Heidi M. Hockberger

Celsius Network LLC — Representation of Celsius Network LLC and its affiliates in their Chapter 11 cases filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Celsius is one of the largest and most sophisticated cryptocurrency-based finance platforms in the world and provides financial services to institutional, corporate, and retail clients across more than 100 countries. With over $5.5 billion in liabilities, Celsius is the largest cryptocurrency Chapter 11 filing to date.

HONX, Inc. — Representation of HONX, Inc., in its Chapter 11 case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. HONX is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hess Corporation, the global energy company. HONX and its corporate predecessors have for decades been subject to ongoing asbestos-related litigation in connection with HONX’s former ownership and operation of an oil refinery on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. HONX filed its Chapter 11 case with the goal of establishing and funding a trust under section 524(g) of the Bankruptcy Code to resolve and pay all valid current and future asbestos-related claims asserted against HONX. 

Intelsat S.A. — Representation of Intelsat S.A. and its debtor-affiliates—operator of the world’s largest satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructure—in connection with their Chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. With approximately $15 billion in liabilities at the time of filing, and posing complex intercompany issues and novel issues of regulatory and foreign law, Intelsat was one of the largest and most complex restructurings of 2020 and 2021. Intelsat filed with $1 billion in committed DIP financing, which it subsequently refinanced and expanded up to $1.5 billion during its Chapter 11 cases. During their Chapter 11 cases, Intelsat purchased Gogo Inc.’s commercial aviation business, including its software platform and network management infrastructure, for approximately $400 million in a relatively unprecedented transaction for a Chapter 11 debtor. After extensive multiparty and cross-silo negotiations and successful mediation efforts, Intelsat obtained confirmation of its plan of reorganization on a fully-consensual basis and emerged from Chapter 11 with nearly $7 billion in new exit financing and a deleveraged capital structure. 

Seadrill Limited (Second Restructuring) — Representation of Seadrill Limited and certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries in their multi-jurisdictional restructuring of approximately $6.1 billion of funded debt. Seadrill is a leading global provider of offshore contract drilling services and employs nearly 3,100 individuals across 15 countries and five continents. Seadrill's Chapter 11 cases, one of the largest filings of 2021, equitized approximately $4.9 billion of secured debt across twelve silos and facilitated a capital investment of $350 million, enabling Seadrill to continue to operate its modern fleet of drilling units.

Gulfport Energy Corporation — Representation of Gulfport Energy Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiaries in their prearranged Chapter 11 restructuring in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Gulfport is an independent returns-oriented, gas-weighted exploration and development company and one of the largest producers of natural gas in the contiguous United States, with significant acreage positions in Ohio and Oklahoma. Gulfport entered Chapter 11 with a restructuring support agreement signed by prepetition revolving credit facility lenders holding over 95% of its revolving debt obligations and noteholders holding over 70% of its senior unsecured notes. The restructuring support agreement proposes eliminating approximately $1.25 billion in funded debt obligations, provides for a $262.5 million DIP facility and $580 million in committed exit financing, and contemplates a backstopped rights offering for at least $50 million of preferred equity.

FTS International, Inc. — Representation of FTSI and its affiliates in their prepackaged Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. FTSI, a publicly-traded company, is one of the largest providers of hydraulic fracturing services in North America and provides customized hydraulic fracturing solutions to exploration and production companies to enhance recovery rates from oil and gas wells drilled in the most active basins in the United States. FTSI commenced its Chapter 11 cases with a restructuring support agreement with over 87% of the holders of the company’s funded secured debt. If the company’s prepackaged Chapter 11 plan is approved, holders of approximately $440 million of funded secured debt will exchange their debt claims for over 90% of the equity in the reorganized debtors, holders of FTSI’s existing equity will receive approximately 10% of the equity in the reorganized debtors, and all ongoing business trade claims will ride through the bankruptcy unimpaired.

Groupe Dynamite — Representation of Groupe Dynamite, a Canadian fashion retailer specializing in women’s apparel and accessories in its Chapter 15 proceedings in Delaware to recognize proceedings commenced in Canada under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). Groupe Dynamite intends to use the insolvency process to redefine its retail operations to a new COVID-19 friendly model.

Macy’s, Inc. — Representation of Macy’s, Inc. in connection with its recent $4 billion financing in response to impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The transactions consist of a $2.8 billion ABL Facility and an additional $300 million bridge commitment secured by Macy’s inventory, and $1.3 billion bond offering secured by the company’s top mall assets and distribution centers. The proceeds of the financing will help Macy’s retire certain of its upcoming debt maturities and fund operations during the crisis.

Windstream Holdings, Inc., — Representation of Windstream Holdings, Inc., and its debtor subsidiaries in their Chapter 11 restructuring in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Windstream is a leading provider of advanced network communications, technology, broadband, entertainment and security solutions to consumers and small businesses in 18 states. In bankruptcy, Windstream commenced litigation to recharacterize a $3.5 billion spin-off and master lease of certain telecommunications network assets. That litigation resulted in an innovative settlement that provided over approximately $1.2 billion in net present value and billions of dollars of improvement to Windstream’s telecommunications infrastructure. Windstream also confirmed a Chapter 11 plan or reorganization that addresses more than $5.6 billion in funded debt obligations, provides for a $750 million equity rights offering, and positions Windstream to achieve its long-term goals.

Forever 21 Inc. ― Representation of Forever 21 Inc. and its affiliates in their Chapter 11 restructuring in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Based in Los Angeles, California, Forever 21 is a fast-fashion retailer specializing in women’s and men’s fashion, jewelry and accessories with over 750 stores globally.

NRG REMA LLC ― Representation of NRG REMA LLC and its direct subsidiaries in Chapter 11 cases filed in the Southern District of Texas that are jointly administered with the GenOn Chapter 11 cases. REMA is a wholesale power generation company headquartered in Dallas, Texas that owns or operates 15 power plants throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The REMA cases were filed with a prepackaged plan of reorganization that will consensually restructure three leveraged lease structures.

Nine West Holdings, Inc. — Representation of Nine West Holdings, Inc., and certain affiliates in their Chapter 11 restructuring in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan. Nine West Holdings is a leading designer, manufacturer, and primarily wholesale distributor of jeanswear, women's apparel, jewelry, handbags, and footwear with approximately $1.6 billion in outstanding funded-debt obligations at the time of filing.

Gastar Exploration Inc. ― Representation of Gastar Exploration Inc., and its wholly-owned subsidiary Northwest Property Ventures LLC, in their prepackaged Chapter 11 restructuring in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Gastar is a publicly-traded oil and natural gas exploration and production company headquartered in Houston, Texas with assets concentrated in the STACK shale play in Oklahoma. The company’s prepackaged restructuring proposes to address nearly $600 million in funded-debt and preferred equity obligations, including the elimination of more than $300 million in funded-debt and preferred equity obligations, and provides for $100 million in committed financing to fund the Debtors’ business in and upon emergence from Chapter 11.

China Fishery ― Representation of an ad hoc committee of holders of the $300 million notes due 2019 issued by CFG Investment S.A.C. in connection with the resolution of their claims against the China Fishery group of companies.

Toys“R”Us, Inc. ― Representation of Toys “R” Us, Inc. and several of its direct and indirect subsidiaries in one of the largest ever retail Chapter 11 filings in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division. Following implementation of a strategy to effect a successful wind-down of operations in the United States and going concern sales and/or reorganizations of operations throughout the world, including Asia, led efforts to construct and implement global settlement agreements amongst all stakeholders and five distinct Chapter 11 plans.

GenOn Energy, Inc. — Representation of GenOn Energy, Inc. and certain of its affiliates in connection with their prearranged Chapter 11 cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. GenOn is a wholesale power generation company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, with a focus on operations in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States—primarily operating in Pennsylvania and Maryland—and in California. Through the Chapter 11 cases, GenOn will restructure approximately $2.5 billion in funded indebtedness.

PILI Fellow, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services

Summer Associate, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Project Assistant, Jenner & Block LLP