Senior Partner
Restructuring & Reorganization
“Bill is an extremely talented lawyer. He is constructive and is a great presence in court and great with documents. He is significantly involved in the restructuring bar activities outside of his core clients.” (Chambers USA, 2022)
Bill Wallander has led a robust restructuring practice with more than 25 years of experience. A complex commercial problem solver who knows his way around a courtroom, Bill has experience in all phases of distress including out-of-court workout and restructurings, distressed asset acquisitions and divestitures, distressed finance transactions, bankruptcy cases and litigation.
Bill has experience in representing creditors, syndicated bank groups, bondholder groups, non-bank lenders, private equity funds, and debtors, among others. Bill’s experience in complex chapter 11 cases covers all phases of the case including case preparation, financing, M&A, sales, plans of reorganization, post-emergence structuring and trusts, and bankruptcy litigation with substantial experience with fraudulent transfers. Bill has served as a witness in bankruptcy court (A.G. Financial Service Center, Inc. USBC S.D. Indiana), and in a significant state court class action matter on bankruptcy issues and impact. Bill’s practice includes a substantial amount of consulting and advisory work related to finance, M&A, other transactional structuring, and risk management for strategic evaluation and planning. Chambers has recognized Bill in its nationwide bankruptcy rankings every year since 2004.
JPMorgan Chase Bank as Administrative Agent, DIP Agent, and Exit Facility Agent in connection with its $335 million RBL and DIP financing to Approach Resources Inc.
Wells Fargo Bank as Administrative Agent, DIP Agent, and Exit Facility Agent in Oasis Petroleum’s restructuring and prepackaged chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, including a $450 million DIP financing and $575 million exit financing
JP Morgan Chase as Administrative Agent, DIP Agent, and Exit Facility Agent of a $615 million credit facility in Denbury Resources’ restructuring and prepackaged chapter 11 bankruptcy
Bank of America as Administrative Agent for aggregate in excess of $230 million secured lending facility to the Sheridan upstream producers in the development of and production from oil and gas working interests, net profits interest, and related energy assets
Royal Bank of Canada as Administrative Agent of the $330 million RBL facility in the restructuring and prepackaged voluntary chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of Chaparral Energy filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
Bank of America as secured lender of $100 million asset-based credit facility in the prenegotiated chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Parker Drilling, and as the post-petition $50 million DIP lender and $100 million Exit facility lender
Administrative Agent in a workout/potential restructuring of $300 million facility for midstream company in out of court restructuring
Wells Fargo Bank as Administrative Agent of a $224 million credit facility to Kingfisher Midstream LLC in its chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas
Large investment firm in connection with it first lien facility of $139 million in the Fieldwood Energy LLC chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas
Special situations investor in its role as lender and administrative agent under $129 million of revolver and multi-draw term loan prepetition and DIP financing and $50 million of take-back exit financing provided in connection with the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and equitization of a multi-site private cinema chain
Secured lender as Administrative Agent in the out-of-court restructuring of a $220 million reserve-based loan to an upstream producer
JPMorgan Chase Bank as administrative agent, DIP and exit facility lender in the chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization sale of Tuesday Morning Corporation, a national retail chain
Highbridge Principal Strategies as restructuring and acquisition party in conjunction with $150 million senior secured lender to effectuate Shoreline Energy’s chapter 11 prenegotiated plan and restructuring/sale of operating assets
Wells Fargo as agent for $145 million syndicated secured reserve based facility in connection with the workout and chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Southcross Energy
Morgan Stanley Capital Group, Inc. as a reserve based $120 million secured facility lender in the chapter 11 case of Trinity River Resources, LP
A syndicated lender group in a $430 million secured lender credit facility to Paul Reinhart, Inc., a major U.S. commodity merchant, in its chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, plan confirmed
A secured lender in the Texoma Peanut Company Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Dallas Division; debtor in possession financing, sale and auction process
An asset purchaser in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Gentek, a chemical company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
A bank group in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Laroche Industries, Incorporated, a chemical company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
A secured lender group in the chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Gulf Coast Holdings, Incorporated d/b/a Unidynamics, Incorporated, a defense company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
A secured lender in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy case of Bionol Clearfield LLC, an ethanol refinery, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
A syndicated lender group in the chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings, Inc. (“Aventine”), a producer and marketer of ethanol and ethanol co-products, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, plan confirmed
Secured lender in a debtor-in-possession financing to Norse Energy Corp. USA et al., an energy exploration and production company
A secured lender in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Teton Energy Corporation, an energy exploration and production company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
A bank group in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Triad Resources, Inc. (“Triad Resources”), an energy exploration and production company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Ad Hoc Committee of Secured Noteholders in the chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Tri-Union Development Corporation, an energy exploration and production company, filed in Houston, Texas
JPMorgan Chase Bank in the chapter 11 case of Chaparral Energy, an oil and natural gas exploration and production company, filed in Delaware
Wells Fargo as administrative agent for a $120 million syndicated lender group in the chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Emerald Oil, Inc., et al. filed in Delaware Bankruptcy Court
RAAM Global Energy and its subsidiaries, an offshore and onshore E&P company, in their chapter 11 restructuring of over $300 million in debt; credit bid sale approved and plan confirmed in the first 3 months of the chapter 11 case filed in Houston, Texas
Crusader Energy Group, Inc. and affiliates, an energy exploration and production company, as debtors in possession in their chapter 11 bankruptcy cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas; plan confirmed
TriDimension Energy LLC and its affiliates, an energy exploration and production company, as debtors in possession in their chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division; plan confirmed
Wells Fargo as secured reserve based lender of $30 million in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Augustus Energy LLC, a natural gas producer in Colorado, included sale of substantially all assets under 363 of the bankruptcy code and structured dismissal with proceeds of the sale net of costs delivered to secured lender
Magnum Hunter Resources, an E&P company with extensive properties in Marcellus and Utica; represent Eureka pipeline system, an entity that provides gathering, transportation and processing services to one of the debtors in Magnum Hunter’s chapter 11 case filed in Delaware
Secured lender in the chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Age Refinery, Inc., filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas
A sponsor in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Regal Cinemas, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee
Secured lender agent in connection with its $25 million secured lending facility to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in chapter 11 proceeding and sale of hospital system
Monroe Capital Management Advisors as secured lender and DIP lender of a $55 million credit facility to Little River Healthcare System in its chapter 11 bankruptcy case and subsequent chapter 7 bankruptcy case
Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital as debtor in the restructure case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of ICH Corporation and affiliates, a major insurance holding company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Case for the Southern District of New York
Defendant in a fraudulent transfer action brought by Hallwood Group Incorporated, an energy exploration and production company; litigation successfully settled on favorable terms
Apollo Global Management in the defense of $20 million fraudulent transfer action seeking avoidance of payment of make whole amount
A secured lender in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Metals USA, Incorporated, a metal fabrication company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas
A bank group in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Reliant Building Products, a home building products manufacturer, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
A DIP lender in the Chapter 11 debtor-in-possession financing and plan acquisition of Smart Papers, LLC, a paper manufacturer, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, plan confirmed
Jackson Products, Inc. and its affiliates, a safety products manufacturer, as debtors in possession in their pre-packaged chapter 11 bankruptcy cases filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri; cases filed and plan confirmed in 16 days
Peregrine I, LLC, an energy services company, in Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
A charter party in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Overseas Shipholding Group, an oil tanker operating company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
A secured lender in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Idearc, Incorporated, an advertising company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
Forward Contracts Parties in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Mirant Corporation, a power plant, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
A secured lender in the chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Continental Common, Inc., a real estate company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
An asset purchaser in the Chapter 11 distressed acquisition case of Lajitas Resort, Ltd., a real estate company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas
An asset purchaser in the Chapter 11 case of MA BB Owen LP, successful acquisition of real estate development via 363 sale
SunCrest, L.L.C., a real estate company, as debtor in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah
Secured lender in the chapter 7 bankruptcy case of Highland Capital Real Estate Fund, L.P., a mezzanine real estate fund, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division; structured case dismissal
Goldman Sachs in connection with $50 million secured real estate and maritime loans to Offshore Exploration and affiliated entities and persons
A bank group in the Chapter 7 case of Brook Mays Music Group, a musical instrument retail, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
Represent client as secured asset based facility of $50 million with retail company in workout and potential restructuring matters
A bank group in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Mosaic Group, Incorporated, a services company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
NetworkTwo, Incorporated, a network company, as debtor in possession in the Chapter 11 case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
DIP Lender and Asset Purchaser in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case for Peregrine Systems, Incorporated, a software company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
Debt holders and sponsors in the prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy case and related class action litigation of Via Systems, a circuit boards manufacturer, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
Access Licensor in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Teligent, Incorporated, a telecommunications company, filed in the United State Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
VarTec Telecom, Incorporated, telecommunications, as debtor in possession in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
Software Licensor in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Worldcom, Inc., a telecommunications company, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
An asset purchaser in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of Delphi Corporation, an auto manufacturer, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (named a 2009 Deal of the Year by Asian-Counsel)
Airline services agreement creditor in the Chapter 11 case of Mesaba Airlines, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota
Airline services agreement creditor in the Chapter 11 case of Northwest Airlines, filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
Education
Admissions
Client Alerts
On June 27, 2024, the United States Supreme Court (the “Supreme Court” or “Court”) rendered a 5-4 opinion in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma, L.P. that “the [B]ankruptcy [C]ode does not authorize a release and injunction that, as part of a plan of reorganization under Chapter 11, effectively seeks to discharge claims against a nondebtor without the consent of affected claimants.”
June 28, 2024 • V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
June 28, 2024 • 7-minute read
Client Alerts
5th Circuit: Section 363(m) Mootness is Alive and Well
On February 20, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an Opinion, which held that challenges to “integral” aspects of a bankruptcy sale are statutorily moot under Bankruptcy Code § 363(m).1
March 11, 2024 • A version of this insight was published by Law360
March 11, 2024 • 5-minute read
Client Alerts
On May 30, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (the “Second Circuit” or the “Court”) rendered a much anticipated opinion (the “Opinion”),1 reversing the order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “District Court”) that the Bankruptcy Code does not permit non-consensual third-party releases of direct claims and affirming the order of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Bankruptcy Court”) confirming the chapter 11 plan (the “Purdue Plan”) of Purdue Pharma L.P. (“Purdue”), which approved non-consensual third-party releases of the owners of Purdue — members of the Sackler family.
June 6, 2023 • V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
June 6, 2023 • 7-minute read
Client Alerts
On March 28, 2023, the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (the “District Court”) rendered an opinion (the “Opinion”)1 affirming the confirmation order of Laurie S. Silverstein, of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”) that confirmed the chapter 11 plan (the “Plan”) of the Boy Scouts of America (“BSA”) (collectively, the “Confirmation Order”).2
May 2, 2023 • V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
May 2, 2023 • 8-minute read
Client Alerts
Silicon Valley Bank FDIC Takeover
Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”), a key lender serving customers and borrowers primarily in the technology industry, was taken over by U.S. regulators on Friday, March 10, 2023. Included herein are considerations that may be top of mind for persons with connections to SVB.
March 12, 2023 • V&E Restructuring & Reorganization Update
March 12, 2023 • 2-minute read
Awards & Rankings
Vinson & Elkins announced today that it achieved 20 Band 1 rankings in Chambers USA 2026: Nationwide: Energy Transition; Energy: …
June 4, 2026
June 4, 2026 • 3-minute read
Awards & Rankings
The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings, LLC) has named 125 Vinson & Elkins lawyers in its “Best Lawyers” category in the 2026 edition. Additionally, 76 Vinson & Elkins attorneys have been named in the “Ones to Watch” category, which recognizes lawyers with 5–10 years’ experience. Some individuals are listed in more than one practice area, giving the firm a total of 305 rankings.
August 21, 2025
August 21, 2025 • 3-minute read
Awards & Rankings
Lawdragon has named two Vinson & Elkins lawyers among the world’s top bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers.
July 1, 2025
July 1, 2025 • 1-minute read
Awards & Rankings
Vinson & Elkins announced today that it achieved 18 Band 1 rankings in Chambers USA 2025: Nationwide: Energy: Oil & Gas (Regulatory & Litigation); Energy: Oil & Gas (Transactional); Energy Transition; Offshore Energy; Projects: Oil & Gas; Projects: Power & Renewables: Transactional New York: Bankruptcy/Restructuring: Highly Regarded Texas: Bankruptcy/Restructuring; Capital Markets: Debt & Equity; Corporate/M&A: The Elite; Environment: Mainly Transactional; Litigation: Securities; Real Estate; Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use; Tax; Technology: Corporate & Commercial Texas: Austin & Surrounds: Corporate/M&A Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth & Surrounds: Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Of the firm’s 167 individual lawyer rankings, 16 were newly added in 2025. Some lawyers are ranked in more than one category.
June 5, 2025
June 5, 2025 • 3-minute read
Awards & Rankings
Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) Names 34 Vinson & Elkins Attorneys to 2024 Texas Super Lawyers List; 16 to Rising Stars
September 19, 2024
September 19, 2024 • 1-minute read
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