Accuride Corporation — Representation of Accuride Corporation and 15 of its debtor affiliates in their Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Accuride is the one of the largest and most diversified manufacturers and suppliers of wheels and wheel end components in the world. Accuride commenced its Chapter 11 cases with approximately $485.6 million in funded debt and commitments from an ad hoc group of prepetition term loan lenders to provide nearly $103 million in debtor-in-possession financing. Accuride and its term loan lenders have also agreed on the framework of a consensual restructuring transaction which will deleverage the company’s balance sheet via an equitization of the lenders’ prepetition debt.
HONX, Inc. — Representation of HONX, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hess Corporation, in its successful Chapter 11 case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. HONX and its corporate predecessors had for decades been subject to thousands of asbestos-related personal injury claims in connection with HONX’s former ownership and operation of an oil refinery on St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. HONX filed its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case in April 2022 with the goal of fully and finally resolving all asbestos-related personal injury claims that were or could be asserted against HONX and Hess in one forum, using section 524(g) of the Bankruptcy Code. HONX confirmed its plan utilizing a section 524(g) channeling injunction in less than two years at a confirmation hearing jointly presided over by Judge Alfred H. Bennett of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and Judge Marvin P. Isgur of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Pursuant to the plan, HONX established a settlement trust, funded with up to $190 million from Hess, to satisfy all valid current and future asbestos claims, which resulted in prompt and fair compensation for claimants and finality from current and potential future asbestos tort litigation for HONX and Hess.
Whittaker, Clark & Daniels, Inc. — Representation of Whittaker, Clark & Daniels, Inc. and its debtor affiliates in their Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. Whittaker was a leading producer of talc and other industrial compounds. Whittaker filed its Chapter 11 cases with the goal of equitably and efficiently resolve all valid current and future tort claims asserted against Whittaker and its debtor affiliates.
Express, Inc. — Representation of Express, Inc. and certain of its affiliates in their Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Express is a forty-year old iconic fashion brand headquartered in Columbus, Ohio with 600 stores across the United States and partnerships spanning the globe. In addition to the Express brand, the Bonobos and UpWest retail banners are included in the Chapter 11 cases. Express is a publicly traded company with over $1 billion of liabilities as of the petition date.
WeWork, Inc. — Representation of WeWork, Inc. and its debtor affiliates — the leading global flexible space provider — in their Chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. With approximately $17 billion in funded debt and lease obligations at the time of filing and posing complex, novel issues of international, regulatory and foreign law, WeWork, with over 500 entities, is one of the largest jointly administered Chapter 11 cases in history. Through its Chapter 11 cases, WeWork was able to equitize all $4.3 billion of its funded indebtedness, right size its lease portfolio and reduce future obligations by $11 billion as the result of a pioneering strategy for rent negotiations, facilitate a global settlement with numerous stakeholders and navigate complex cross-border issues.