Chris Ceresa

SIRVA — Representation of SIRVA Worldwide, Inc. and its affiliates in their out-of-court restructuring, which was supported by 100% of SIRVA’s lenders. SIRVA is a global leader in corporate relocation and moving services with 77 locations servicing over 190 countries. Pursuant to the restructuring transaction, SIRVA eliminated over $300 million of funded debt obligations and received $40 million in new capital.

Vyaire Medical, Inc. — Representation of Vyaire Medical, Inc. and certain of its affiliates in their prearranged Chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Vyaire is a leading medical devices and services company with approximately $534 million in funded debt. Vyaire commenced the prearranged cases to conduct a sale process with a $45 million debtor-in-possession financing facility and the support of the vast majority of its secured lenders.

PGX Holdings, Inc. — Representation of PGX Holdings, Inc. and 11 of its affiliates (collectively, “PGX”) along with their associated law firm known as Lexington Law Firm (together with PGX, the “Debtors”) in their prearranged Chapter 11 cases filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware filed on June 4, 2023. The Debtors provide credit repair services and credit monitoring to approximately 130,000 customers. The Debtors had approximately $423 million of funded debt and were defendants in a lawsuit by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) seeking monetary damages in excess of $2.7 billion. Through the Chapter 11 cases, the Debtors raised $19.925 million in new-money debtor-in-possession financing, entered into two stalking horse purchase agreements (one for PGX and one for Lexington Law), conducted a comprehensive marketing process, negotiated a global settlement with the official committee of unsecured creditors, and settled their lawsuit with the CFPB. On September 28, 2023, the Debtors consummated two sale transactions by which the Debtors sold substantially all of their assets as a going concern to their stalking horse bidders.

Benefytt Technologies, Inc. — Representation of Benefytt Technologies, Inc. and certain of its affiliates (“Benefytt”) in their prearranged Chapter 11 cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Benefytt markets and sells Medicare and private health insurance products to individuals, policy administration platforms to insurance carriers, and technology systems to insurance agents. The widely-supported restructuring support agreement (“RSA”) contemplated restructuring approximately $606 million in funded debt. Benefytt consummated the transactions set forth in the RSA and emerged from Chapter 11 on an expedited timeline.

Pipeline Health System, LLC — Representation of Pipeline Health System, LLC and its affiliates in their Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Pipeline Health operates seven “safety net” hospitals, three health clinics and three medical group centers across California, Texas and Illinois, including Weiss Memorial Hospital and West Suburban Medical Center in Chicago. Pipeline’s hospitals operate in historically underserved communities, and a significant percentage of its patients rely on Medicare, Medicaid and other governmental programs for health coverage. Pipeline Health came into the Chapter 11 proceedings with a plan of reorganization seeking to restructure over $600 million of financing obligations.

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.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc. — Representation of J. C. Penney Company, Inc. and 17 of its affiliates in their pre-arranged Chapter 11 cases. JCPenney, an iconic American retail staple tracing its roots back to 1902, includes private brands such as Liz Claiborne, St. John’s Bay, Stafford, and Arizona Jean Co. JCPenney employs more than 85,000 people, manages a massive supply chain with nearly 3,000 vendors and eleven domestic shipping facilities, and operates approximately 850 stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, in addition to a substantial e-commerce business. With approximately $4.9 billion in debt, JCPenney entered bankruptcy with a Restructuring Support Agreement that carries broad first lien stakeholder support and is expected to substantially de-lever the company’s balance sheet.

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.

Summer Associate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, New York Office, Summer 2018

Honors Intern, Securities and Exchange Commission, Enforcement Division, Washington, D.C., Spring 2018