of asphalt, chemicals and dry bulk (counsel to agent and lender)
  • U.S. Well Services (counsel to ad hoc group of lenders)
  • A chain of beauty salons and med spas (counsel to agent)
  • A leading shoes, clothing and apparel line (counsel to agent)
  • Proserv (counsel to ancillary facility lenders)
  • 360 (counsel to agent for term loan lender)
  • Macaroni Grill (counsel to DIP lender and exit facility lender)
  • A hospitality distribution systems company (counsel to agent)
  • A logistics provider (counsel to agent)
  • BreitBurn Energy Partners LP (counsel to agent, multi-lender syndicate)
  • A New York-based jewelry manufacturer and retailer (counsel to agent, multi-lender syndicate)
  • A national restaurant chain (counsel to agent, multi-lender syndicate)
  • A leading provider of hydraulic fracking services (counsel to steering committee of second lien lenders)
  • TXCO Resources, Inc., an oil and gas exploration and production company (counsel to steering committee of second lien lenders and DIP lender)
  • Storm Cat USA, Inc., an oil and gas exploration and production company (counsel to agent of second lien lenders, DIP lenders, and successful chapter 11 plan proponent)
  • Z2, Inc., an oil and gas exploration and production company (counsel to agent)
  • Select Staffing (counsel to steering committee of second lien lenders)
  • Advanced Molecular Imaging and Gamma Medica, molecular breast imaging companies (counsel to second lien lender and purchaser of assets under 363 sale)
  • Consolidated Freightways Corporation (counsel to agent, multi-lender syndicate)
  • Custom Foods Products, Inc. (counsel to lender, DIP lender, and successful chapter 11 plan proponent)
  • MMFX Steel (counsel to unsecured “deficiency claim” creditor and successful chapter 11 plan proponent)
  • Phillips Cattle Company, Inc. (counsel to agent)
  • Douglas Furniture (counsel to agent)
  • A leading baby safety/car seat company (counsel to agent)
  • A hospice provider (counsel to agent)
  • Scotia Development LLC (counsel to prepetition lender, DIP lender, and successful chapter 11 plan proponent)
  • Westcliff Medical Laboratories, Inc. (counsel to agent)
  • Ghana Airways (counsel to aircraft lessor)

 Select Company/Trustee Representations (In and Out-of-Court)

  • Relativity Media (counsel to company)
  • United Road Towing (counsel to company)
  • Condor Systems, Inc. and CEI Systems, Inc., defense contractors (counsel to company)
  • SK Foods, an agribusiness and tomato processor (counsel to company and chapter 11 trustee)
  • A California-based insurance company (counsel to company)
  • A leading designer and manufacturer of products for optical communications networks and other optics solutions (counsel to company)
  • A Los Angeles-based clothing manufacturer and retailer in workout of loan by US Bank (counsel to company)
  • A natural gas production company (counsel to sponsor)
  • Destination Films, an independent film company (counsel to chapter 7 trustee)
  • American Pacific Financial Corporation, an asset management firm (counsel to chapter 7 trustee)
  • A significant paint retailer (counsel to company)
  • A global specialty steel company (counsel to company and sponsor)
  • A Washington-based wine bottle manufacturer (counsel to company and sponsor)
  • A clothing manufacturer and retailer (counsel to company and sponsor)

 Select 363 Sale/Buyer Representations

  • Auto Masters, LLC (represented acquirer of substantially all auto loans)
  • Los Angeles Dodgers (represented acquirer of substantially all assets)
  • Los Angeles Sparks (represented acquirer of substantially all assets)
  • Kreiss, Inc., a furniture designer and retailer (represented acquirer of substantially all assets )
  • Jumio, Inc., an identity management and credentials company (represented acquirer of substantially all assets)
  • RealD, Inc., a visual technology company (represented investor in connection with take private)
  • Haggen, Inc. (counsel to bidder on substantially all core assets)
  • Qimonda, a leading global memory supplier (counsel to bidder)
  • Rhythm and Hues, a post-production company (counsel to bidder)

Creditors' Committee Representations

  • Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.
  • Cable & Wireless USA, Inc.
  • Citation Corporation
  • Meridian Automotive, Inc.
  • Merisant

Engagement & Publications

  • Panelist, “Chapter 11 Plan Strategy: Do It Right the First Time,” American Bankruptcy Institute Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference, Denver, CO, January 2020
  • Panelist, “New Developments in Rights Offerings and Backstop Purchaser Incentives,” American Bankruptcy Institute, November 2018
  • Panelist, “Hot Topics in Chapter 11,” American Bankruptcy Institute Southwest Conference, Las Vegas, NV, September 2015
  • Co-author, California Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors Desk Guide, The Insolvency Law Standing Committee of the Business Law Section, 2014

Practice Areas

Financial Restructuring


Languages

English


Admissions

California Bar


Education

Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, J.D. 2000

University of Southern California, B.A. 1997


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