
George R. Howard

The Grace Building
1114 Avenue of the Americas
32nd Floor
New York, New York 10036

George’s practice involves representing debtors, creditors (including syndicated bank groups and agents), equity holders, and distressed investors in all aspects of complex corporate restructurings including chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, and special situation investments and acquisitions. George also advises boards of directors and senior management of financially troubled companies regarding fiduciary duties; restructuring strategies and considerations; operating in chapter 11; negotiating and structuring financings; mass tort, environmental and other legacy liability issues; and a wide range of complex commercial transactions.
George was selected as an emerging leader by the American Bankruptcy Institute’s 40 Under 40 initiative in 2019 and was named as an Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer by Turnarounds & Workouts in 2019. In addition, he advised on the restructuring of Molycorp, which was recognized as 2017 Transaction of the Year: International by the Turnaround Management Association.
Experience Highlights
Danimer Scientific, Inc., a leading producer of biodegradable and compostable plastic alternatives, in connection with the sale of substantially all of its assets through chapter 11 bankruptcy cases filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
An ad hoc group of second lien lenders in connection with prepackaged bankruptcy cases of Dynata, LLC and the restructuring of approximately $1.3 billion of funded debt
Certain funds affiliated with Ares Management LLC in connection with the comprehensive cross-border restructuring of Mainstream Renewable Power’s Andes portfolio of 1.4 GW of wind and solar generation assets
A private equity firm in connection with a consensual out-of-court restructuring of a portfolio company and related pursuit of claims under R&W insurance
Limetree Bay Terminals, LLC and its affiliates (dba Ocean Point Terminals) in connection with various out-of-court transactions including amendments to and covenant relief under its existing credit facilities and the refinancing and repayment in full of its $475 million senior secured term loan facility
Appreciate Holdings in connection with the evaluation of various strategic alternatives
A global specialty insurance business in connection with various corporate governance matters and the evaluation of various strategic alternatives
A special committee of the board of directors of Tuesday Morning Corporation in connection with the evaluation of various strategic alternatives
A publicly-traded Chinese real estate company in connection with the evaluation of various strategic and capital raising alternatives
Funds affiliated with AMP Capital Investors (US) Limited in the out-of-court financial restructuring of Ocean Point Terminals (fka Limetree Bay Terminals) and certain affiliates
Rockall Energy and its subsidiaries in a chapter 11 sales process in which substantially all of the company’s operating assets were sold to Formentera Partners Fund I, LP pursuant to a prepackaged chapter 11 plan with a dual-track sale and back-stop equitization process that was confirmed within 83 days of commencing the chapter 11 cases
Bonanza Creek Energy in a merger to acquire HighPoint Resources Corporation that was valued at approximately $376 million, and included a registered exchange offer, consent solicitation, and simultaneous registered solicitation of a prepackaged plan of reorganization under chapter 11, which was followed by two subsequent out-of-court mergers and acquisitions by the combined company, resulting in a company with total expected enterprise value of $4.5 billion
Lilis Energy in an in-court sale process in which substantially all of the company’s operating assets were sold to Ameredev Texas LLC as part of its chapter 11 cases involving approximately $400 million in total liabilities plus the confirmation of a chapter 11 plan in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas
A multi-national pharmaceutical business in assessing and implementing out-of-court liability management and strategic alternatives to address mass tort liabilities tied to the sale of opioids
Peabody Energy, the world’s largest private coal company, in its $1.5 billion capital raise and successful emergence from chapter 11
Alpha Natural Resources, one of the largest producers of coal by volume in the U.S., in connection with the sale of substantially all of its assets and confirmation of a chapter 11 plan
Molycorp, one of the world’s largest rare earth producers and processors, in connection with its $2.2 billion chapter 11 restructuring and the related separation of its upstream mining and downstream processing businesses
NII Holdings, an international mobile communication services company, in connection with the $1.875 billion sale of its Mexican business to AT&T pursuant to section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code and its chapter 11 reorganization around its remaining businesses
Fresh & Easy in connection with the sale of substantially all of its assets to funds affiliated with Yucaipa Companies, LLC pursuant to section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code and the subsequent confirmation of a liquidating chapter 11 plan
Hostess Brands in connection with its chapter 11 cases, relief under sections 1113 and 1114 of the Bankruptcy Code, orderly winddown and sale of various assets pursuant to section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code and ultimate confirmation of a liquidating chapter 11 plan
Plant Insulation in connection with its reorganization and the implementation of a channeling injunction to address asbestos liability claims
Harry & David, a specialty grocer and maker of fruit-filled baskets, in connection with its chapter 11 reorganization, resolution of PACA claims, and $55 million rights offering in connection with confirmation of a chapter 11 plan
St. Mary of the Woods, a continuing care retirement community, in connection with its chapter 11 cases, 363 sale and ultimate structured dismissal of its chapter 11 cases
Metaldyne Corporation, a tier-1 auto parts supplier, in connection with its chapter 11 cases, $400 million sale of to The Carlyle Group and Solus Alternative Asset Management LP pursuant to section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code and ultimate confirmation of a liquidating chapter 11 plan
Chrysler Corporation in connection with the preparation and first-day pleadings for its chapter 11 filing
A private credit fund in connection with the evaluation of multiple potential liability management transactions across different investments
Quantum Pacific, as the 70% shareholder in connection with the chapter 11 cases of Pacific Drilling, S.A. and ultimate confirmation of a chapter 11 plan
Credit Suisse in connection with the negotiation and approval of a contested $90 million DIP financing facility for Speedcast International
Bank of America in connection with the negotiation and approval of the $1.83 billion ABL DIP Financing for Sears and the subsequent $1.3 billion secured financing for the acquisition of substantially all of Sears’ assets by Transform Holdco pursuant to a section 363 sale transaction
Bank of America and Deutsche Bank in connection with the negotiation and implementation of a cross-border ABL credit facility for the Algeco Scotsman Group
Bank of America in connection with the repayment in full of a $2.83 billion ABL facility at the outset of the chapter 11 cases of Toys “R” Us
Ad Hoc Group of Lenders in connection with the out-of-court negotiations and chapter 11 filing of rue21
Mudrick Capital in connection with preserving a security interest in connection with the 363 sale of Revel Casino
Fortress Capital in connection with the negotiation and approval of a $100 million DIP financing facility for The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
MBIA Insurance as a secured lender in the chapter 11 cases of Forum Health
Pitney Bowes International Holdings, Inc. in connection with the spinout of its subsidiary, DRF Logistics, LLC, successfully implemented via a prearranged chapter 11 case
A confidential bidder in connection with the 363 sales process of Lumber Liquidators
Confidential bidders in connection with the Extraction Oil & Gas and Nine Point Energy chapter 11 sales processes
The court-appointed Dutch administrator in connection with contesting the chapter 15 cases commenced by Oi, S.A. in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
Peabody Energy in connection with the negotiation and ultimate bankruptcy-court approval of a $310 million settlement with the UAW in connection with Patriot Coal’s chapter 11 cases
WL Ross & Co. in connection with the $110 million acquisition of a majority stake in Navigator Holdings Ltd. from the Lehman bankruptcy estate
General Motors, LLC in connection with a complete victory in a $450 million lawsuit brought by the UAW over whether certain retirement benefit liabilities had been assumed in connection with the purchase of substantially all of GM’s assets pursuant to section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code during the General Motors chapter 11 cases
Industrial Growth Partners in connection with its acquisition of Lexington Precision Corporation pursuant to a 363 sales process
Credentials
- University of Arizona, J.D. magna cum laude, 2008
- University of Arizona, M.B.A., 2008
- Princeton University, A.B., German, 2002
- Legal 500 U.S., Finance: Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Corporate, 2021–2023 and 2025
- Turnaround & Workouts, Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer, 2019
- American Bankruptcy Institute, 40 under 40, 2019
- Turnaround Management Association 2017 Transaction of the Year, International: Molycorp
- Member: American Bankruptcy Institute
- Member: Turnaround Management Association
- New York
- Rankings & AwardsJune 11, 2025
- InsightJune 28, 2024
V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
- Rankings & AwardsJune 12, 2023
- Event RecapJune 7, 2023
- InsightJune 6, 2023
V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
- InsightMay 2, 2023
V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
- Event RecapApril 27, 2023
- InsightMarch 12, 2023
V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
- InsightJanuary 30, 2023
Published by Foreign Investment Watch on February 2, 2023
- InsightJanuary 23, 2023
V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
- DIP Financing in Retail Bankruptcy Cases, TMA Journal of Corporate Renewal, April 2020
- Where Past is Prologue: Applying Lessons from the Past to Protect ABL Lenders in a World of Future Distress, The Secured Lender, January/February 2020 (co-authored)
- Rights Offerings Prove Popular with Both Debtors, Distressed Investors, TMA Journal of Corporate Renewal, January/February 2018 (co-authored)
- Sixth Circuit Rejects Per Se Rule Automatically Mooting Sale Appeals in the Absence of a Stay, Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law, July/August 2017
News & Insights
V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update