{"data":{"filter_options":{"titles":[{"name":"Managing Partner Atlanta Office","value":"Managing Partner Atlanta Office"},{"name":"Partner","value":"Partner"},{"name":"Partner / Head of Pro Bono","value":"Partner / Head of Pro Bono"},{"name":"Partner / Chief Operating Officer","value":"Partner / Chief Operating Officer"},{"name":"Partner / General Counsel","value":"Partner / General Counsel"},{"name":"Partner / Dir. E-Discovery Ops","value":"Partner / Dir. E-Discovery Ops"},{"name":"Partner / Chairman, Saudi Arabia Practice","value":"Partner / Chairman, Saudi Arabia Practice"},{"name":"K\u0026S Talent Partner","value":"K\u0026S Talent Partner"},{"name":"Partner / Chief Human Resources Officer","value":"Partner / Chief Human Resources Officer"},{"name":"Chairman","value":"Chairman"},{"name":"Senior Counsel","value":"Senior Counsel"},{"name":"Associate Director, E-Discovery Operations","value":"Associate Director, E-Discovery Operations"},{"name":"Counsel","value":"Counsel"},{"name":"Senior Associate","value":"Senior Associate"},{"name":"Associate","value":"Associate"},{"name":"Senior Attorney","value":"Senior Attorney"},{"name":"Senior Lawyer","value":"Senior Lawyer"},{"name":"Attorney","value":"Attorney"},{"name":"Senior Counsel and Policy Advisor","value":"Senior Counsel and Policy Advisor"},{"name":"Managing Director - Capital Solutions","value":"Managing Director - Capital Solutions"},{"name":"Senior Government Relations Advisor","value":"Senior Government Relations Advisor"},{"name":"Associate General Counsel","value":"Associate General Counsel"},{"name":"Senior Advisor","value":"Senior Advisor"},{"name":"Patent Agent","value":"Patent Agent"},{"name":"Consultant","value":"Consultant"},{"name":"Government Relations Advisor","value":"Government Relations Advisor"},{"name":"Chief of Lateral Partner Recruiting \u0026 Integration","value":"Chief of Lateral Partner Recruiting \u0026 Integration"},{"name":"Chief Financial Officer","value":"Chief Financial Officer"},{"name":"Chief Information Officer","value":"Chief Information Officer"},{"name":"Chief Revenue Officer","value":"Chief Revenue Officer"},{"name":"Chief Recruiting Officer","value":"Chief Recruiting Officer"},{"name":"Chief Lawyer Talent Development Officer","value":"Chief Lawyer Talent Development Officer"},{"name":"Chief Marketing Officer","value":"Chief Marketing Officer"},{"name":"Tax Consultant","value":"Tax Consultant"},{"name":"Director of Community Affairs","value":"Director of Community Affairs"},{"name":"Director of Facilities \u0026 Admin Operations","value":"Director of Facilities \u0026 Admin Operations"},{"name":"Senior Office Manager","value":"Senior Office Manager"},{"name":"Director of Operations","value":"Director of Operations"},{"name":"Pro Bono Deputy","value":"Pro Bono Deputy"},{"name":"Director of Office Operations","value":"Director of Office Operations"},{"name":"Director of Operations Europe","value":"Director of Operations Europe"},{"name":"Law Clerk","value":"Law Clerk"},{"name":"Deputy General Counsel","value":"Deputy General Counsel"}],"schools":[{"name":"(Commercial Law), in front of Monash University, Australia","value":3045},{"name":"Aberystwyth University","value":3004},{"name":"Albany Law School","value":2118},{"name":"American University Washington College of Law","value":3042},{"name":"American University, Washington College of Law","value":3024},{"name":"Appalachian School of Law","value":2891},{"name":"Ateneo de Manila University","value":2914},{"name":"Ave Maria School of Law","value":2892},{"name":"Baylor University School of Law","value":181},{"name":"Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law","value":2619},{"name":"Binghamton University","value":3002},{"name":"Boston College Law School","value":245},{"name":"Boston University School of Law","value":247},{"name":"BPP Law School Leeds","value":2642},{"name":"BPP Law School London","value":2782},{"name":"BPP University","value":2984},{"name":"Brooklyn Law School","value":2705},{"name":"Cairo University, Law School","value":2962},{"name":"California Western School of Law","value":315},{"name":"Capital University Law School","value":327},{"name":"Case Western Reserve University School of Law","value":345},{"name":"Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law","value":2235},{"name":"Chapman University School of Law","value":377},{"name":"Charleston School of Law","value":2910},{"name":"City Law School, London","value":2998},{"name":"City Law School","value":2857},{"name":"Clark University","value":3006},{"name":"Cleveland-Marshall College of Law","value":426},{"name":"Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs","value":3008},{"name":"Columbia University School of Law","value":485},{"name":"Columbia University","value":3126},{"name":"Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America","value":3010},{"name":"Columbus School of Law","value":350},{"name":"Concord Law School of Kaplan University","value":1026},{"name":"Cornell Law School","value":512},{"name":"Creighton University School of Law","value":518},{"name":"Creighton University","value":3025},{"name":"Cumberland School of Law","value":1759},{"name":"CUNY School of Law","value":2893},{"name":"David A. Clarke School of Law","value":2399},{"name":"Deakin University School of Law","value":2907},{"name":"DePaul University College of Law","value":565},{"name":"DePaul University College of Law","value":3060},{"name":"Dickinson School of Law","value":2719},{"name":"Drake University Law School","value":609},{"name":"Duke University School of Law","value":613},{"name":"Duquesne University School of Law","value":614},{"name":"Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law","value":173},{"name":"Edinburgh Law School","value":3160},{"name":"Emory University School of Law","value":659},{"name":"ESADE Business and Law School – Universidad Ramon Llull","value":3215},{"name":"Fachseminare von Fürstenberg","value":2918},{"name":"Faculté Libre de Droit, Université Catholique de Lille","value":3055},{"name":"Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb","value":2983},{"name":"Faculty of Law","value":2944},{"name":"Faculty of Law","value":3039},{"name":"Federal University of Rio de Janeiro","value":3022},{"name":"Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul School of Law (Brazil)","value":3062},{"name":"Florida A\u0026M University College of Law","value":699},{"name":"Florida Coastal School of Law","value":2894},{"name":"Florida International College of Law","value":707},{"name":"Florida State University College of Law","value":720},{"name":"Fordham University School of Law","value":722},{"name":"Franklin Pierce Law Center","value":734},{"name":"Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena","value":3015},{"name":"George Mason University School of Law","value":752},{"name":"George Washington University Law School","value":753},{"name":"Georgetown University Law Center","value":755},{"name":"Georgia State University College of Law","value":761},{"name":"Ghent Law School","value":2793},{"name":"Golden Gate University School of Law","value":770},{"name":"Gonzaga University School of Law","value":772},{"name":"Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva","value":2997},{"name":"Hamline University School of Law","value":811},{"name":"Harvard Law School","value":824},{"name":"Hebrew University of Jerusalem Faculty of Law","value":2994},{"name":"Hofstra University School of Law","value":858},{"name":"Howard University School of Law","value":872},{"name":"Huazhong University of Science and Technology","value":3016},{"name":"Humboldt University of Berlin","value":3012},{"name":"Indiana University School of Law","value":2711},{"name":"Indiana University School of Law","value":890},{"name":"International Association of Privacy Professionals","value":3009},{"name":"J. Reuben Clark Law School","value":262},{"name":"Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center","value":2084},{"name":"James Cook University of North Queensland","value":3034},{"name":"Jean Moulin University Lyon 3, France","value":2938},{"name":"Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health","value":2992},{"name":"Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen Rechtswissenschaft (Germany)","value":3063},{"name":"Kansas City School of Law","value":2247},{"name":"Keio University","value":2968},{"name":"Kent College of Law","value":883},{"name":"Kline School of Law","value":611},{"name":"KU Leuven","value":3007},{"name":"Levin College of Law","value":2189},{"name":"Lewis and Clark Law School","value":1089},{"name":"Liberty University School of Law","value":1094},{"name":"Lincoln College of Law","value":2253},{"name":"LL.M. in International Crime and Justice UNICRI","value":2937},{"name":"Loyola Law School","value":2895},{"name":"Loyola University Chicago School of Law","value":1135},{"name":"Loyola University New Orleans College of Law","value":1136},{"name":"Marquette University Law School","value":1176},{"name":"McGeorge School of Law","value":2402},{"name":"McGill University","value":2659},{"name":"Melbourne Law School","value":2899},{"name":"Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law","value":1221},{"name":"Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology","value":2996},{"name":"Michael E. Moritz College of Law","value":2728},{"name":"Michigan State University College of Law","value":1245},{"name":"Mississippi College School of Law","value":1285},{"name":"Moscow State University","value":2815},{"name":"National and Kapodistrian University of Athens","value":3032},{"name":"National Law University Jodhpur","value":3020},{"name":"National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law","value":2662},{"name":"New England School of Law","value":2886},{"name":"New York Law School","value":1403},{"name":"New York University School of Law","value":1406},{"name":"Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law","value":323},{"name":"North Carolina Central University School of Law","value":1417},{"name":"Northeastern University School of Law","value":1430},{"name":"Northern Illinois University College of Law","value":1432},{"name":"Northwestern Pritzker School of Law","value":1451},{"name":"Notre Dame Law School","value":2278},{"name":"Ohio Northern University Law School","value":3036},{"name":"Oklahoma City University School of Law","value":1487},{"name":"Osgoode Hall Law School","value":3124},{"name":"Pace University School of Law","value":1516},{"name":"Panteion University","value":3033},{"name":"Paul M. Hebert Law Center","value":2713},{"name":"Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law","value":1562},{"name":"Pepperdine University School of Law","value":1570},{"name":"Pettit College of Law","value":1473},{"name":"Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile","value":3203},{"name":"Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru","value":3011},{"name":"Pontificia Universidad Javeriana","value":3013},{"name":"Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Sao Paulo","value":3095},{"name":"Prince Sultan University College of Law","value":3167},{"name":"Queens College, Cambridge","value":3003},{"name":"Quinnipiac University School of Law","value":1626},{"name":"Ralph R. Papitto School of Law","value":1686},{"name":"Regent University School of Law","value":1649},{"name":"Rice University","value":3043},{"name":"Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg","value":3049},{"name":"Rutgers University School of Law-Newark","value":1699},{"name":"Rutgers University School of Law","value":1697},{"name":"S.J. Quinney College of Law","value":2408},{"name":"Saint Louis University School of Law","value":1732},{"name":"Salmon P. Chase College of Law","value":1433},{"name":"Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law","value":103},{"name":"Santa Clara University School of Law","value":1771},{"name":"Seattle University School of Law","value":1787},{"name":"Seton Hall University School of Law","value":1790},{"name":"Shepard Broad Law Center","value":1460},{"name":"South Texas College of Law","value":2721},{"name":"Southern Illinois University School of Law","value":1849},{"name":"Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law","value":1852},{"name":"Southern University Law Center","value":1857},{"name":"Southwestern Law School","value":1876},{"name":"St. John's University School of Law","value":2724},{"name":"St. Mary's University School of Law","value":1896},{"name":"St. Thomas University School of Law","value":1746},{"name":"Stanford Law School","value":1904},{"name":"Stetson University College of Law","value":1910},{"name":"Sturm College of Law","value":2184},{"name":"Suffolk University Law School","value":1921},{"name":"Syracuse University College of Law","value":1956},{"name":"Temple University Beasley School of Law","value":1974},{"name":"Texas A\u0026M School of Law","value":1980},{"name":"Texas Tech University School of Law","value":1994},{"name":"Texas Wesleyan University School of Law","value":1996},{"name":"The College of Law Australia","value":3091},{"name":"The College of Law, London","value":2935},{"name":"The John Marshall Law School","value":2034},{"name":"The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School","value":2896},{"name":"The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law","value":2990},{"name":"The University of Akron School of Law","value":2143},{"name":"The University of Alabama School of Law","value":2045},{"name":"The University of Birmingham, U.K.","value":2796},{"name":"The University of Iowa College of Law","value":2206},{"name":"The University of Texas School of Law","value":2055},{"name":"The University of Tulsa College of Law","value":2407},{"name":"Thomas Jefferson School of Law","value":685},{"name":"Thomas M. Cooley Law School","value":2729},{"name":"Thurgood Marshall School of Law","value":1992},{"name":"Tianjin University of Commerce","value":2995},{"name":"Tulane University Law School","value":2113},{"name":"UC Davis School of Law","value":2160},{"name":"UCLA School of Law","value":2162},{"name":"Universidad Católica de Honduras","value":2916},{"name":"Universidad Francisco Marroquin","value":3090},{"name":"Universidad Panamericana","value":2904},{"name":"Universidad Torcuato di Tella","value":3035},{"name":"Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Direito","value":3028},{"name":"Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie","value":2977},{"name":"Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi","value":3135},{"name":"University at Buffalo Law School","value":1928},{"name":"University College Dublin Law School","value":2900},{"name":"University of Alberta Faculty of Law","value":3088},{"name":"University of Amsterdam","value":2980},{"name":"University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law","value":2149},{"name":"University of Arkansas School of Law","value":2154},{"name":"University of Baltimore School of Law","value":2156},{"name":"University of California College of the Law","value":3196},{"name":"University of California Hastings College of Law","value":2158},{"name":"University of California Irvine School of Law","value":2161},{"name":"University of California, Berkeley, School of Law","value":2159},{"name":"University of California, Davis","value":3019},{"name":"University of Cambridge, U.K","value":2991},{"name":"University of Canterbury","value":2981},{"name":"University of Central Florida","value":3027},{"name":"University of Chester Law School","value":3005},{"name":"University of Chicago Law School","value":2174},{"name":"University of Chicago","value":3038},{"name":"University of Cincinnati College of Law","value":2175},{"name":"University of Colorado School of Law","value":2177},{"name":"University of Connecticut School of Law","value":2180},{"name":"University of Dayton School of Law","value":2182},{"name":"University of Detroit Mercy School of Law","value":2185},{"name":"University of East Anglia","value":3000},{"name":"University of Florida, Levin College of Law","value":3188},{"name":"University of Georgia School of Law","value":2190},{"name":"University of Houston Law Center","value":2197},{"name":"University of Hull","value":3040},{"name":"University of Idaho College of Law","value":2201},{"name":"University of Illinois College of Law","value":2204},{"name":"University of Kansas School of Law","value":2208},{"name":"University of Kentucky College of Law","value":2210},{"name":"University of La Verne College of Law","value":2211},{"name":"University of Law, London","value":2999},{"name":"University of Lethbridge","value":3030},{"name":"University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law","value":2214},{"name":"University of Maine School of Law","value":2391},{"name":"University of Maryland School of Law","value":2224},{"name":"University of Miami School of Law","value":2236},{"name":"University of Michigan Law School","value":2237},{"name":"University of Minnesota Law School","value":2243},{"name":"University of Mississippi School of Law","value":2244},{"name":"University of Missouri School of Law","value":2246},{"name":"University of Montana School of Law","value":2048},{"name":"University of Nebraska College of Law","value":2744},{"name":"University of New Mexico School of Law","value":2262},{"name":"University of North Carolina School of Law","value":2266},{"name":"University of North Dakota School of Law","value":2271},{"name":"University of Oklahoma Law Center","value":2747},{"name":"University of Oregon School of Law","value":2281},{"name":"University of Pennsylvania Law School","value":2282},{"name":"University of Pittsburgh School of Law","value":2354},{"name":"University of Richmond School of Law","value":2370},{"name":"University of San Diego School of Law","value":2377},{"name":"University of San Francisco School of Law","value":2378},{"name":"University of South Carolina School of Law","value":2750},{"name":"University of South Dakota School of Law","value":2387},{"name":"University of Southern California Gould School of Law","value":3051},{"name":"University of St. Thomas School of Law","value":2751},{"name":"University of Sydney Law School","value":3031},{"name":"University of Tennessee College of Law","value":2051},{"name":"University of the West of England, Bristol","value":3001},{"name":"University of Toledo College of Law","value":2406},{"name":"University of Toronto","value":2912},{"name":"University of Utah","value":3026},{"name":"University of Virginia School of Law","value":2410},{"name":"University of Washington School of Law","value":2412},{"name":"University of Wisconsin Law School","value":2419},{"name":"University of Wyoming College of Law","value":2429},{"name":"University of Zürich","value":3037},{"name":"University Paris Dauphine","value":2976},{"name":"University Paris II Assas","value":2975},{"name":"University Paris II Assas","value":3052},{"name":"USC Gould School of Law","value":2389},{"name":"Utrecht University","value":3085},{"name":"Valparaiso University School of Law","value":2441},{"name":"Vanderbilt University School of Law","value":2442},{"name":"Vermont Law School","value":2451},{"name":"Villanova University School of Law","value":2454},{"name":"Wake Forest University School of Law","value":2471},{"name":"Washburn University School of Law","value":2482},{"name":"Washington and Lee University School of Law","value":2484},{"name":"Washington College of Law","value":61},{"name":"Washington University in St. Louis School of Law","value":2489},{"name":"Wayne State University Law School","value":2493},{"name":"West Virginia University College of Law","value":2517},{"name":"Western New England College School of Law","value":2528},{"name":"Western State College of Law","value":2897},{"name":"Wharton School of Business","value":3044},{"name":"Whittier Law School","value":2564},{"name":"Widener University Delaware Law School","value":2569},{"name":"Willamette University College of Law","value":2573},{"name":"William \u0026 Mary Law School","value":462},{"name":"William H. Bowen School of Law","value":2150},{"name":"William Mitchell College of Law","value":2758},{"name":"William S. Boyd School of Law","value":2256},{"name":"William S. Richardson School of Law","value":2195},{"name":"Wilmington University","value":2993},{"name":"Yale Law School","value":2605}],"offices":[{"name":"Abu Dhabi","value":13},{"name":"Atlanta","value":1},{"name":"Austin","value":12},{"name":"Brussels","value":23},{"name":"Charlotte","value":8},{"name":"Chicago","value":21},{"name":"Dallas","value":28},{"name":"Denver","value":22},{"name":"Dubai","value":6},{"name":"Frankfurt","value":9},{"name":"Geneva","value":15},{"name":"Houston","value":4},{"name":"London","value":5},{"name":"Los Angeles","value":19},{"name":"Miami","value":25},{"name":"New York","value":3},{"name":"Northern Virginia","value":24},{"name":"Paris","value":14},{"name":"Riyadh","value":27},{"name":"Sacramento","value":20},{"name":"San Francisco","value":10},{"name":"Silicon Valley","value":11},{"name":"Singapore","value":16},{"name":"Sydney","value":26},{"name":"Tokyo","value":18},{"name":"Washington, D.C.","value":2}],"capabilities":[{"name":"Corporate, Finance and Investments","value":"cg-1"},{"name":"Activist Defense","value":72},{"name":"Capital Markets","value":26},{"name":"Construction and Procurement","value":40},{"name":"Corporate Governance","value":27},{"name":"Emerging Companies and Venture Capital","value":80},{"name":"Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation","value":28},{"name":"Energy and Infrastructure Projects","value":35},{"name":"Financial Restructuring","value":10},{"name":"Fund Finance","value":134},{"name":"Global Human Capital and Compliance ","value":121},{"name":"Investment Funds and Asset Management","value":78},{"name":"Leveraged Finance","value":29},{"name":"Mergers and Acquisitions (M\u0026A)","value":32},{"name":"Middle East and Islamic Finance and Investment","value":31},{"name":"Private Equity","value":33},{"name":"Public Companies","value":126},{"name":"Real Estate","value":36},{"name":"Structured Finance and Securitization","value":82},{"name":"Tax","value":37},{"name":"Technology Transactions","value":115},{"name":"Government Matters","value":"cg-2"},{"name":"Antitrust","value":1},{"name":"Data, Privacy and Security","value":6},{"name":"Environmental, Health and Safety","value":71},{"name":"FDA and Life Sciences","value":21},{"name":"Government Advocacy and Public Policy","value":23},{"name":"Government Contracts","value":116},{"name":"Healthcare","value":24},{"name":"Innovation Protection","value":135},{"name":"International Trade","value":25},{"name":"National Security and Corporate Espionage","value":110},{"name":"Securities Enforcement and Regulation","value":20},{"name":"Special Matters and Government Investigations","value":11},{"name":"Trial and Global Disputes","value":"cg-3"},{"name":"Antitrust ","value":129},{"name":"Appellate, Constitutional and Administrative Law","value":2},{"name":"Bankruptcy and Insolvency Litigation","value":38},{"name":"Class Action Defense","value":3},{"name":"Commercial Litigation","value":5},{"name":"Corporate and Securities Litigation","value":19},{"name":"E-Discovery","value":7},{"name":"Global Construction and Infrastructure Disputes","value":4},{"name":"Innovation Protection","value":136},{"name":"Intellectual Property","value":13},{"name":"International Arbitration and Litigation","value":14},{"name":"Labor and Employment","value":15},{"name":"Product Liability","value":17},{"name":"Professional Liability","value":18},{"name":"Toxic \u0026 Environmental Torts","value":16},{"name":"Industries / Issues","value":"cg-4"},{"name":"Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning","value":133},{"name":"Automotive, Transportation and Mobility","value":106},{"name":"Buy American","value":124},{"name":"Crisis Management","value":111},{"name":"Doing Business in Latin America","value":132},{"name":"Energy Transition","value":131},{"name":"Energy","value":102},{"name":"Environmental Agenda","value":125},{"name":"Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)","value":127},{"name":"Financial Services","value":107},{"name":"Focus on Women's Health","value":112},{"name":"Food and Beverage","value":105},{"name":"Higher Education","value":109},{"name":"Life Sciences and Healthcare","value":103},{"name":"Russia/Ukraine","value":128},{"name":"Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs)","value":123},{"name":"Technology","value":118}]},"title_id":null,"school_id":null,"office_id":null,"capability_id":"19","extra_filter_id":null,"extra_filter_type":null,"q":null,"starts_with":"W","per_page":12,"people":[{"id":443983,"version":1,"owner_type":"Person","owner_id":6934,"payload":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003ePaul Watford is a partner in the Los Angeles office of King \u0026amp; Spalding, where he is a member of the firm\u0026rsquo;s business litigation practice and appellate, constitutional and administrative law group.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrior to joining the firm, Paul served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for 11 years. During his tenure on the court, he authored published opinions addressing numerous areas of federal and state law, including arbitration, bankruptcy, class actions, constitutional, copyright, environmental, immigration, labor and employment, securities, and tax. In one of Paul\u0026rsquo;s more notable rulings, he authored the Ninth Circuit\u0026rsquo;s \u003cem\u003een banc\u003c/em\u003e decision in \u003cem\u003eCity of Los Angeles v. Patel\u003c/em\u003e (2013), a case in which the court struck down, 7-4, a Los Angeles city ordinance authorizing police to conduct surprise inspections of hotel and motel guest registries without obtaining the owners\u0026rsquo; consent or a search warrant. The following year, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Ninth Circuit\u0026rsquo;s decision invalidating the ordinance in a 5-4 vote.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter graduating from law school in 1994, Paul served as a law clerk to the Honorable Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The following year, from 1995 to 1996, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States of America.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul became an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California in 1997. Serving in the Criminal Division, he prosecuted a wide range of federal criminal cases, including complex white collar criminal cases as a member of the Major Frauds Section. While serving in the U.S. Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office, Paul tried seven cases to verdict before a jury.\u003c/p\u003e","slug":"paul-watford","email":"pwatford@kslaw.com","phone":null,"matters":null,"taggings":{"tags":[],"meta_tags":[]},"expertise":[{"id":74,"guid":"74.capabilities","index":0,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":5,"guid":"5.capabilities","index":1,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":129,"guid":"129.capabilities","index":2,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":2,"guid":"2.capabilities","index":3,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":19,"guid":"19.capabilities","index":4,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":11,"guid":"11.capabilities","index":5,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":111,"guid":"111.capabilities","index":6,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":127,"guid":"127.capabilities","index":7,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":107,"guid":"107.capabilities","index":8,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":1199,"guid":"1199.smart_tags","index":9,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1409,"guid":"1409.smart_tags","index":10,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1,"guid":"1.capabilities","index":11,"source":"capabilities"}],"is_active":true,"last_name":"Watford","nick_name":"Paul","clerkships":[],"first_name":"Paul","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":32,"law_schools":[{"id":2162,"meta":{"degree":"J.D.","honors":"Order of the Coif, Editor, UCLA Law Review","is_law_school":"1","graduation_date":"1994-01-01 00:00:00"},"order":1,"pin_order":null,"pin_expiration":null}],"middle_name":" ","name_suffix":"","recognitions":[{"title":"Named as one of the “500 Leading Litigators in America”","detail":"Lawdragon, 2024-2025"}],"linked_in_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-watford-33998329a/","seodescription":null,"primary_title_id":15,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003ePaul Watford is a partner in the Los Angeles office of King \u0026amp; Spalding, where he is a member of the firm\u0026rsquo;s business litigation practice and appellate, constitutional and administrative law group.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrior to joining the firm, Paul served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for 11 years. During his tenure on the court, he authored published opinions addressing numerous areas of federal and state law, including arbitration, bankruptcy, class actions, constitutional, copyright, environmental, immigration, labor and employment, securities, and tax. In one of Paul\u0026rsquo;s more notable rulings, he authored the Ninth Circuit\u0026rsquo;s \u003cem\u003een banc\u003c/em\u003e decision in \u003cem\u003eCity of Los Angeles v. Patel\u003c/em\u003e (2013), a case in which the court struck down, 7-4, a Los Angeles city ordinance authorizing police to conduct surprise inspections of hotel and motel guest registries without obtaining the owners\u0026rsquo; consent or a search warrant. The following year, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Ninth Circuit\u0026rsquo;s decision invalidating the ordinance in a 5-4 vote.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter graduating from law school in 1994, Paul served as a law clerk to the Honorable Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The following year, from 1995 to 1996, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States of America.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul became an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California in 1997. Serving in the Criminal Division, he prosecuted a wide range of federal criminal cases, including complex white collar criminal cases as a member of the Major Frauds Section. While serving in the U.S. Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office, Paul tried seven cases to verdict before a jury.\u003c/p\u003e","recognitions":[{"title":"Named as one of the “500 Leading Litigators in America”","detail":"Lawdragon, 2024-2025"}]},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":12540}]},"capability_group_id":3},"created_at":"2025-12-05T05:02:17.000Z","updated_at":"2025-12-05T05:02:17.000Z","searchable_text":"Watford{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Named as one of the “500 Leading Litigators in America”\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Lawdragon, 2024-2025\"}{{ FIELD }}Paul Watford is a partner in the Los Angeles office of King \u0026amp; Spalding, where he is a member of the firm’s business litigation practice and appellate, constitutional and administrative law group.\nPrior to joining the firm, Paul served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for 11 years. During his tenure on the court, he authored published opinions addressing numerous areas of federal and state law, including arbitration, bankruptcy, class actions, constitutional, copyright, environmental, immigration, labor and employment, securities, and tax. In one of Paul’s more notable rulings, he authored the Ninth Circuit’s en banc decision in City of Los Angeles v. Patel (2013), a case in which the court struck down, 7-4, a Los Angeles city ordinance authorizing police to conduct surprise inspections of hotel and motel guest registries without obtaining the owners’ consent or a search warrant. The following year, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Ninth Circuit’s decision invalidating the ordinance in a 5-4 vote.\nAfter graduating from law school in 1994, Paul served as a law clerk to the Honorable Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The following year, from 1995 to 1996, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States of America.\nPaul became an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California in 1997. Serving in the Criminal Division, he prosecuted a wide range of federal criminal cases, including complex white collar criminal cases as a member of the Major Frauds Section. While serving in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Paul tried seven cases to verdict before a jury. Partner Named as one of the “500 Leading Litigators in America” Lawdragon, 2024-2025 University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley, School of Law University of California-Los Angeles UCLA School of Law U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Supreme Court of the United States U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit U.S. District Court for the Central District of California U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California California Member, Board of Trustees, Norton Simon Museum of Art, 2019-present Member, Board of Trustees, Campaign Legal Center, 2024-present Member, Board of Directors, The Appellate Project, 2024-present Member, Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules, 2019-2023 Inaugural Distinguished Jurist in Residence, Southwestern Law School, 2022-2023 Lecturer in Law, University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, 2007-2009 Board Member, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, 2007-2012 Member, American Bar Association (ABA) Amicus Curiae Committee, 2007-2010 Co-chair, ABA Litigation Section's Appellate Practice Committee, 2005-2008","searchable_name":"Paul Watford","is_active":true,"featured":null,"publish_date":null,"expiration_date":null,"blog_featured":null,"published_by":32,"capability_group_featured":null,"home_page_featured":null},{"id":426999,"version":1,"owner_type":"Person","owner_id":6072,"payload":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003ePaul Weeks has a litigation practice that focuses on complex civil litigation in federal and state courts throughout the country.\u0026nbsp; He has\u0026nbsp;extensive experience representing clients on both the plaintiff and defense side from\u0026nbsp;industries that include financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and agribusiness.\u0026nbsp; Paul's cases have involved contract,\u0026nbsp;antitrust, mass tort, securities, and consumer protection claims, among others, in some of the most cutting-edge\u0026nbsp;litigation of recent years.\u0026nbsp;[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul brings a creative approach to difficult litigation issues and excels at developing litigation strategies\u0026nbsp;to serve his clients'\u0026nbsp; objectives.\u0026nbsp; His focus on approaching\u0026nbsp;issues from every angle has produced\u0026nbsp;novel arguments resulting\u0026nbsp;in expedited and decisive wins for his clients.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eThe American Lawyer\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;has recognized him as a \u0026ldquo;Litigator of the Week\u0026rdquo; winner or runner-up on multiple occasions in recent years.\u0026nbsp; After law school, Paul served as a law clerk to Judge Anthony J. Trenga of\u0026nbsp;the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia,\u0026nbsp;in Alexandria, Virginia, known as the \u0026ldquo;Rocket Docket\u0026rdquo; for its expeditious disposition of cases.\u003c/p\u003e","slug":"paul-weeks","email":"pweeks@kslaw.com","phone":null,"matters":null,"taggings":{"tags":[],"meta_tags":[]},"expertise":[{"id":74,"guid":"74.capabilities","index":0,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":1,"guid":"1.capabilities","index":1,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":3,"guid":"3.capabilities","index":2,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":5,"guid":"5.capabilities","index":3,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":19,"guid":"19.capabilities","index":4,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":17,"guid":"17.capabilities","index":5,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":107,"guid":"107.capabilities","index":6,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":105,"guid":"105.capabilities","index":7,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":103,"guid":"103.capabilities","index":8,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":764,"guid":"764.smart_tags","index":9,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":765,"guid":"765.smart_tags","index":10,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1179,"guid":"1179.smart_tags","index":11,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":761,"guid":"761.smart_tags","index":12,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1248,"guid":"1248.smart_tags","index":13,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":129,"guid":"129.capabilities","index":14,"source":"capabilities"}],"is_active":true,"last_name":"Weeks","nick_name":"Paul","clerkships":[{"name":"Law Clerk, Hon. Anthony J. Trenga, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia","years_held":"2016 - 2017"}],"first_name":"Paul","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":32,"law_schools":[{"id":753,"meta":{"degree":"J.D.","honors":"with highest honors","is_law_school":"1","graduation_date":"2015-01-01 00:00:00"},"order":1,"pin_order":null,"pin_expiration":null}],"middle_name":" ","name_suffix":"","recognitions":null,"linked_in_url":null,"seodescription":null,"primary_title_id":15,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003ePaul Weeks has a litigation practice that focuses on complex civil litigation in federal and state courts throughout the country.\u0026nbsp; He has\u0026nbsp;extensive experience representing clients on both the plaintiff and defense side from\u0026nbsp;industries that include financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and agribusiness.\u0026nbsp; Paul's cases have involved contract,\u0026nbsp;antitrust, mass tort, securities, and consumer protection claims, among others, in some of the most cutting-edge\u0026nbsp;litigation of recent years.\u0026nbsp;[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaul brings a creative approach to difficult litigation issues and excels at developing litigation strategies\u0026nbsp;to serve his clients'\u0026nbsp; objectives.\u0026nbsp; His focus on approaching\u0026nbsp;issues from every angle has produced\u0026nbsp;novel arguments resulting\u0026nbsp;in expedited and decisive wins for his clients.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eThe American Lawyer\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;has recognized him as a \u0026ldquo;Litigator of the Week\u0026rdquo; winner or runner-up on multiple occasions in recent years.\u0026nbsp; After law school, Paul served as a law clerk to Judge Anthony J. Trenga of\u0026nbsp;the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia,\u0026nbsp;in Alexandria, Virginia, known as the \u0026ldquo;Rocket Docket\u0026rdquo; for its expeditious disposition of cases.\u003c/p\u003e"},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":9785}]},"capability_group_id":3},"created_at":"2025-05-26T04:58:12.000Z","updated_at":"2025-05-26T04:58:12.000Z","searchable_text":"Weeks{{ FIELD }}Paul Weeks has a litigation practice that focuses on complex civil litigation in federal and state courts throughout the country.  He has extensive experience representing clients on both the plaintiff and defense side from industries that include financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and agribusiness.  Paul's cases have involved contract, antitrust, mass tort, securities, and consumer protection claims, among others, in some of the most cutting-edge litigation of recent years. \nPaul brings a creative approach to difficult litigation issues and excels at developing litigation strategies to serve his clients'  objectives.  His focus on approaching issues from every angle has produced novel arguments resulting in expedited and decisive wins for his clients.  The American Lawyer has recognized him as a “Litigator of the Week” winner or runner-up on multiple occasions in recent years.  After law school, Paul served as a law clerk to Judge Anthony J. Trenga of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, in Alexandria, Virginia, known as the “Rocket Docket” for its expeditious disposition of cases. Partner Clemson University  George Washington University George Washington University Law School U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia District of Columbia Virginia Law Clerk, Hon. Anthony J. Trenga, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia","searchable_name":"Paul Weeks","is_active":true,"featured":null,"publish_date":null,"expiration_date":null,"blog_featured":null,"published_by":32,"capability_group_featured":null,"home_page_featured":null},{"id":442815,"version":1,"owner_type":"Person","owner_id":5739,"payload":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eDavid Willingham focuses on white-collar criminal defense and complex litigation matters. He has represented numerous individuals and entities facing governmental investigations and other complex litigation issues in both state and federal courts around the country.\u0026nbsp; David has deep experience in dealing with high-profile cases, having prosecuted and defended many matters of public interest, including those involving health care fraud, financial fraud and money laundering charges. He has handled numerous parallel investigations with the SEC and other regulatory bodies, as well as numerous successful appeals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrior to entering private practice, David was the Deputy Chief of the Major Frauds Section of the United States Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office in the Central District of California. In that capacity, he spent two years supervising the subsection responsible for all health-care-fraud-related prosecutions within the district.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid has been designated as a leader by Chambers USA, Martindale-Hubbell, and other publications. Five\u0026nbsp;times, from 2016-2019 and 2021, David was honored as one of California\u0026rsquo;s Top 100 Lawyers by the state\u0026rsquo;s leading legal publication. David is also a nationally recognized speaker, often speaking at events around the country on issues facing litigators and judicial officers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid is also a respected member of the legal community. He previously served as the president of the Federal Bar Association of Los Angeles, and the co-chair of the Lawyer Representatives for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the past, David has also served as co-chair of the ABA\u0026rsquo;s National Committee on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the ABA\u0026rsquo;s Securities Fraud Committee, and the ABA\u0026rsquo;s Financial Institution Fraud Committee.\u003c/p\u003e","slug":"david-willingham","email":"dwillingham@kslaw.com","phone":null,"matters":["\u003cp\u003eRecently served as lead trial counsel for the founder of a hedge fund in an SEC administrative proceeding alleging fraud against the founder and his fund in connection with investment decisions made by his investors. Earning national recognition for the result, Dave received a rare directed verdict against the SEC following trial for much of the case, and the ALJ later dismissed the SEC\u0026rsquo;s remaining fraud theories against his client. Dave was tapped for this representation after earning a complete dismissal at trial for the client in a previous proceeding\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently served as lead trial counsel for a health care company in a matter where plaintiffs alleged over $100M in damages as a result of alleged employment discrimination by the company.\u0026nbsp; The trial team successfully convinced the court to bifurcate all claims, which led to a defense victory at the initial trial\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAchieved an extraordinary resolution after more than 6 years of litigation for RD Legal Funding and its CEO in a matter against the CFPB and the New York AG. RD Legal Funding settled this critical matter for a mere $1 civil penalty and no admission of liability and no other penalty to the clients. That result is unprecedented in the financial services sector in a contested litigation. This result follows a groundbreaking ruling in 2018 which held that CFPB is an unconstitutionally structured entity.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLeads the defense of the former CEO of Ontrak who was recently charged with insider trading by the Department of Justice. The case was touted by DOJ as a groundbreaking prosecution focused on alleged malfeasance by Peizer in connection with the implementation of a 10b(5) trading plan \u0026ndash; the first prosecution of its kind. This case has made national news and is another example of David being at the top of the list for the most sensitive cases.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eServed as lead counsel in the defense of a medical professional who was arrested and nationally publicized as part of the opioid problem in the U.S. in February 2019 \u0026ndash; dubbed Operation Hypocritical Oath. After a series of defense presentations, the government reversed course and agreed to divert and eventually dismiss the case against his client.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented one of the charged parents in the high-profile \u0026ldquo;Varsity Blues\u0026rdquo; investigation conducted out of the U.S. Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office in Boston. June 28, 2022, his client received a sentence of no prison time. The case has brought additional national attention to King \u0026amp; Spalding\u0026rsquo;s California White Collar practice.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCurrently serves as lead counsel for Kimora Lee Simmons in a $200 million dispute with her ex-husband Russell Simmons over alleged fraud in connection with the purchase and transfer shares in the energy drink company Celsius relating to the 1MBD prosecution in New York.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHas successfully defended dozens of health care executives, professionals and entities in federal investigations into alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and civil False Claims Act matters in courts around the country\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently made national news for convincing a federal judge in New York to dismiss a case against his client and find that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutionally structured\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense before the SEC and DOJ of the former president and chief operating officer of America\u0026rsquo;s largest home mortgage lender during the Financial Crisis. \u0026nbsp;After several presentations to both agencies, Dave earned a full declination for his client, despite the fact that the SEC pursued a case against the lender\u0026rsquo;s chairman and two subordinates to the client\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently won a significant verdict in a trade-secret civil trial in Los Angeles Superior Court. Representing the plaintiff, Dave convinced the jury to render a unanimous verdict on the trade-secret claim against his client\u0026rsquo;s former controller and two competitor companies. The verdict was for $6,154,810.40\u0026mdash;literally every penny requested as damages during the trial\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended the branch manager of a Los Angeles bank that predominantly services Los Angeles\u0026rsquo;s Chinese community in a federal AML/Bank Secrecy Act prosecution. The case was investigated as part of a sting operation targeting the Asian-American and Asian immigrant community in the San Gabriel Valley and was one of the very few AML/BSA cases nationwide to go to trial.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSuccessfully defended a company in an AML/Black Market Peso investigation. Hired following the execution of search warrants at the business and seizure of substantial assets. Matter concluded with no prosecution and return of most seized funds to the business and its owners\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSuccessfully defended an individual in an investigation of bank and a high-level executive in AML matter by the Department of Justice. Matter resolved with a non-prosecution agreement\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended the owner of an online gold trading platform in AML investigation (an unlicensed money transfer investigation) brought by United States Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office in Los Angeles\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense of the target of the multiyear investigation by the FTC and the U.S. Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office in Cleveland. The Department of Justice twice informed the firm that it intended to indict the client. However, following a series of vigorous presentations, the U.S. Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office declined to bring any charges whatsoever\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense of a federal securities claim levied against a partner at a major national law firm. Dave succeeded in convincing the federal court in Los Angeles to dismiss the entire complaint against the client, with prejudice, at the outset of the matter\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently led the defense of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company in an investigation by the SEC of insider-trading allegations. The matter was concluded with no action by the SEC as to Dave\u0026rsquo;s client\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented the former chief credit officer of First Bank of Beverly Hills, who was sued in Los Angeles Federal Court by the FDIC for negligence and fraud in connection with his tenure at the bank. The matter was recently settled and dismissed, with no judgment or bar against Dave\u0026rsquo;s client\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently served as lead counsel in a federal breach of contract and declaratory relief action in the Central District of California in a battle between two telecom heavyweights. After receipt of the motion for summary judgment, the opposing client withdrew half of its allegations, and the matter settled very favorably for the firm\u0026rsquo;s clients\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently served as lead counsel for the defense of a nationally recognized service company sued in California courts for a class action alleging violations of consumer protection laws\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eEarned a final arbitration award of more than $34 million in a case that involved two large, multinational corporations following a lengthy and hotly contested arbitration. In this high-stakes litigation, the trial team convinced the arbitrator to award 100 percent of the damages, fees, and costs they requested on behalf of their client at the arbitration\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended a manager of a $5-billion fund who was accused of engaging in an illegal kickback scheme in a highly publicized matter stemming from the SEC\u0026rsquo;s investigation into CALPERs. After a tenacious defense and presentation on behalf of his client, the SEC terminated its investigation and brought no charges\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently represented a senior executive of a multinational corporation faced with intensive scrutiny for conduct occurring in several overseas jurisdictions in a highly publicized investigation by the Department of Justice and others under the FCPA\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense of the individual charged with taking clandestine video of Erin Andrews, an international media figure and sports reporter for ESPN, in a case that garnered national media attention\u003c/p\u003e"],"taggings":{"tags":[],"meta_tags":[]},"expertise":[{"id":11,"guid":"11.capabilities","index":0,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":5,"guid":"5.capabilities","index":1,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":3,"guid":"3.capabilities","index":2,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":19,"guid":"19.capabilities","index":3,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":81,"guid":"81.capabilities","index":4,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":107,"guid":"107.capabilities","index":5,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":103,"guid":"103.capabilities","index":6,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":74,"guid":"74.capabilities","index":7,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":750,"guid":"750.smart_tags","index":8,"source":"smartTags"}],"is_active":true,"last_name":"Willingham","nick_name":"David","clerkships":[],"first_name":"David","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":202,"law_schools":[],"middle_name":"K.","name_suffix":"","recognitions":[{"title":"Top 100 Lawyers in LA","detail":"Los Angeles Business Journal 2025"},{"title":"Top-Tier Rankings in Legal 500 United States","detail":"2024 Guide"},{"title":"Band 1, Litigation: White-Collar Crime \u0026 Government Investigations","detail":"Chambers USA, California (2015-2025)"},{"title":"David is a dynamic advocate. He hears the courtroom, understands it and delivers a magical product within it. ","detail":"Chambers USA (2022)"},{"title":"Top White Collar Lawyer in California","detail":"Daily Journal - 2020 - 2024"},{"title":"Top 100 Lawyer in California, Daily Journal","detail":"2016-2023"},{"title":"Top Litigator \u0026 Trial Lawyer, L.A. Business Journal","detail":"2019"},{"title":"Leading Lawyer in White Collar \u0026 Government Investigations","detail":"Chambers USA"},{"title":"Best Lawyers in America","detail":"2009–present"},{"title":"Southern California Super Lawyers","detail":"2011-present"},{"title":"Southern California Rising Star","detail":"2005-2010"},{"title":"Daily Journal Top 20 Lawyers Under 40","detail":"2010"},{"title":"AV Preeminent attorney in California","detail":"Rated by Martindale-Hubbell"}],"linked_in_url":null,"seodescription":null,"primary_title_id":15,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eDavid Willingham focuses on white-collar criminal defense and complex litigation matters. He has represented numerous individuals and entities facing governmental investigations and other complex litigation issues in both state and federal courts around the country.\u0026nbsp; David has deep experience in dealing with high-profile cases, having prosecuted and defended many matters of public interest, including those involving health care fraud, financial fraud and money laundering charges. He has handled numerous parallel investigations with the SEC and other regulatory bodies, as well as numerous successful appeals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrior to entering private practice, David was the Deputy Chief of the Major Frauds Section of the United States Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office in the Central District of California. In that capacity, he spent two years supervising the subsection responsible for all health-care-fraud-related prosecutions within the district.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid has been designated as a leader by Chambers USA, Martindale-Hubbell, and other publications. Five\u0026nbsp;times, from 2016-2019 and 2021, David was honored as one of California\u0026rsquo;s Top 100 Lawyers by the state\u0026rsquo;s leading legal publication. David is also a nationally recognized speaker, often speaking at events around the country on issues facing litigators and judicial officers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid is also a respected member of the legal community. He previously served as the president of the Federal Bar Association of Los Angeles, and the co-chair of the Lawyer Representatives for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the past, David has also served as co-chair of the ABA\u0026rsquo;s National Committee on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the ABA\u0026rsquo;s Securities Fraud Committee, and the ABA\u0026rsquo;s Financial Institution Fraud Committee.\u003c/p\u003e","matters":["\u003cp\u003eRecently served as lead trial counsel for the founder of a hedge fund in an SEC administrative proceeding alleging fraud against the founder and his fund in connection with investment decisions made by his investors. Earning national recognition for the result, Dave received a rare directed verdict against the SEC following trial for much of the case, and the ALJ later dismissed the SEC\u0026rsquo;s remaining fraud theories against his client. Dave was tapped for this representation after earning a complete dismissal at trial for the client in a previous proceeding\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently served as lead trial counsel for a health care company in a matter where plaintiffs alleged over $100M in damages as a result of alleged employment discrimination by the company.\u0026nbsp; The trial team successfully convinced the court to bifurcate all claims, which led to a defense victory at the initial trial\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAchieved an extraordinary resolution after more than 6 years of litigation for RD Legal Funding and its CEO in a matter against the CFPB and the New York AG. RD Legal Funding settled this critical matter for a mere $1 civil penalty and no admission of liability and no other penalty to the clients. That result is unprecedented in the financial services sector in a contested litigation. This result follows a groundbreaking ruling in 2018 which held that CFPB is an unconstitutionally structured entity.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLeads the defense of the former CEO of Ontrak who was recently charged with insider trading by the Department of Justice. The case was touted by DOJ as a groundbreaking prosecution focused on alleged malfeasance by Peizer in connection with the implementation of a 10b(5) trading plan \u0026ndash; the first prosecution of its kind. This case has made national news and is another example of David being at the top of the list for the most sensitive cases.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eServed as lead counsel in the defense of a medical professional who was arrested and nationally publicized as part of the opioid problem in the U.S. in February 2019 \u0026ndash; dubbed Operation Hypocritical Oath. After a series of defense presentations, the government reversed course and agreed to divert and eventually dismiss the case against his client.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented one of the charged parents in the high-profile \u0026ldquo;Varsity Blues\u0026rdquo; investigation conducted out of the U.S. Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office in Boston. June 28, 2022, his client received a sentence of no prison time. The case has brought additional national attention to King \u0026amp; Spalding\u0026rsquo;s California White Collar practice.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eCurrently serves as lead counsel for Kimora Lee Simmons in a $200 million dispute with her ex-husband Russell Simmons over alleged fraud in connection with the purchase and transfer shares in the energy drink company Celsius relating to the 1MBD prosecution in New York.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eHas successfully defended dozens of health care executives, professionals and entities in federal investigations into alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and civil False Claims Act matters in courts around the country\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently made national news for convincing a federal judge in New York to dismiss a case against his client and find that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutionally structured\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense before the SEC and DOJ of the former president and chief operating officer of America\u0026rsquo;s largest home mortgage lender during the Financial Crisis. \u0026nbsp;After several presentations to both agencies, Dave earned a full declination for his client, despite the fact that the SEC pursued a case against the lender\u0026rsquo;s chairman and two subordinates to the client\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently won a significant verdict in a trade-secret civil trial in Los Angeles Superior Court. Representing the plaintiff, Dave convinced the jury to render a unanimous verdict on the trade-secret claim against his client\u0026rsquo;s former controller and two competitor companies. The verdict was for $6,154,810.40\u0026mdash;literally every penny requested as damages during the trial\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended the branch manager of a Los Angeles bank that predominantly services Los Angeles\u0026rsquo;s Chinese community in a federal AML/Bank Secrecy Act prosecution. The case was investigated as part of a sting operation targeting the Asian-American and Asian immigrant community in the San Gabriel Valley and was one of the very few AML/BSA cases nationwide to go to trial.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSuccessfully defended a company in an AML/Black Market Peso investigation. Hired following the execution of search warrants at the business and seizure of substantial assets. Matter concluded with no prosecution and return of most seized funds to the business and its owners\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eSuccessfully defended an individual in an investigation of bank and a high-level executive in AML matter by the Department of Justice. Matter resolved with a non-prosecution agreement\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended the owner of an online gold trading platform in AML investigation (an unlicensed money transfer investigation) brought by United States Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office in Los Angeles\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense of the target of the multiyear investigation by the FTC and the U.S. Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office in Cleveland. The Department of Justice twice informed the firm that it intended to indict the client. However, following a series of vigorous presentations, the U.S. Attorney\u0026rsquo;s Office declined to bring any charges whatsoever\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense of a federal securities claim levied against a partner at a major national law firm. Dave succeeded in convincing the federal court in Los Angeles to dismiss the entire complaint against the client, with prejudice, at the outset of the matter\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently led the defense of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company in an investigation by the SEC of insider-trading allegations. The matter was concluded with no action by the SEC as to Dave\u0026rsquo;s client\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented the former chief credit officer of First Bank of Beverly Hills, who was sued in Los Angeles Federal Court by the FDIC for negligence and fraud in connection with his tenure at the bank. The matter was recently settled and dismissed, with no judgment or bar against Dave\u0026rsquo;s client\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently served as lead counsel in a federal breach of contract and declaratory relief action in the Central District of California in a battle between two telecom heavyweights. After receipt of the motion for summary judgment, the opposing client withdrew half of its allegations, and the matter settled very favorably for the firm\u0026rsquo;s clients\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently served as lead counsel for the defense of a nationally recognized service company sued in California courts for a class action alleging violations of consumer protection laws\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eEarned a final arbitration award of more than $34 million in a case that involved two large, multinational corporations following a lengthy and hotly contested arbitration. In this high-stakes litigation, the trial team convinced the arbitrator to award 100 percent of the damages, fees, and costs they requested on behalf of their client at the arbitration\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended a manager of a $5-billion fund who was accused of engaging in an illegal kickback scheme in a highly publicized matter stemming from the SEC\u0026rsquo;s investigation into CALPERs. After a tenacious defense and presentation on behalf of his client, the SEC terminated its investigation and brought no charges\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRecently represented a senior executive of a multinational corporation faced with intensive scrutiny for conduct occurring in several overseas jurisdictions in a highly publicized investigation by the Department of Justice and others under the FCPA\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eLed the defense of the individual charged with taking clandestine video of Erin Andrews, an international media figure and sports reporter for ESPN, in a case that garnered national media attention\u003c/p\u003e"],"recognitions":[{"title":"Top 100 Lawyers in LA","detail":"Los Angeles Business Journal 2025"},{"title":"Top-Tier Rankings in Legal 500 United States","detail":"2024 Guide"},{"title":"Band 1, Litigation: White-Collar Crime \u0026 Government Investigations","detail":"Chambers USA, California (2015-2025)"},{"title":"David is a dynamic advocate. He hears the courtroom, understands it and delivers a magical product within it. ","detail":"Chambers USA (2022)"},{"title":"Top White Collar Lawyer in California","detail":"Daily Journal - 2020 - 2024"},{"title":"Top 100 Lawyer in California, Daily Journal","detail":"2016-2023"},{"title":"Top Litigator \u0026 Trial Lawyer, L.A. Business Journal","detail":"2019"},{"title":"Leading Lawyer in White Collar \u0026 Government Investigations","detail":"Chambers USA"},{"title":"Best Lawyers in America","detail":"2009–present"},{"title":"Southern California Super Lawyers","detail":"2011-present"},{"title":"Southern California Rising Star","detail":"2005-2010"},{"title":"Daily Journal Top 20 Lawyers Under 40","detail":"2010"},{"title":"AV Preeminent attorney in California","detail":"Rated by Martindale-Hubbell"}]},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":8086}]},"capability_group_id":2},"created_at":"2025-11-13T04:58:05.000Z","updated_at":"2025-11-13T04:58:05.000Z","searchable_text":"Willingham{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Top 100 Lawyers in LA\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Los Angeles Business Journal 2025\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Top-Tier Rankings in Legal 500 United States\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2024 Guide\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Band 1, Litigation: White-Collar Crime \u0026amp; Government Investigations\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Chambers USA, California (2015-2025)\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"David is a dynamic advocate. He hears the courtroom, understands it and delivers a magical product within it. \", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Chambers USA (2022)\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Top White Collar Lawyer in California\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Daily Journal - 2020 - 2024\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Top 100 Lawyer in California, Daily Journal\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2016-2023\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Top Litigator \u0026amp; Trial Lawyer, L.A. Business Journal\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2019\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Leading Lawyer in White Collar \u0026amp; Government Investigations\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Chambers USA\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Best Lawyers in America\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2009–present\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Southern California Super Lawyers\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2011-present\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Southern California Rising Star\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2005-2010\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Daily Journal Top 20 Lawyers Under 40\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"2010\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"AV Preeminent attorney in California\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Rated by Martindale-Hubbell\"}{{ FIELD }}Recently served as lead trial counsel for the founder of a hedge fund in an SEC administrative proceeding alleging fraud against the founder and his fund in connection with investment decisions made by his investors. Earning national recognition for the result, Dave received a rare directed verdict against the SEC following trial for much of the case, and the ALJ later dismissed the SEC’s remaining fraud theories against his client. Dave was tapped for this representation after earning a complete dismissal at trial for the client in a previous proceeding{{ FIELD }}Recently served as lead trial counsel for a health care company in a matter where plaintiffs alleged over $100M in damages as a result of alleged employment discrimination by the company.  The trial team successfully convinced the court to bifurcate all claims, which led to a defense victory at the initial trial{{ FIELD }}Achieved an extraordinary resolution after more than 6 years of litigation for RD Legal Funding and its CEO in a matter against the CFPB and the New York AG. RD Legal Funding settled this critical matter for a mere $1 civil penalty and no admission of liability and no other penalty to the clients. That result is unprecedented in the financial services sector in a contested litigation. This result follows a groundbreaking ruling in 2018 which held that CFPB is an unconstitutionally structured entity.{{ FIELD }}Leads the defense of the former CEO of Ontrak who was recently charged with insider trading by the Department of Justice. The case was touted by DOJ as a groundbreaking prosecution focused on alleged malfeasance by Peizer in connection with the implementation of a 10b(5) trading plan – the first prosecution of its kind. This case has made national news and is another example of David being at the top of the list for the most sensitive cases.{{ FIELD }}Served as lead counsel in the defense of a medical professional who was arrested and nationally publicized as part of the opioid problem in the U.S. in February 2019 – dubbed Operation Hypocritical Oath. After a series of defense presentations, the government reversed course and agreed to divert and eventually dismiss the case against his client.{{ FIELD }}Represented one of the charged parents in the high-profile “Varsity Blues” investigation conducted out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston. June 28, 2022, his client received a sentence of no prison time. The case has brought additional national attention to King \u0026amp; Spalding’s California White Collar practice.{{ FIELD }}Currently serves as lead counsel for Kimora Lee Simmons in a $200 million dispute with her ex-husband Russell Simmons over alleged fraud in connection with the purchase and transfer shares in the energy drink company Celsius relating to the 1MBD prosecution in New York.{{ FIELD }}Has successfully defended dozens of health care executives, professionals and entities in federal investigations into alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and civil False Claims Act matters in courts around the country{{ FIELD }}Recently made national news for convincing a federal judge in New York to dismiss a case against his client and find that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutionally structured{{ FIELD }}Led the defense before the SEC and DOJ of the former president and chief operating officer of America’s largest home mortgage lender during the Financial Crisis.  After several presentations to both agencies, Dave earned a full declination for his client, despite the fact that the SEC pursued a case against the lender’s chairman and two subordinates to the client{{ FIELD }}Recently won a significant verdict in a trade-secret civil trial in Los Angeles Superior Court. Representing the plaintiff, Dave convinced the jury to render a unanimous verdict on the trade-secret claim against his client’s former controller and two competitor companies. The verdict was for $6,154,810.40—literally every penny requested as damages during the trial{{ FIELD }}Defended the branch manager of a Los Angeles bank that predominantly services Los Angeles’s Chinese community in a federal AML/Bank Secrecy Act prosecution. The case was investigated as part of a sting operation targeting the Asian-American and Asian immigrant community in the San Gabriel Valley and was one of the very few AML/BSA cases nationwide to go to trial. {{ FIELD }}Successfully defended a company in an AML/Black Market Peso investigation. Hired following the execution of search warrants at the business and seizure of substantial assets. Matter concluded with no prosecution and return of most seized funds to the business and its owners{{ FIELD }}Successfully defended an individual in an investigation of bank and a high-level executive in AML matter by the Department of Justice. Matter resolved with a non-prosecution agreement{{ FIELD }}Defended the owner of an online gold trading platform in AML investigation (an unlicensed money transfer investigation) brought by United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles{{ FIELD }}Led the defense of the target of the multiyear investigation by the FTC and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cleveland. The Department of Justice twice informed the firm that it intended to indict the client. However, following a series of vigorous presentations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to bring any charges whatsoever{{ FIELD }}Led the defense of a federal securities claim levied against a partner at a major national law firm. Dave succeeded in convincing the federal court in Los Angeles to dismiss the entire complaint against the client, with prejudice, at the outset of the matter{{ FIELD }}Recently led the defense of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company in an investigation by the SEC of insider-trading allegations. The matter was concluded with no action by the SEC as to Dave’s client{{ FIELD }}Represented the former chief credit officer of First Bank of Beverly Hills, who was sued in Los Angeles Federal Court by the FDIC for negligence and fraud in connection with his tenure at the bank. The matter was recently settled and dismissed, with no judgment or bar against Dave’s client{{ FIELD }}Recently served as lead counsel in a federal breach of contract and declaratory relief action in the Central District of California in a battle between two telecom heavyweights. After receipt of the motion for summary judgment, the opposing client withdrew half of its allegations, and the matter settled very favorably for the firm’s clients{{ FIELD }}Recently served as lead counsel for the defense of a nationally recognized service company sued in California courts for a class action alleging violations of consumer protection laws{{ FIELD }}Earned a final arbitration award of more than $34 million in a case that involved two large, multinational corporations following a lengthy and hotly contested arbitration. In this high-stakes litigation, the trial team convinced the arbitrator to award 100 percent of the damages, fees, and costs they requested on behalf of their client at the arbitration{{ FIELD }}Defended a manager of a $5-billion fund who was accused of engaging in an illegal kickback scheme in a highly publicized matter stemming from the SEC’s investigation into CALPERs. After a tenacious defense and presentation on behalf of his client, the SEC terminated its investigation and brought no charges{{ FIELD }}Recently represented a senior executive of a multinational corporation faced with intensive scrutiny for conduct occurring in several overseas jurisdictions in a highly publicized investigation by the Department of Justice and others under the FCPA{{ FIELD }}Led the defense of the individual charged with taking clandestine video of Erin Andrews, an international media figure and sports reporter for ESPN, in a case that garnered national media attention{{ FIELD }}David Willingham focuses on white-collar criminal defense and complex litigation matters. He has represented numerous individuals and entities facing governmental investigations and other complex litigation issues in both state and federal courts around the country.  David has deep experience in dealing with high-profile cases, having prosecuted and defended many matters of public interest, including those involving health care fraud, financial fraud and money laundering charges. He has handled numerous parallel investigations with the SEC and other regulatory bodies, as well as numerous successful appeals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.\nPrior to entering private practice, David was the Deputy Chief of the Major Frauds Section of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California. In that capacity, he spent two years supervising the subsection responsible for all health-care-fraud-related prosecutions within the district.\nDavid has been designated as a leader by Chambers USA, Martindale-Hubbell, and other publications. Five times, from 2016-2019 and 2021, David was honored as one of California’s Top 100 Lawyers by the state’s leading legal publication. David is also a nationally recognized speaker, often speaking at events around the country on issues facing litigators and judicial officers.\nDavid is also a respected member of the legal community. He previously served as the president of the Federal Bar Association of Los Angeles, and the co-chair of the Lawyer Representatives for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference.\nIn the past, David has also served as co-chair of the ABA’s National Committee on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the ABA’s Securities Fraud Committee, and the ABA’s Financial Institution Fraud Committee. Partner Top 100 Lawyers in LA Los Angeles Business Journal 2025 Top-Tier Rankings in Legal 500 United States 2024 Guide Band 1, Litigation: White-Collar Crime \u0026amp; Government Investigations Chambers USA, California (2015-2025) David is a dynamic advocate. He hears the courtroom, understands it and delivers a magical product within it.  Chambers USA (2022) Top White Collar Lawyer in California Daily Journal - 2020 - 2024 Top 100 Lawyer in California, Daily Journal 2016-2023 Top Litigator \u0026amp; Trial Lawyer, L.A. Business Journal 2019 Leading Lawyer in White Collar \u0026amp; Government Investigations Chambers USA Best Lawyers in America 2009–present Southern California Super Lawyers 2011-present Southern California Rising Star 2005-2010 Daily Journal Top 20 Lawyers Under 40 2010 AV Preeminent attorney in California Rated by Martindale-Hubbell University of California-Los Angeles UCLA School of Law University of Southern California USC Gould School of Law U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit U.S. District Court for the Central District of California U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California California Lawyer Representative, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (2013–Present); Co-Chair (2015–2017) President, Los Angeles Federal Bar Association (2015–2016) Member of the board of directors, Los Angeles Federal Bar Association (2006–present) Member, State Bar of California, Client Security Fund Commission (2005–2009) Chairperson, American Bar Association, West Coast White Collar Crime Committee (2006–2008) Board of Directors, Los Angeles Chapter, Association of Business Trial Lawyers Recently served as lead trial counsel for the founder of a hedge fund in an SEC administrative proceeding alleging fraud against the founder and his fund in connection with investment decisions made by his investors. Earning national recognition for the result, Dave received a rare directed verdict against the SEC following trial for much of the case, and the ALJ later dismissed the SEC’s remaining fraud theories against his client. Dave was tapped for this representation after earning a complete dismissal at trial for the client in a previous proceeding Recently served as lead trial counsel for a health care company in a matter where plaintiffs alleged over $100M in damages as a result of alleged employment discrimination by the company.  The trial team successfully convinced the court to bifurcate all claims, which led to a defense victory at the initial trial Achieved an extraordinary resolution after more than 6 years of litigation for RD Legal Funding and its CEO in a matter against the CFPB and the New York AG. RD Legal Funding settled this critical matter for a mere $1 civil penalty and no admission of liability and no other penalty to the clients. That result is unprecedented in the financial services sector in a contested litigation. This result follows a groundbreaking ruling in 2018 which held that CFPB is an unconstitutionally structured entity. Leads the defense of the former CEO of Ontrak who was recently charged with insider trading by the Department of Justice. The case was touted by DOJ as a groundbreaking prosecution focused on alleged malfeasance by Peizer in connection with the implementation of a 10b(5) trading plan – the first prosecution of its kind. This case has made national news and is another example of David being at the top of the list for the most sensitive cases. Served as lead counsel in the defense of a medical professional who was arrested and nationally publicized as part of the opioid problem in the U.S. in February 2019 – dubbed Operation Hypocritical Oath. After a series of defense presentations, the government reversed course and agreed to divert and eventually dismiss the case against his client. Represented one of the charged parents in the high-profile “Varsity Blues” investigation conducted out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston. June 28, 2022, his client received a sentence of no prison time. The case has brought additional national attention to King \u0026amp; Spalding’s California White Collar practice. Currently serves as lead counsel for Kimora Lee Simmons in a $200 million dispute with her ex-husband Russell Simmons over alleged fraud in connection with the purchase and transfer shares in the energy drink company Celsius relating to the 1MBD prosecution in New York. Has successfully defended dozens of health care executives, professionals and entities in federal investigations into alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and civil False Claims Act matters in courts around the country Recently made national news for convincing a federal judge in New York to dismiss a case against his client and find that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutionally structured Led the defense before the SEC and DOJ of the former president and chief operating officer of America’s largest home mortgage lender during the Financial Crisis.  After several presentations to both agencies, Dave earned a full declination for his client, despite the fact that the SEC pursued a case against the lender’s chairman and two subordinates to the client Recently won a significant verdict in a trade-secret civil trial in Los Angeles Superior Court. Representing the plaintiff, Dave convinced the jury to render a unanimous verdict on the trade-secret claim against his client’s former controller and two competitor companies. The verdict was for $6,154,810.40—literally every penny requested as damages during the trial Defended the branch manager of a Los Angeles bank that predominantly services Los Angeles’s Chinese community in a federal AML/Bank Secrecy Act prosecution. The case was investigated as part of a sting operation targeting the Asian-American and Asian immigrant community in the San Gabriel Valley and was one of the very few AML/BSA cases nationwide to go to trial.  Successfully defended a company in an AML/Black Market Peso investigation. Hired following the execution of search warrants at the business and seizure of substantial assets. Matter concluded with no prosecution and return of most seized funds to the business and its owners Successfully defended an individual in an investigation of bank and a high-level executive in AML matter by the Department of Justice. Matter resolved with a non-prosecution agreement Defended the owner of an online gold trading platform in AML investigation (an unlicensed money transfer investigation) brought by United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles Led the defense of the target of the multiyear investigation by the FTC and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cleveland. The Department of Justice twice informed the firm that it intended to indict the client. However, following a series of vigorous presentations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to bring any charges whatsoever Led the defense of a federal securities claim levied against a partner at a major national law firm. Dave succeeded in convincing the federal court in Los Angeles to dismiss the entire complaint against the client, with prejudice, at the outset of the matter Recently led the defense of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company in an investigation by the SEC of insider-trading allegations. The matter was concluded with no action by the SEC as to Dave’s client Represented the former chief credit officer of First Bank of Beverly Hills, who was sued in Los Angeles Federal Court by the FDIC for negligence and fraud in connection with his tenure at the bank. The matter was recently settled and dismissed, with no judgment or bar against Dave’s client Recently served as lead counsel in a federal breach of contract and declaratory relief action in the Central District of California in a battle between two telecom heavyweights. After receipt of the motion for summary judgment, the opposing client withdrew half of its allegations, and the matter settled very favorably for the firm’s clients Recently served as lead counsel for the defense of a nationally recognized service company sued in California courts for a class action alleging violations of consumer protection laws Earned a final arbitration award of more than $34 million in a case that involved two large, multinational corporations following a lengthy and hotly contested arbitration. In this high-stakes litigation, the trial team convinced the arbitrator to award 100 percent of the damages, fees, and costs they requested on behalf of their client at the arbitration Defended a manager of a $5-billion fund who was accused of engaging in an illegal kickback scheme in a highly publicized matter stemming from the SEC’s investigation into CALPERs. After a tenacious defense and presentation on behalf of his client, the SEC terminated its investigation and brought no charges Recently represented a senior executive of a multinational corporation faced with intensive scrutiny for conduct occurring in several overseas jurisdictions in a highly publicized investigation by the Department of Justice and others under the FCPA Led the defense of the individual charged with taking clandestine video of Erin Andrews, an international media figure and sports reporter for ESPN, in a case that garnered national media attention","searchable_name":"David K. Willingham","is_active":true,"featured":null,"publish_date":null,"expiration_date":null,"blog_featured":null,"published_by":202,"capability_group_featured":null,"home_page_featured":null},{"id":445476,"version":1,"owner_type":"Person","owner_id":2064,"payload":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eThad Wilson is the lawyer companies call when the stakes are existential.\u0026nbsp; A nationally recognized bankruptcy litigator and restructuring lawyer, Thad represents financial institutions, corporations, boards of directors, and investors in their most complex\u0026nbsp;and sensitive distress matters--including multibillion-dollar restructurings, high-stakes fraudulent transfer and lender-liability\u0026nbsp;litigation, and bet-the-company insolvency disputes.\u0026nbsp; Known for his strategic clarity, steady leadership, and ability to navigate multifront litigation with precision, Thad is a trusted advisor to clients facing their most challenging financial, operational, and governance crises.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the leader of King \u0026amp; Spalding's Bankruptcy Litigation\u0026nbsp;Practice, Thad has been repeatedly recognized as a leading bankruptcy lawyer in \u003cem\u003eChambers USA\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;as a leading bankruptcy lawyer and was named Georgia Bankruptcy Litigation \"Lawyer of the Year\" in both 2023 and 2024 by\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eThe Best Lawyers in America.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;Clients describe him as \"strategic,\" \"exceptionally pragmatic,\" and a lawyer who \"makes complex processes feel manageable.\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThad's practice spans the full spectrum of insolvency litigation and distressed situations: Chapter 11 cases, lender liability litigation, fraudulent transfer actions, Ponzi schemes, fiduciary duty disputes, out-of-court restructurings, distressed real estate, and cross-border insolvency matters.\u0026nbsp; In the past two years, Thad has advised clients on restructurings, litigation, receiverships, and foreclosures on more than 100 matters involving more than $7 billion in distressed real estate.\u0026nbsp; In addition to his extensive real estate expertise, Thad has deep sector experience across healthcare, technology, energy, cryptocurrency, financial services, and TMT.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThad regularly advises boards of directors, special committees, and officers on liability management transactions, fiduciary duty issues, corporate governance during financial distress, and government investigations.\u0026nbsp; He has represented Fortune 100 companies, global financial institutions, private equity sponsors, and multinational corporates in bet-the-company litigation and restructuring events.\u0026nbsp; Given his experience and knowledge, Thad's work and commentary have been featured in the\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eBloomberg News\u003c/em\u003e, and other leading outlets, and he is a frequent lecturer on insolvency-related topics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond his practice, Thad is an active leader in the restructuring community--serving as President of the Atlanta Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association\u0026nbsp;and as a Master of the W. Homer Drake, Jr.\u0026nbsp;Bankruptcy\u0026nbsp;Inn of Court, where he serves as the Social Committee Chair. He is also\u0026nbsp;a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Atlanta Bar Association (Bankruptcy Section), and the State Bar of Georgia (Bankruptcy Section).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeeply engaged in civil leadership, Thad serves on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, where he is the Chair of the\u0026nbsp;Finance \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Audit Committee, and a member of the External Relations Committee. He is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta (Class of 2024) and was named to the \u003cem\u003eAtlanta Business Chronicle\u003c/em\u003e's \"40 Under 40\" list in 2021, along with a U.S. Senator and a former Major League Baseball MVP.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA native of Holland, Michigan, Thad received his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law, \u003cem\u003ewith distinction\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026nbsp; While in law school, Thad served as the Executive Editor of the \u003cem\u003eIowa Law Review\u003c/em\u003e. Thad received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics, \u003cem\u003emagna cum laude\u003c/em\u003e, from Furman University.\u003c/p\u003e","slug":"thaddeus-wilson","email":"thadwilson@kslaw.com","phone":null,"matters":["\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInsolvency-Related \u0026amp; Lender Liability Litigation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting an international bank in connection with alleged fraudulent transfer claims in connection with the Bernard Madoff SIPA proceedings (S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting founder and former Chairman and CEO of medical device company in lender liability litigation he brought against the company\u0026rsquo;s lenders and their appointed directors\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting a major national bank in connection with a receivership and guaranty collection lawsuit related to a loan on a commercial office building in Washington, D.C.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting packaging manufacturer in connection with breach of contract and collection litigation involving damages under Section 2-708 of the Uniform Commercial Code (N.D. Ga. \u0026amp; 11th Cir.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting a secured lender in lender liability litigation brought by indirect investors in a multi-family development in Chicago, Illinois\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting numerous lenders, borrowers, and guarantors in connection with distressed real estate litigation in federal and state courts around the country\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a Fortune 100 Company in defeating alleged fraudulent transfer claims brought to enjoin the spinoff of a multi-billion-dollar-revenue division and prohibit the payment of dividends (N.D. Fla.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Citibank and its affiliates in their successful defense of alleged fraudulent transfer, improper liquidation, and contract claims brought by Chapter 11 trustee in the Thornburg Mortgage bankruptcy case (Bankr. D. Md.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented major international financial institution in connection with litigation brought by foreign representative in the Oro Negro Chapter 15 bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Chinese bankruptcy administrator in first-of-its-kind litigation in the United States against the debtor\u0026rsquo;s former parent company and officers and directors and obtained $15 million jury verdict and judgment (N.D. Ga.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented ORIX USA, L.P. and its affiliates in connection with alleged lender liability claims asserted by four borrowers and owners of multi-family properties (Ga. State-Wide Business Court)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Sculptor Capital in connection with bankruptcy plan-related discovery efforts in connection with the Puerto Rico bankruptcy case\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented guarantors of office tower financing facility in successful defense of claims asserted by mezzanine lender (S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Triangle Capital Corporation in defeating lender liability claims asserted by second-lien lenders in connection with the bankruptcy case of CRS Reprocessing, LLC (S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented SunTrust Bank, as former second lien collateral agent and letter of credit lender, to protect its rights and defeat threatened litigation in the La Paloma Generating Company bankruptcy case (Bankr. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Citibank in defense of the Unsecured Creditors\u0026rsquo; Committee\u0026rsquo;s motion to obtain standing in the Sabine Oil \u0026amp; Gas bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited in its defense and settlement of alleged fraudulent conveyance litigation, with alleged damages exceeding $1 billion, brought by the Chapter 11 debtor in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re The Flintkote Company\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Prestige Communications of NC, Inc. and its affiliates in their successful, complete defense of litigation involving $800 million fraudulent conveyance claim brought by the liquidating trustee in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Adelphia Communications Corp.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a multi-national electronics manufacturer in its defense of multi-million-dollar preference actions brought by the debtors in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Circuit City Stores, Inc.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D. Va.),\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Ultimate Acquisition Partners, LP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.), and\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Tweeter Opco, LLC\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a multi-national electronics manufacturer in its defense of multi-million-dollar preference actions brought by the debtors in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Circuit City Stores, Inc.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D. Va.),\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Ultimate Acquisition Partners, LP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.), and\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Tweeter Opco, LLC\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompany Representations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting a publicly traded company in connection with evaluating strategic alternatives\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting private-equity-owned manufacturer in connection with evaluating strategic alternatives\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting multiple companies\u0026mdash;public and private\u0026mdash;in connection with internal corporate reorganizations\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a publicly traded satellite company in connection with evaluation of strategic alternatives\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a publicly traded construction company in connection with out-of-court restructuring\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Pareteum Corporation--a public company--and eight of its domestic and foreign affiliates in connection with their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and the sale of substantially all of their assets, which sale won the Americas Distressed M\u0026amp;A Deal of the Year for the Middle Market category at the 2022 Global M\u0026amp;A Networks M\u0026amp;A Atlas Awards (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Global Brokerage, Inc. in connection with its prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy case (one of 2017\u0026rsquo;s largest bankruptcies) and a subsequent out-of-court restructuring (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented engineering and architecture firm in connection with its out-of-court workout negotiations\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Stratum Energy, LLC, an exploration and production company, with its out-of-court restructuring\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented large Southeast restaurant chain in connection with its out-of-court workout negotiations\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented one of the first natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities in the Western Hemisphere in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Juniper GTL LLC\u003c/em\u003e, which was named TMA Small Company Transaction of the year for 2016 (Bankr. S.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented alternative biofuel company as Chapter 11 debtor in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re KiOR, Inc.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Atherogenics, Inc. in connection with its bankruptcy case (Bankr. N.D. Ga.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDirector, Officer \u0026amp; Special Board Committee Representations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting the 2025 Special Investigation Committee of Luminar Technologies, Inc. in connection with an investigation of its current and former directors and officers\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting special committee of publicly traded technology company in connection with evaluation of strategic alternatives\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting former directors and officers asserted by a company that filed for bankruptcy following a de-SPAC\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting two former directors, officers, and co-owners of Mountain Express Oil Company in defense of breach of fiduciary duty, RICO, conspiracy, and fraudulent transfer claims asserted by the Mountain Express Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting former General Counsel of Celsius Networks in connection with pending litigation brought by a bankruptcy trustee and securities plaintiffs\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented the independent directors of a publicly traded telecom company in connection with restructuring efforts\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented the independent directors of Fusion Connect, Inc. in connection with a substantial out-of-court restructuring\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented current and former directors and officers of CBL \u0026amp; Associates Properties Inc. in connection with obtaining broad third-party releases in CBL's bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented current and former directors and officers of American Addiction Centers, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented former directors and officers of Quorum Health Corporation (Bankr. D. Del.), Adeptus Health (Bankr. N.D. Tex.), Implant Sciences Corporation (Bankr. D. Del.), iPractice, Inc. (Bankr. M.D. Tenn.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreditor Representations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting national bank in connection with numerous real estate-related loans\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented PNC Bank, N.A. in connection with the bankruptcy cases of Akumin, Inc. and its affiliates (S.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented countless secured creditors and mezzanine lenders in connection with exercising their rights and remedies under billions of dollars of loans in connection with equity pledges, real property mortgages, and liens on personal property\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented margin loan lender in connection with restructuring of a $100+ million loan where lender was repaid in full\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Deutsche Bank in connection with its role as collateral agent for in excess of $4 billion in priority guaranty notes in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re iHeartMedia\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. S.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented major credit card processor in numerous Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases throughout the United States\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Carter\u0026rsquo;s, Inc., the largest non-toy supplier in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Toys R\u0026rsquo; Us\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D. Va.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented The Coca-Cola Company in connection with the Perkins \u0026amp; Marie Callender\u0026rsquo;s bankruptcy case (Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and its affiliates to protect their interests in dozens of bankruptcy cases, including\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re ERG Intermediate Holdings, LLC\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. N.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Goldman Sachs Realty Management lender in Chapter 11 single-asset real-estate bankruptcy case involving $40 million in notes secured by office park development in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Lichtin/Wade, LLC\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D.N.C.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented landlords and tenants in numerous bankruptcy cases and out-of-court distressed lease and guaranty renegotiations\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistressed Acquisitions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented numerous real estate investors in their purchase and sale of distress real estate properties and distressed debt\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented entertainment producer in connection with its acquisition of\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eThe Walking Dead\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;video game franchise and related assets out of an assignment for the benefit of creditors\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Jack Cooper Holdings Corp. in its $135 million acquisition through 363 sales process of Allied Systems Holdings, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.) \u0026ndash; Large Company Turnaround of the Year in 2013-2014 for the Southeast Region of the Turnaround Management Association\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Arris Real Estate Partners in connection with its acquisition of student housing complex in San Antonio, Texas (Bankr. W.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented the debtor in a multi-million-dollar 363 sale of assets in the Chapter 11 case of\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Propex, Inc.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D. Tenn.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Southeastern Grocers, Inc. in acquisitions and sales of more than 60 grocery stores\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompliance \u0026amp; Government Investigations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented DeFi cryptocurrency firm in connection with its assessment of default-related issues\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented top 5 largest single-family homeowner in connection with its efforts to revamp its internal compliance program, including bankruptcy-related compliance matters\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a major mortgage originator and servicers in defense of foreclosure-related litigation, bankruptcy-related government investigations, and revamping related internal compliance programs\u003c/p\u003e"],"taggings":{"tags":[],"meta_tags":[{"id":3609}]},"expertise":[{"id":75,"guid":"75.capabilities","index":0,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":19,"guid":"19.capabilities","index":1,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":10,"guid":"10.capabilities","index":2,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":107,"guid":"107.capabilities","index":3,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":33,"guid":"33.capabilities","index":4,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":36,"guid":"36.capabilities","index":5,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":73,"guid":"73.capabilities","index":6,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":29,"guid":"29.capabilities","index":7,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":114,"guid":"114.capabilities","index":8,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":1165,"guid":"1165.smart_tags","index":9,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":1261,"guid":"1261.smart_tags","index":10,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":38,"guid":"38.capabilities","index":11,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":1715,"guid":"1715.smart_tags","index":12,"source":"smartTags"}],"is_active":true,"last_name":"Wilson","nick_name":"Thad","clerkships":[],"first_name":"Thaddeus","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":202,"law_schools":[],"middle_name":"D.","name_suffix":"","recognitions":[{"title":"Recognized for Bankruptcy Litigation","detail":"Best Lawyers 2022"},{"title":"Named to 40 Under 40 List","detail":"ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE, 2021"},{"title":"Leading Bankruptcy Lawyer","detail":"Chambers USA, 2021"}],"linked_in_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/thad-wilson-a3930363/","seodescription":"Thaddeus D. Wilson is a lawyer of our Business Litigation Practice Group. Read more about him,","primary_title_id":15,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eThad Wilson is the lawyer companies call when the stakes are existential.\u0026nbsp; A nationally recognized bankruptcy litigator and restructuring lawyer, Thad represents financial institutions, corporations, boards of directors, and investors in their most complex\u0026nbsp;and sensitive distress matters--including multibillion-dollar restructurings, high-stakes fraudulent transfer and lender-liability\u0026nbsp;litigation, and bet-the-company insolvency disputes.\u0026nbsp; Known for his strategic clarity, steady leadership, and ability to navigate multifront litigation with precision, Thad is a trusted advisor to clients facing their most challenging financial, operational, and governance crises.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the leader of King \u0026amp; Spalding's Bankruptcy Litigation\u0026nbsp;Practice, Thad has been repeatedly recognized as a leading bankruptcy lawyer in \u003cem\u003eChambers USA\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;as a leading bankruptcy lawyer and was named Georgia Bankruptcy Litigation \"Lawyer of the Year\" in both 2023 and 2024 by\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eThe Best Lawyers in America.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;Clients describe him as \"strategic,\" \"exceptionally pragmatic,\" and a lawyer who \"makes complex processes feel manageable.\"\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThad's practice spans the full spectrum of insolvency litigation and distressed situations: Chapter 11 cases, lender liability litigation, fraudulent transfer actions, Ponzi schemes, fiduciary duty disputes, out-of-court restructurings, distressed real estate, and cross-border insolvency matters.\u0026nbsp; In the past two years, Thad has advised clients on restructurings, litigation, receiverships, and foreclosures on more than 100 matters involving more than $7 billion in distressed real estate.\u0026nbsp; In addition to his extensive real estate expertise, Thad has deep sector experience across healthcare, technology, energy, cryptocurrency, financial services, and TMT.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThad regularly advises boards of directors, special committees, and officers on liability management transactions, fiduciary duty issues, corporate governance during financial distress, and government investigations.\u0026nbsp; He has represented Fortune 100 companies, global financial institutions, private equity sponsors, and multinational corporates in bet-the-company litigation and restructuring events.\u0026nbsp; Given his experience and knowledge, Thad's work and commentary have been featured in the\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c/em\u003e,\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eBloomberg News\u003c/em\u003e, and other leading outlets, and he is a frequent lecturer on insolvency-related topics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond his practice, Thad is an active leader in the restructuring community--serving as President of the Atlanta Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association\u0026nbsp;and as a Master of the W. Homer Drake, Jr.\u0026nbsp;Bankruptcy\u0026nbsp;Inn of Court, where he serves as the Social Committee Chair. He is also\u0026nbsp;a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Atlanta Bar Association (Bankruptcy Section), and the State Bar of Georgia (Bankruptcy Section).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeeply engaged in civil leadership, Thad serves on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, where he is the Chair of the\u0026nbsp;Finance \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Audit Committee, and a member of the External Relations Committee. He is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta (Class of 2024) and was named to the \u003cem\u003eAtlanta Business Chronicle\u003c/em\u003e's \"40 Under 40\" list in 2021, along with a U.S. Senator and a former Major League Baseball MVP.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA native of Holland, Michigan, Thad received his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law, \u003cem\u003ewith distinction\u003c/em\u003e.\u0026nbsp; While in law school, Thad served as the Executive Editor of the \u003cem\u003eIowa Law Review\u003c/em\u003e. Thad received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics, \u003cem\u003emagna cum laude\u003c/em\u003e, from Furman University.\u003c/p\u003e","matters":["\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInsolvency-Related \u0026amp; Lender Liability Litigation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting an international bank in connection with alleged fraudulent transfer claims in connection with the Bernard Madoff SIPA proceedings (S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting founder and former Chairman and CEO of medical device company in lender liability litigation he brought against the company\u0026rsquo;s lenders and their appointed directors\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting a major national bank in connection with a receivership and guaranty collection lawsuit related to a loan on a commercial office building in Washington, D.C.\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting packaging manufacturer in connection with breach of contract and collection litigation involving damages under Section 2-708 of the Uniform Commercial Code (N.D. Ga. \u0026amp; 11th Cir.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting a secured lender in lender liability litigation brought by indirect investors in a multi-family development in Chicago, Illinois\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting numerous lenders, borrowers, and guarantors in connection with distressed real estate litigation in federal and state courts around the country\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a Fortune 100 Company in defeating alleged fraudulent transfer claims brought to enjoin the spinoff of a multi-billion-dollar-revenue division and prohibit the payment of dividends (N.D. Fla.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Citibank and its affiliates in their successful defense of alleged fraudulent transfer, improper liquidation, and contract claims brought by Chapter 11 trustee in the Thornburg Mortgage bankruptcy case (Bankr. D. Md.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented major international financial institution in connection with litigation brought by foreign representative in the Oro Negro Chapter 15 bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Chinese bankruptcy administrator in first-of-its-kind litigation in the United States against the debtor\u0026rsquo;s former parent company and officers and directors and obtained $15 million jury verdict and judgment (N.D. Ga.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented ORIX USA, L.P. and its affiliates in connection with alleged lender liability claims asserted by four borrowers and owners of multi-family properties (Ga. State-Wide Business Court)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Sculptor Capital in connection with bankruptcy plan-related discovery efforts in connection with the Puerto Rico bankruptcy case\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented guarantors of office tower financing facility in successful defense of claims asserted by mezzanine lender (S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Triangle Capital Corporation in defeating lender liability claims asserted by second-lien lenders in connection with the bankruptcy case of CRS Reprocessing, LLC (S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented SunTrust Bank, as former second lien collateral agent and letter of credit lender, to protect its rights and defeat threatened litigation in the La Paloma Generating Company bankruptcy case (Bankr. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Citibank in defense of the Unsecured Creditors\u0026rsquo; Committee\u0026rsquo;s motion to obtain standing in the Sabine Oil \u0026amp; Gas bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited in its defense and settlement of alleged fraudulent conveyance litigation, with alleged damages exceeding $1 billion, brought by the Chapter 11 debtor in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re The Flintkote Company\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Prestige Communications of NC, Inc. and its affiliates in their successful, complete defense of litigation involving $800 million fraudulent conveyance claim brought by the liquidating trustee in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Adelphia Communications Corp.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a multi-national electronics manufacturer in its defense of multi-million-dollar preference actions brought by the debtors in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Circuit City Stores, Inc.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D. Va.),\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Ultimate Acquisition Partners, LP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.), and\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Tweeter Opco, LLC\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a multi-national electronics manufacturer in its defense of multi-million-dollar preference actions brought by the debtors in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Circuit City Stores, Inc.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D. Va.),\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Ultimate Acquisition Partners, LP\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.), and\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Tweeter Opco, LLC\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompany Representations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting a publicly traded company in connection with evaluating strategic alternatives\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting private-equity-owned manufacturer in connection with evaluating strategic alternatives\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting multiple companies\u0026mdash;public and private\u0026mdash;in connection with internal corporate reorganizations\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a publicly traded satellite company in connection with evaluation of strategic alternatives\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a publicly traded construction company in connection with out-of-court restructuring\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Pareteum Corporation--a public company--and eight of its domestic and foreign affiliates in connection with their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and the sale of substantially all of their assets, which sale won the Americas Distressed M\u0026amp;A Deal of the Year for the Middle Market category at the 2022 Global M\u0026amp;A Networks M\u0026amp;A Atlas Awards (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Global Brokerage, Inc. in connection with its prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy case (one of 2017\u0026rsquo;s largest bankruptcies) and a subsequent out-of-court restructuring (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented engineering and architecture firm in connection with its out-of-court workout negotiations\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Stratum Energy, LLC, an exploration and production company, with its out-of-court restructuring\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented large Southeast restaurant chain in connection with its out-of-court workout negotiations\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented one of the first natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities in the Western Hemisphere in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Juniper GTL LLC\u003c/em\u003e, which was named TMA Small Company Transaction of the year for 2016 (Bankr. S.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented alternative biofuel company as Chapter 11 debtor in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re KiOR, Inc.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Atherogenics, Inc. in connection with its bankruptcy case (Bankr. N.D. Ga.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDirector, Officer \u0026amp; Special Board Committee Representations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting the 2025 Special Investigation Committee of Luminar Technologies, Inc. in connection with an investigation of its current and former directors and officers\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting special committee of publicly traded technology company in connection with evaluation of strategic alternatives\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting former directors and officers asserted by a company that filed for bankruptcy following a de-SPAC\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting two former directors, officers, and co-owners of Mountain Express Oil Company in defense of breach of fiduciary duty, RICO, conspiracy, and fraudulent transfer claims asserted by the Mountain Express Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting former General Counsel of Celsius Networks in connection with pending litigation brought by a bankruptcy trustee and securities plaintiffs\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented the independent directors of a publicly traded telecom company in connection with restructuring efforts\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented the independent directors of Fusion Connect, Inc. in connection with a substantial out-of-court restructuring\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented current and former directors and officers of CBL \u0026amp; Associates Properties Inc. in connection with obtaining broad third-party releases in CBL's bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented current and former directors and officers of American Addiction Centers, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented former directors and officers of Quorum Health Corporation (Bankr. D. Del.), Adeptus Health (Bankr. N.D. Tex.), Implant Sciences Corporation (Bankr. D. Del.), iPractice, Inc. (Bankr. M.D. Tenn.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCreditor Representations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresenting national bank in connection with numerous real estate-related loans\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented PNC Bank, N.A. in connection with the bankruptcy cases of Akumin, Inc. and its affiliates (S.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented countless secured creditors and mezzanine lenders in connection with exercising their rights and remedies under billions of dollars of loans in connection with equity pledges, real property mortgages, and liens on personal property\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented margin loan lender in connection with restructuring of a $100+ million loan where lender was repaid in full\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Deutsche Bank in connection with its role as collateral agent for in excess of $4 billion in priority guaranty notes in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re iHeartMedia\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. S.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented major credit card processor in numerous Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases throughout the United States\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Carter\u0026rsquo;s, Inc., the largest non-toy supplier in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Toys R\u0026rsquo; Us\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D. Va.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented The Coca-Cola Company in connection with the Perkins \u0026amp; Marie Callender\u0026rsquo;s bankruptcy case (Bankr. D. Del.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and its affiliates to protect their interests in dozens of bankruptcy cases, including\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re ERG Intermediate Holdings, LLC\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. N.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Goldman Sachs Realty Management lender in Chapter 11 single-asset real-estate bankruptcy case involving $40 million in notes secured by office park development in\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Lichtin/Wade, LLC\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D.N.C.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented landlords and tenants in numerous bankruptcy cases and out-of-court distressed lease and guaranty renegotiations\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistressed Acquisitions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented numerous real estate investors in their purchase and sale of distress real estate properties and distressed debt\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented entertainment producer in connection with its acquisition of\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eThe Walking Dead\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;video game franchise and related assets out of an assignment for the benefit of creditors\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Jack Cooper Holdings Corp. in its $135 million acquisition through 363 sales process of Allied Systems Holdings, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.) \u0026ndash; Large Company Turnaround of the Year in 2013-2014 for the Southeast Region of the Turnaround Management Association\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Arris Real Estate Partners in connection with its acquisition of student housing complex in San Antonio, Texas (Bankr. W.D. Tex.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented the debtor in a multi-million-dollar 363 sale of assets in the Chapter 11 case of\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eIn re Propex, Inc.\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;(Bankr. E.D. Tenn.)\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Southeastern Grocers, Inc. in acquisitions and sales of more than 60 grocery stores\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompliance \u0026amp; Government Investigations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented DeFi cryptocurrency firm in connection with its assessment of default-related issues\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented top 5 largest single-family homeowner in connection with its efforts to revamp its internal compliance program, including bankruptcy-related compliance matters\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a major mortgage originator and servicers in defense of foreclosure-related litigation, bankruptcy-related government investigations, and revamping related internal compliance programs\u003c/p\u003e"],"recognitions":[{"title":"Recognized for Bankruptcy Litigation","detail":"Best Lawyers 2022"},{"title":"Named to 40 Under 40 List","detail":"ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE, 2021"},{"title":"Leading Bankruptcy Lawyer","detail":"Chambers USA, 2021"}]},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":4317},{"id":4317},{"id":4317},{"id":4317},{"id":4317}]},"capability_group_id":1},"created_at":"2026-02-02T18:10:29.000Z","updated_at":"2026-02-02T18:10:29.000Z","searchable_text":"Wilson{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Recognized for Bankruptcy Litigation\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Best Lawyers 2022\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Named to 40 Under 40 List\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE, 2021\"}{{ FIELD }}{:title=\u0026gt;\"Leading Bankruptcy Lawyer\", :detail=\u0026gt;\"Chambers USA, 2021\"}{{ FIELD }}Insolvency-Related \u0026amp; Lender Liability Litigation{{ FIELD }}Representing an international bank in connection with alleged fraudulent transfer claims in connection with the Bernard Madoff SIPA proceedings (S.D.N.Y.){{ FIELD }}Representing founder and former Chairman and CEO of medical device company in lender liability litigation he brought against the company’s lenders and their appointed directors{{ FIELD }}Representing a major national bank in connection with a receivership and guaranty collection lawsuit related to a loan on a commercial office building in Washington, D.C.{{ FIELD }}Representing packaging manufacturer in connection with breach of contract and collection litigation involving damages under Section 2-708 of the Uniform Commercial Code (N.D. Ga. \u0026amp; 11th Cir.){{ FIELD }}Representing a secured lender in lender liability litigation brought by indirect investors in a multi-family development in Chicago, Illinois{{ FIELD }}Representing numerous lenders, borrowers, and guarantors in connection with distressed real estate litigation in federal and state courts around the country{{ FIELD }}Represented a Fortune 100 Company in defeating alleged fraudulent transfer claims brought to enjoin the spinoff of a multi-billion-dollar-revenue division and prohibit the payment of dividends (N.D. Fla.){{ FIELD }}Represented Citibank and its affiliates in their successful defense of alleged fraudulent transfer, improper liquidation, and contract claims brought by Chapter 11 trustee in the Thornburg Mortgage bankruptcy case (Bankr. D. Md.){{ FIELD }}Represented major international financial institution in connection with litigation brought by foreign representative in the Oro Negro Chapter 15 bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.){{ FIELD }}Represented Chinese bankruptcy administrator in first-of-its-kind litigation in the United States against the debtor’s former parent company and officers and directors and obtained $15 million jury verdict and judgment (N.D. Ga.){{ FIELD }}Represented ORIX USA, L.P. and its affiliates in connection with alleged lender liability claims asserted by four borrowers and owners of multi-family properties (Ga. State-Wide Business Court){{ FIELD }}Represented Sculptor Capital in connection with bankruptcy plan-related discovery efforts in connection with the Puerto Rico bankruptcy case{{ FIELD }}Represented guarantors of office tower financing facility in successful defense of claims asserted by mezzanine lender (S.D.N.Y.){{ FIELD }}Represented Triangle Capital Corporation in defeating lender liability claims asserted by second-lien lenders in connection with the bankruptcy case of CRS Reprocessing, LLC (S.D.N.Y.){{ FIELD }}Represented SunTrust Bank, as former second lien collateral agent and letter of credit lender, to protect its rights and defeat threatened litigation in the La Paloma Generating Company bankruptcy case (Bankr. Del.){{ FIELD }}Represented Citibank in defense of the Unsecured Creditors’ Committee’s motion to obtain standing in the Sabine Oil \u0026amp; Gas bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.){{ FIELD }}Represented Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited in its defense and settlement of alleged fraudulent conveyance litigation, with alleged damages exceeding $1 billion, brought by the Chapter 11 debtor in In re The Flintkote Company (Bankr. Del.){{ FIELD }}Represented Prestige Communications of NC, Inc. and its affiliates in their successful, complete defense of litigation involving $800 million fraudulent conveyance claim brought by the liquidating trustee in In re Adelphia Communications Corp. (S.D.N.Y.){{ FIELD }}Represented a multi-national electronics manufacturer in its defense of multi-million-dollar preference actions brought by the debtors in In re Circuit City Stores, Inc. (Bankr. E.D. Va.), In re Ultimate Acquisition Partners, LP (Bankr. D. Del.), and In re Tweeter Opco, LLC (Bankr. D. Del.){{ FIELD }}Represented a multi-national electronics manufacturer in its defense of multi-million-dollar preference actions brought by the debtors in In re Circuit City Stores, Inc. (Bankr. E.D. Va.), In re Ultimate Acquisition Partners, LP (Bankr. D. Del.), and In re Tweeter Opco, LLC (Bankr. D. Del.){{ FIELD }}Company Representations{{ FIELD }}Representing a publicly traded company in connection with evaluating strategic alternatives{{ FIELD }}Representing private-equity-owned manufacturer in connection with evaluating strategic alternatives{{ FIELD }}Representing multiple companies—public and private—in connection with internal corporate reorganizations{{ FIELD }}Represented a publicly traded satellite company in connection with evaluation of strategic alternatives{{ FIELD }}Represented a publicly traded construction company in connection with out-of-court restructuring{{ FIELD }}Represented Pareteum Corporation--a public company--and eight of its domestic and foreign affiliates in connection with their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and the sale of substantially all of their assets, which sale won the Americas Distressed M\u0026amp;A Deal of the Year for the Middle Market category at the 2022 Global M\u0026amp;A Networks M\u0026amp;A Atlas Awards (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.){{ FIELD }}Represented Global Brokerage, Inc. in connection with its prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy case (one of 2017’s largest bankruptcies) and a subsequent out-of-court restructuring (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.){{ FIELD }}Represented engineering and architecture firm in connection with its out-of-court workout negotiations{{ FIELD }}Represented Stratum Energy, LLC, an exploration and production company, with its out-of-court restructuring{{ FIELD }}Represented large Southeast restaurant chain in connection with its out-of-court workout negotiations{{ FIELD }}Represented one of the first natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities in the Western Hemisphere in In re Juniper GTL LLC, which was named TMA Small Company Transaction of the year for 2016 (Bankr. S.D. Tex.){{ FIELD }}Represented alternative biofuel company as Chapter 11 debtor in In re KiOR, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.){{ FIELD }}Represented Atherogenics, Inc. in connection with its bankruptcy case (Bankr. N.D. Ga.){{ FIELD }}Director, Officer \u0026amp; Special Board Committee Representations{{ FIELD }}Representing the 2025 Special Investigation Committee of Luminar Technologies, Inc. in connection with an investigation of its current and former directors and officers{{ FIELD }}Representing special committee of publicly traded technology company in connection with evaluation of strategic alternatives{{ FIELD }}Representing former directors and officers asserted by a company that filed for bankruptcy following a de-SPAC{{ FIELD }}Representing two former directors, officers, and co-owners of Mountain Express Oil Company in defense of breach of fiduciary duty, RICO, conspiracy, and fraudulent transfer claims asserted by the Mountain Express Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee{{ FIELD }}Representing former General Counsel of Celsius Networks in connection with pending litigation brought by a bankruptcy trustee and securities plaintiffs{{ FIELD }}Represented the independent directors of a publicly traded telecom company in connection with restructuring efforts{{ FIELD }}Represented the independent directors of Fusion Connect, Inc. in connection with a substantial out-of-court restructuring{{ FIELD }}Represented current and former directors and officers of CBL \u0026amp; Associates Properties Inc. in connection with obtaining broad third-party releases in CBL's bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D. Tex.){{ FIELD }}Represented current and former directors and officers of American Addiction Centers, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.){{ FIELD }}Represented former directors and officers of Quorum Health Corporation (Bankr. D. Del.), Adeptus Health (Bankr. N.D. Tex.), Implant Sciences Corporation (Bankr. D. Del.), iPractice, Inc. (Bankr. M.D. Tenn.){{ FIELD }}Creditor Representations{{ FIELD }}Representing national bank in connection with numerous real estate-related loans{{ FIELD }}Represented PNC Bank, N.A. in connection with the bankruptcy cases of Akumin, Inc. and its affiliates (S.D. Tex.){{ FIELD }}Represented countless secured creditors and mezzanine lenders in connection with exercising their rights and remedies under billions of dollars of loans in connection with equity pledges, real property mortgages, and liens on personal property{{ FIELD }}Represented margin loan lender in connection with restructuring of a $100+ million loan where lender was repaid in full{{ FIELD }}Represented Deutsche Bank in connection with its role as collateral agent for in excess of $4 billion in priority guaranty notes in In re iHeartMedia (Bankr. S.D. Tex.){{ FIELD }}Represented major credit card processor in numerous Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases throughout the United States{{ FIELD }}Represented Carter’s, Inc., the largest non-toy supplier in In re Toys R’ Us (Bankr. E.D. Va.){{ FIELD }}Represented The Coca-Cola Company in connection with the Perkins \u0026amp; Marie Callender’s bankruptcy case (Bankr. D. Del.){{ FIELD }}Represented Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and its affiliates to protect their interests in dozens of bankruptcy cases, including In re ERG Intermediate Holdings, LLC (Bankr. N.D. Tex.){{ FIELD }}Represented Goldman Sachs Realty Management lender in Chapter 11 single-asset real-estate bankruptcy case involving $40 million in notes secured by office park development in In re Lichtin/Wade, LLC (Bankr. E.D.N.C.){{ FIELD }}Represented landlords and tenants in numerous bankruptcy cases and out-of-court distressed lease and guaranty renegotiations{{ FIELD }}Distressed Acquisitions{{ FIELD }}Represented numerous real estate investors in their purchase and sale of distress real estate properties and distressed debt{{ FIELD }}Represented entertainment producer in connection with its acquisition of The Walking Dead video game franchise and related assets out of an assignment for the benefit of creditors{{ FIELD }}Represented Jack Cooper Holdings Corp. in its $135 million acquisition through 363 sales process of Allied Systems Holdings, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.) – Large Company Turnaround of the Year in 2013-2014 for the Southeast Region of the Turnaround Management Association{{ FIELD }}Represented Arris Real Estate Partners in connection with its acquisition of student housing complex in San Antonio, Texas (Bankr. W.D. Tex.){{ FIELD }}Represented the debtor in a multi-million-dollar 363 sale of assets in the Chapter 11 case of In re Propex, Inc. (Bankr. E.D. Tenn.){{ FIELD }}Represented Southeastern Grocers, Inc. in acquisitions and sales of more than 60 grocery stores{{ FIELD }}Compliance \u0026amp; Government Investigations{{ FIELD }}Represented DeFi cryptocurrency firm in connection with its assessment of default-related issues{{ FIELD }}Represented top 5 largest single-family homeowner in connection with its efforts to revamp its internal compliance program, including bankruptcy-related compliance matters{{ FIELD }}Represented a major mortgage originator and servicers in defense of foreclosure-related litigation, bankruptcy-related government investigations, and revamping related internal compliance programs{{ FIELD }}Thad Wilson is the lawyer companies call when the stakes are existential.  A nationally recognized bankruptcy litigator and restructuring lawyer, Thad represents financial institutions, corporations, boards of directors, and investors in their most complex and sensitive distress matters--including multibillion-dollar restructurings, high-stakes fraudulent transfer and lender-liability litigation, and bet-the-company insolvency disputes.  Known for his strategic clarity, steady leadership, and ability to navigate multifront litigation with precision, Thad is a trusted advisor to clients facing their most challenging financial, operational, and governance crises.\nAs the leader of King \u0026amp; Spalding's Bankruptcy Litigation Practice, Thad has been repeatedly recognized as a leading bankruptcy lawyer in Chambers USA as a leading bankruptcy lawyer and was named Georgia Bankruptcy Litigation \"Lawyer of the Year\" in both 2023 and 2024 by The Best Lawyers in America. Clients describe him as \"strategic,\" \"exceptionally pragmatic,\" and a lawyer who \"makes complex processes feel manageable.\"\nThad's practice spans the full spectrum of insolvency litigation and distressed situations: Chapter 11 cases, lender liability litigation, fraudulent transfer actions, Ponzi schemes, fiduciary duty disputes, out-of-court restructurings, distressed real estate, and cross-border insolvency matters.  In the past two years, Thad has advised clients on restructurings, litigation, receiverships, and foreclosures on more than 100 matters involving more than $7 billion in distressed real estate.  In addition to his extensive real estate expertise, Thad has deep sector experience across healthcare, technology, energy, cryptocurrency, financial services, and TMT.\nThad regularly advises boards of directors, special committees, and officers on liability management transactions, fiduciary duty issues, corporate governance during financial distress, and government investigations.  He has represented Fortune 100 companies, global financial institutions, private equity sponsors, and multinational corporates in bet-the-company litigation and restructuring events.  Given his experience and knowledge, Thad's work and commentary have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Bloomberg News, and other leading outlets, and he is a frequent lecturer on insolvency-related topics.\nBeyond his practice, Thad is an active leader in the restructuring community--serving as President of the Atlanta Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association and as a Master of the W. Homer Drake, Jr. Bankruptcy Inn of Court, where he serves as the Social Committee Chair. He is also a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Atlanta Bar Association (Bankruptcy Section), and the State Bar of Georgia (Bankruptcy Section).\nDeeply engaged in civil leadership, Thad serves on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, where he is the Chair of the Finance \u0026amp; Audit Committee, and a member of the External Relations Committee. He is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta (Class of 2024) and was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle's \"40 Under 40\" list in 2021, along with a U.S. Senator and a former Major League Baseball MVP.\nA native of Holland, Michigan, Thad received his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law, with distinction.  While in law school, Thad served as the Executive Editor of the Iowa Law Review. Thad received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics, magna cum laude, from Furman University. Thaddeus Wilson lawyer Partner Recognized for Bankruptcy Litigation Best Lawyers 2022 Named to 40 Under 40 List ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE, 2021 Leading Bankruptcy Lawyer Chambers USA, 2021 Furman University  University of Iowa The University of Iowa College of Law U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Georgia Supreme Court of Georgia U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia American Bar Association American Bankruptcy Institute Atlanta Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section State Bar of Georgia, Bankruptcy Section Turnaround Management Association, Atlanta Chapter President Structured Finance Network W. Homer Drake, Jr. Georgia Bankruptcy American Inn of Court Insolvency-Related \u0026amp; Lender Liability Litigation Representing an international bank in connection with alleged fraudulent transfer claims in connection with the Bernard Madoff SIPA proceedings (S.D.N.Y.) Representing founder and former Chairman and CEO of medical device company in lender liability litigation he brought against the company’s lenders and their appointed directors Representing a major national bank in connection with a receivership and guaranty collection lawsuit related to a loan on a commercial office building in Washington, D.C. Representing packaging manufacturer in connection with breach of contract and collection litigation involving damages under Section 2-708 of the Uniform Commercial Code (N.D. Ga. \u0026amp; 11th Cir.) Representing a secured lender in lender liability litigation brought by indirect investors in a multi-family development in Chicago, Illinois Representing numerous lenders, borrowers, and guarantors in connection with distressed real estate litigation in federal and state courts around the country Represented a Fortune 100 Company in defeating alleged fraudulent transfer claims brought to enjoin the spinoff of a multi-billion-dollar-revenue division and prohibit the payment of dividends (N.D. Fla.) Represented Citibank and its affiliates in their successful defense of alleged fraudulent transfer, improper liquidation, and contract claims brought by Chapter 11 trustee in the Thornburg Mortgage bankruptcy case (Bankr. D. Md.) Represented major international financial institution in connection with litigation brought by foreign representative in the Oro Negro Chapter 15 bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.) Represented Chinese bankruptcy administrator in first-of-its-kind litigation in the United States against the debtor’s former parent company and officers and directors and obtained $15 million jury verdict and judgment (N.D. Ga.) Represented ORIX USA, L.P. and its affiliates in connection with alleged lender liability claims asserted by four borrowers and owners of multi-family properties (Ga. State-Wide Business Court) Represented Sculptor Capital in connection with bankruptcy plan-related discovery efforts in connection with the Puerto Rico bankruptcy case Represented guarantors of office tower financing facility in successful defense of claims asserted by mezzanine lender (S.D.N.Y.) Represented Triangle Capital Corporation in defeating lender liability claims asserted by second-lien lenders in connection with the bankruptcy case of CRS Reprocessing, LLC (S.D.N.Y.) Represented SunTrust Bank, as former second lien collateral agent and letter of credit lender, to protect its rights and defeat threatened litigation in the La Paloma Generating Company bankruptcy case (Bankr. Del.) Represented Citibank in defense of the Unsecured Creditors’ Committee’s motion to obtain standing in the Sabine Oil \u0026amp; Gas bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.) Represented Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited in its defense and settlement of alleged fraudulent conveyance litigation, with alleged damages exceeding $1 billion, brought by the Chapter 11 debtor in In re The Flintkote Company (Bankr. Del.) Represented Prestige Communications of NC, Inc. and its affiliates in their successful, complete defense of litigation involving $800 million fraudulent conveyance claim brought by the liquidating trustee in In re Adelphia Communications Corp. (S.D.N.Y.) Represented a multi-national electronics manufacturer in its defense of multi-million-dollar preference actions brought by the debtors in In re Circuit City Stores, Inc. (Bankr. E.D. Va.), In re Ultimate Acquisition Partners, LP (Bankr. D. Del.), and In re Tweeter Opco, LLC (Bankr. D. Del.) Represented a multi-national electronics manufacturer in its defense of multi-million-dollar preference actions brought by the debtors in In re Circuit City Stores, Inc. (Bankr. E.D. Va.), In re Ultimate Acquisition Partners, LP (Bankr. D. Del.), and In re Tweeter Opco, LLC (Bankr. D. Del.) Company Representations Representing a publicly traded company in connection with evaluating strategic alternatives Representing private-equity-owned manufacturer in connection with evaluating strategic alternatives Representing multiple companies—public and private—in connection with internal corporate reorganizations Represented a publicly traded satellite company in connection with evaluation of strategic alternatives Represented a publicly traded construction company in connection with out-of-court restructuring Represented Pareteum Corporation--a public company--and eight of its domestic and foreign affiliates in connection with their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and the sale of substantially all of their assets, which sale won the Americas Distressed M\u0026amp;A Deal of the Year for the Middle Market category at the 2022 Global M\u0026amp;A Networks M\u0026amp;A Atlas Awards (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.) Represented Global Brokerage, Inc. in connection with its prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy case (one of 2017’s largest bankruptcies) and a subsequent out-of-court restructuring (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.) Represented engineering and architecture firm in connection with its out-of-court workout negotiations Represented Stratum Energy, LLC, an exploration and production company, with its out-of-court restructuring Represented large Southeast restaurant chain in connection with its out-of-court workout negotiations Represented one of the first natural gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities in the Western Hemisphere in In re Juniper GTL LLC, which was named TMA Small Company Transaction of the year for 2016 (Bankr. S.D. Tex.) Represented alternative biofuel company as Chapter 11 debtor in In re KiOR, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.) Represented Atherogenics, Inc. in connection with its bankruptcy case (Bankr. N.D. Ga.) Director, Officer \u0026amp; Special Board Committee Representations Representing the 2025 Special Investigation Committee of Luminar Technologies, Inc. in connection with an investigation of its current and former directors and officers Representing special committee of publicly traded technology company in connection with evaluation of strategic alternatives Representing former directors and officers asserted by a company that filed for bankruptcy following a de-SPAC Representing two former directors, officers, and co-owners of Mountain Express Oil Company in defense of breach of fiduciary duty, RICO, conspiracy, and fraudulent transfer claims asserted by the Mountain Express Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee Representing former General Counsel of Celsius Networks in connection with pending litigation brought by a bankruptcy trustee and securities plaintiffs Represented the independent directors of a publicly traded telecom company in connection with restructuring efforts Represented the independent directors of Fusion Connect, Inc. in connection with a substantial out-of-court restructuring Represented current and former directors and officers of CBL \u0026amp; Associates Properties Inc. in connection with obtaining broad third-party releases in CBL's bankruptcy case (Bankr. S.D. Tex.) Represented current and former directors and officers of American Addiction Centers, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.) Represented former directors and officers of Quorum Health Corporation (Bankr. D. Del.), Adeptus Health (Bankr. N.D. Tex.), Implant Sciences Corporation (Bankr. D. Del.), iPractice, Inc. (Bankr. M.D. Tenn.) Creditor Representations Representing national bank in connection with numerous real estate-related loans Represented PNC Bank, N.A. in connection with the bankruptcy cases of Akumin, Inc. and its affiliates (S.D. Tex.) Represented countless secured creditors and mezzanine lenders in connection with exercising their rights and remedies under billions of dollars of loans in connection with equity pledges, real property mortgages, and liens on personal property Represented margin loan lender in connection with restructuring of a $100+ million loan where lender was repaid in full Represented Deutsche Bank in connection with its role as collateral agent for in excess of $4 billion in priority guaranty notes in In re iHeartMedia (Bankr. S.D. Tex.) Represented major credit card processor in numerous Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases throughout the United States Represented Carter’s, Inc., the largest non-toy supplier in In re Toys R’ Us (Bankr. E.D. Va.) Represented The Coca-Cola Company in connection with the Perkins \u0026amp; Marie Callender’s bankruptcy case (Bankr. D. Del.) Represented Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and its affiliates to protect their interests in dozens of bankruptcy cases, including In re ERG Intermediate Holdings, LLC (Bankr. N.D. Tex.) Represented Goldman Sachs Realty Management lender in Chapter 11 single-asset real-estate bankruptcy case involving $40 million in notes secured by office park development in In re Lichtin/Wade, LLC (Bankr. E.D.N.C.) Represented landlords and tenants in numerous bankruptcy cases and out-of-court distressed lease and guaranty renegotiations Distressed Acquisitions Represented numerous real estate investors in their purchase and sale of distress real estate properties and distressed debt Represented entertainment producer in connection with its acquisition of The Walking Dead video game franchise and related assets out of an assignment for the benefit of creditors Represented Jack Cooper Holdings Corp. in its $135 million acquisition through 363 sales process of Allied Systems Holdings, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del.) – Large Company Turnaround of the Year in 2013-2014 for the Southeast Region of the Turnaround Management Association Represented Arris Real Estate Partners in connection with its acquisition of student housing complex in San Antonio, Texas (Bankr. W.D. Tex.) Represented the debtor in a multi-million-dollar 363 sale of assets in the Chapter 11 case of In re Propex, Inc. (Bankr. E.D. Tenn.) Represented Southeastern Grocers, Inc. in acquisitions and sales of more than 60 grocery stores Compliance \u0026amp; Government Investigations Represented DeFi cryptocurrency firm in connection with its assessment of default-related issues Represented top 5 largest single-family homeowner in connection with its efforts to revamp its internal compliance program, including bankruptcy-related compliance matters Represented a major mortgage originator and servicers in defense of foreclosure-related litigation, bankruptcy-related government investigations, and revamping related internal compliance programs","searchable_name":"Thaddeus D. Wilson (Thad)","is_active":true,"featured":null,"publish_date":null,"expiration_date":null,"blog_featured":null,"published_by":202,"capability_group_featured":null,"home_page_featured":null},{"id":446306,"version":1,"owner_type":"Person","owner_id":5881,"payload":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eHershel is a litigator whose practice focuses on antitrust/competition and complex commercial disputes. He also has extensive experience securing merger clearance in a diverse range of industries, and regularly advocates on behalf of clients before state attorneys general and federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice\u0026nbsp;and the Federal Trade Commission.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHershel has represented clients in a broad range of industries, including healthcare, airlines, financial services, telecommunications, and agribusiness.\u0026nbsp; Clients rely on his judgment and strategic advice in executing mergers, acquisitions and other business transactions, particularly those requiring compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and related responses to U.S. and foreign antitrust reviews. Hershel has also conducted internal corporate investigations and advised clients on a variety of issues, including the impact of potential legislation, regulatory rulemakings, compliance, the legality of pricing promotions, and e-discovery practices.\u003c/p\u003e","slug":"hershel-wancjer","email":"hwancjer@kslaw.com","phone":null,"matters":["\u003cp\u003eServed as trial and appellate counsel in the FTC's and North Dakota Attorney General's challenge to Sanford Health's proposed acquisition of a multi-specialty physician practice\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Cogent Communications on competition and regulatory issues in the U.S. and Europe, and before the DOJ and FCC in connection with the proposed Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented American Express in antitrust litigation against Visa and MasterCard in which American Express obtained a record-breaking settlement in excess of $4 billion\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended American Express against claims by the Department of Justice and various merchants (both a class and opt outs) alleging violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdvised Sanford Health in securing antitrust clearance for its $1.8 billion acquisition of one of the nation\u0026rsquo;s largest providers of senior care and services\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdvised NASCAR in securing antitrust clearance for its $2 billion acquisition of International Speedway Corporation\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdvised a major airline in securing antitrust clearance for various transactions, including the acquisitions of equity stakes in other companies and the sale of a subsidiary\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdvised an integrated health system in securing antitrust clearance for its consolidation with another health system into an $11 billion organization\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented an integrated health system in connection with competition and related issues\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended an international airline in a lawsuit challenging its merger with Northwest Airlines Corp., and representing that same international airline in connection with the U.S. Department of Justice\u0026rsquo;s review of that merger\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a foreign government in its $2.5 billion investor-state arbitration against Mobile TeleSystems, brought under the Additional Facility of the ICSID\u003c/p\u003e"],"taggings":{"tags":[],"meta_tags":[]},"expertise":[{"id":74,"guid":"74.capabilities","index":0,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":1,"guid":"1.capabilities","index":1,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":5,"guid":"5.capabilities","index":2,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":19,"guid":"19.capabilities","index":3,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":103,"guid":"103.capabilities","index":4,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":107,"guid":"107.capabilities","index":5,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":106,"guid":"106.capabilities","index":6,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":11,"guid":"11.capabilities","index":7,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":32,"guid":"32.capabilities","index":8,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":81,"guid":"81.capabilities","index":9,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":1248,"guid":"1248.smart_tags","index":10,"source":"smartTags"},{"id":129,"guid":"129.capabilities","index":11,"source":"capabilities"}],"is_active":true,"last_name":"Wancjer","nick_name":"Hershel","clerkships":[],"first_name":"Hershel","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":32,"law_schools":[{"id":345,"meta":{"degree":"J.D.","honors":"Executive Senior Editor","is_law_school":"1","graduation_date":null},"order":1,"pin_order":null,"pin_expiration":null}],"middle_name":" ","name_suffix":"","recognitions":null,"linked_in_url":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/hershel-wancjer-7603061a7/","seodescription":null,"primary_title_id":14,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eHershel is a litigator whose practice focuses on antitrust/competition and complex commercial disputes. He also has extensive experience securing merger clearance in a diverse range of industries, and regularly advocates on behalf of clients before state attorneys general and federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice\u0026nbsp;and the Federal Trade Commission.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHershel has represented clients in a broad range of industries, including healthcare, airlines, financial services, telecommunications, and agribusiness.\u0026nbsp; Clients rely on his judgment and strategic advice in executing mergers, acquisitions and other business transactions, particularly those requiring compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and related responses to U.S. and foreign antitrust reviews. Hershel has also conducted internal corporate investigations and advised clients on a variety of issues, including the impact of potential legislation, regulatory rulemakings, compliance, the legality of pricing promotions, and e-discovery practices.\u003c/p\u003e","matters":["\u003cp\u003eServed as trial and appellate counsel in the FTC's and North Dakota Attorney General's challenge to Sanford Health's proposed acquisition of a multi-specialty physician practice\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented Cogent Communications on competition and regulatory issues in the U.S. and Europe, and before the DOJ and FCC in connection with the proposed Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented American Express in antitrust litigation against Visa and MasterCard in which American Express obtained a record-breaking settlement in excess of $4 billion\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended American Express against claims by the Department of Justice and various merchants (both a class and opt outs) alleging violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdvised Sanford Health in securing antitrust clearance for its $1.8 billion acquisition of one of the nation\u0026rsquo;s largest providers of senior care and services\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdvised NASCAR in securing antitrust clearance for its $2 billion acquisition of International Speedway Corporation\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdvised a major airline in securing antitrust clearance for various transactions, including the acquisitions of equity stakes in other companies and the sale of a subsidiary\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eAdvised an integrated health system in securing antitrust clearance for its consolidation with another health system into an $11 billion organization\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented an integrated health system in connection with competition and related issues\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eDefended an international airline in a lawsuit challenging its merger with Northwest Airlines Corp., and representing that same international airline in connection with the U.S. Department of Justice\u0026rsquo;s review of that merger\u003c/p\u003e","\u003cp\u003eRepresented a foreign government in its $2.5 billion investor-state arbitration against Mobile TeleSystems, brought under the Additional Facility of the ICSID\u003c/p\u003e"]},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":9993}]},"capability_group_id":3},"created_at":"2026-03-02T21:59:38.000Z","updated_at":"2026-03-02T21:59:38.000Z","searchable_text":"Wancjer{{ FIELD }}Served as trial and appellate counsel in the FTC's and North Dakota Attorney General's challenge to Sanford Health's proposed acquisition of a multi-specialty physician practice{{ FIELD }}Represented Cogent Communications on competition and regulatory issues in the U.S. and Europe, and before the DOJ and FCC in connection with the proposed Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger{{ FIELD }}Represented American Express in antitrust litigation against Visa and MasterCard in which American Express obtained a record-breaking settlement in excess of $4 billion{{ FIELD }}Defended American Express against claims by the Department of Justice and various merchants (both a class and opt outs) alleging violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act{{ FIELD }}Advised Sanford Health in securing antitrust clearance for its $1.8 billion acquisition of one of the nation’s largest providers of senior care and services{{ FIELD }}Advised NASCAR in securing antitrust clearance for its $2 billion acquisition of International Speedway Corporation{{ FIELD }}Advised a major airline in securing antitrust clearance for various transactions, including the acquisitions of equity stakes in other companies and the sale of a subsidiary{{ FIELD }}Advised an integrated health system in securing antitrust clearance for its consolidation with another health system into an $11 billion organization{{ FIELD }}Represented an integrated health system in connection with competition and related issues{{ FIELD }}Defended an international airline in a lawsuit challenging its merger with Northwest Airlines Corp., and representing that same international airline in connection with the U.S. Department of Justice’s review of that merger{{ FIELD }}Represented a foreign government in its $2.5 billion investor-state arbitration against Mobile TeleSystems, brought under the Additional Facility of the ICSID{{ FIELD }}Hershel is a litigator whose practice focuses on antitrust/competition and complex commercial disputes. He also has extensive experience securing merger clearance in a diverse range of industries, and regularly advocates on behalf of clients before state attorneys general and federal regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.\nHershel has represented clients in a broad range of industries, including healthcare, airlines, financial services, telecommunications, and agribusiness.  Clients rely on his judgment and strategic advice in executing mergers, acquisitions and other business transactions, particularly those requiring compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and related responses to U.S. and foreign antitrust reviews. Hershel has also conducted internal corporate investigations and advised clients on a variety of issues, including the impact of potential legislation, regulatory rulemakings, compliance, the legality of pricing promotions, and e-discovery practices. Counsel University of Michigan University of Michigan Law School Case Western Reserve University Case Western Reserve University School of Law U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit District of Columbia Michigan American Bar Association Served as trial and appellate counsel in the FTC's and North Dakota Attorney General's challenge to Sanford Health's proposed acquisition of a multi-specialty physician practice Represented Cogent Communications on competition and regulatory issues in the U.S. and Europe, and before the DOJ and FCC in connection with the proposed Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger Represented American Express in antitrust litigation against Visa and MasterCard in which American Express obtained a record-breaking settlement in excess of $4 billion Defended American Express against claims by the Department of Justice and various merchants (both a class and opt outs) alleging violations of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act Advised Sanford Health in securing antitrust clearance for its $1.8 billion acquisition of one of the nation’s largest providers of senior care and services Advised NASCAR in securing antitrust clearance for its $2 billion acquisition of International Speedway Corporation Advised a major airline in securing antitrust clearance for various transactions, including the acquisitions of equity stakes in other companies and the sale of a subsidiary Advised an integrated health system in securing antitrust clearance for its consolidation with another health system into an $11 billion organization Represented an integrated health system in connection with competition and related issues Defended an international airline in a lawsuit challenging its merger with Northwest Airlines Corp., and representing that same international airline in connection with the U.S. Department of Justice’s review of that merger Represented a foreign government in its $2.5 billion investor-state arbitration against Mobile TeleSystems, brought under the Additional Facility of the ICSID","searchable_name":"Hershel Wancjer","is_active":true,"featured":null,"publish_date":null,"expiration_date":null,"blog_featured":null,"published_by":32,"capability_group_featured":null,"home_page_featured":null},{"id":446834,"version":1,"owner_type":"Person","owner_id":7334,"payload":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eEmily Wilkinson represents clients in high-stakes commercial disputes, drawing on experience across a broad range of industries and legal issues. She routinely handles\u0026nbsp;matters\u0026nbsp;involving breach of contract, business control, fiduciary duties, fraud, employment disputes, trade secrets, and\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003equi tam\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003elitigation.\u0026nbsp;She brings a practical, court-tested perspective to her work, informed by a federal clerkship in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, where she observed more than twenty trials.\u0026nbsp;[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmily Wilkinson is a commercial litigation associate at King \u0026amp; Spalding, LLP, where she represents clients in complex business disputes. Emily brings a client-centered approach shaped by a diverse range of litigation experience spanning federal clerkship, private practice, and judicial internship settings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore joining King \u0026amp; Spalding, Emily practiced at an international law firm in Dallas, representing clients in complex commercial disputes across multiple industries. Prior to that, Emily served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Amos Mazzant, III in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. That experience gave Emily a practical understanding of how judges evaluate arguments and evidence, insight she now leverages to craft persuasive strategies for her clients.\u0026nbsp;She also served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Debra Lehrmann at the Supreme Court of Texas.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeeply committed to service within the Texas legal community, Emily currently serves as an advisory member of the Texas Pattern Jury Charge \u0026ndash; Business, Consumer, Insurance \u0026amp; Employment Committee. She was also a member of the 2024\u0026ndash;2025 Leadership SBOT class, which prepares Texas lawyers for leadership positions within the State Bar of Texas and the broader legal profession. During law school, she chaired the ABA Solo, Small Firm, and General Practice Division's Law Student Committee.\u003c/p\u003e","slug":"emily-wilkinson","email":"ewilkinson@kslaw.com","phone":null,"matters":null,"taggings":{"tags":[],"meta_tags":[{"id":5147}]},"expertise":[{"id":5,"guid":"5.capabilities","index":0,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":19,"guid":"19.capabilities","index":1,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":74,"guid":"74.capabilities","index":2,"source":"capabilities"}],"is_active":true,"last_name":"Wilkinson","nick_name":"Emily","clerkships":[],"first_name":"Emily","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":202,"law_schools":[{"id":2055,"meta":{"degree":"J.D.","honors":"Order of the Coif, Selected to join Texas Law Review","is_law_school":"1","graduation_date":"2021-01-01 00:00:00"},"order":1,"pin_order":null,"pin_expiration":null}],"middle_name":" ","name_suffix":"","recognitions":null,"linked_in_url":null,"seodescription":null,"primary_title_id":2,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eEmily Wilkinson represents clients in high-stakes commercial disputes, drawing on experience across a broad range of industries and legal issues. She routinely handles\u0026nbsp;matters\u0026nbsp;involving breach of contract, business control, fiduciary duties, fraud, employment disputes, trade secrets, and\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003equi tam\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003elitigation.\u0026nbsp;She brings a practical, court-tested perspective to her work, informed by a federal clerkship in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, where she observed more than twenty trials.\u0026nbsp;[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmily Wilkinson is a commercial litigation associate at King \u0026amp; Spalding, LLP, where she represents clients in complex business disputes. Emily brings a client-centered approach shaped by a diverse range of litigation experience spanning federal clerkship, private practice, and judicial internship settings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore joining King \u0026amp; Spalding, Emily practiced at an international law firm in Dallas, representing clients in complex commercial disputes across multiple industries. Prior to that, Emily served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Amos Mazzant, III in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. That experience gave Emily a practical understanding of how judges evaluate arguments and evidence, insight she now leverages to craft persuasive strategies for her clients.\u0026nbsp;She also served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Debra Lehrmann at the Supreme Court of Texas.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeeply committed to service within the Texas legal community, Emily currently serves as an advisory member of the Texas Pattern Jury Charge \u0026ndash; Business, Consumer, Insurance \u0026amp; Employment Committee. She was also a member of the 2024\u0026ndash;2025 Leadership SBOT class, which prepares Texas lawyers for leadership positions within the State Bar of Texas and the broader legal profession. During law school, she chaired the ABA Solo, Small Firm, and General Practice Division's Law Student Committee.\u003c/p\u003e"},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":13421}]},"capability_group_id":3},"created_at":"2026-03-18T14:43:11.000Z","updated_at":"2026-03-18T14:43:11.000Z","searchable_text":"Wilkinson{{ FIELD }}Emily Wilkinson represents clients in high-stakes commercial disputes, drawing on experience across a broad range of industries and legal issues. She routinely handles matters involving breach of contract, business control, fiduciary duties, fraud, employment disputes, trade secrets, and qui tam litigation. She brings a practical, court-tested perspective to her work, informed by a federal clerkship in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, where she observed more than twenty trials. \nEmily Wilkinson is a commercial litigation associate at King \u0026amp; Spalding, LLP, where she represents clients in complex business disputes. Emily brings a client-centered approach shaped by a diverse range of litigation experience spanning federal clerkship, private practice, and judicial internship settings.\nBefore joining King \u0026amp; Spalding, Emily practiced at an international law firm in Dallas, representing clients in complex commercial disputes across multiple industries. Prior to that, Emily served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Amos Mazzant, III in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. That experience gave Emily a practical understanding of how judges evaluate arguments and evidence, insight she now leverages to craft persuasive strategies for her clients. She also served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Debra Lehrmann at the Supreme Court of Texas.\nDeeply committed to service within the Texas legal community, Emily currently serves as an advisory member of the Texas Pattern Jury Charge – Business, Consumer, Insurance \u0026amp; Employment Committee. She was also a member of the 2024–2025 Leadership SBOT class, which prepares Texas lawyers for leadership positions within the State Bar of Texas and the broader legal profession. During law school, she chaired the ABA Solo, Small Firm, and General Practice Division's Law Student Committee. Emily Wilkinson lawyer Associate The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill  The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas School of Law","searchable_name":"Emily Wilkinson","is_active":true,"featured":null,"publish_date":null,"expiration_date":null,"blog_featured":null,"published_by":202,"capability_group_featured":null,"home_page_featured":null},{"id":444365,"version":1,"owner_type":"Person","owner_id":7241,"payload":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eSam is an associate in King \u0026amp; Spalding's Atlanta office and a member of the firm's Business Litigation practice group.\u0026nbsp;His practice primarily focuses on representing businesses in high-stakes commercial litigation, including securities litigation,\u0026nbsp;class actions, breach of contract cases, and other complex business disputes.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSam graduated from the University of Georgia's School of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif.\u0026nbsp;While in law school, Sam\u0026nbsp;served on the Executive Board of\u0026nbsp;the \u003cem\u003eGeorgia Law Review\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;and co-authored a publication with a law\u0026nbsp;professor on the intersection of emerging technologies\u0026nbsp;and the law. After graduation, Sam served as a law clerk to\u0026nbsp;the Honorable Richard W. Story in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.\u0026nbsp;Sam earned his B.B.A.\u0026nbsp;in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia.\u003c/p\u003e","slug":"samuel-won","email":"swon@kslaw.com","phone":null,"matters":null,"taggings":{"tags":[],"meta_tags":[{"id":4730}]},"expertise":[{"id":5,"guid":"5.capabilities","index":0,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":19,"guid":"19.capabilities","index":1,"source":"capabilities"},{"id":74,"guid":"74.capabilities","index":2,"source":"capabilities"}],"is_active":true,"last_name":"Won","nick_name":"Samuel","clerkships":[{"name":"Judicial Clerk, Hon. Richard W. Story, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia","years_held":"2023 - 2025"}],"first_name":"Samuel","title_rank":9999,"updated_by":202,"law_schools":[{"id":2190,"meta":{"degree":"J.D.","honors":"magna cum laude \u0026 Order of the Coif","is_law_school":"1","graduation_date":"2023-01-01 00:00:00"},"order":1,"pin_order":null,"pin_expiration":null}],"middle_name":" ","name_suffix":"","recognitions":null,"linked_in_url":null,"seodescription":null,"primary_title_id":2,"translated_fields":{"en":{"bio":"\u003cp\u003eSam is an associate in King \u0026amp; Spalding's Atlanta office and a member of the firm's Business Litigation practice group.\u0026nbsp;His practice primarily focuses on representing businesses in high-stakes commercial litigation, including securities litigation,\u0026nbsp;class actions, breach of contract cases, and other complex business disputes.[[--readmore--]]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSam graduated from the University of Georgia's School of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif.\u0026nbsp;While in law school, Sam\u0026nbsp;served on the Executive Board of\u0026nbsp;the \u003cem\u003eGeorgia Law Review\u003c/em\u003e\u0026nbsp;and co-authored a publication with a law\u0026nbsp;professor on the intersection of emerging technologies\u0026nbsp;and the law. After graduation, Sam served as a law clerk to\u0026nbsp;the Honorable Richard W. Story in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.\u0026nbsp;Sam earned his B.B.A.\u0026nbsp;in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia.\u003c/p\u003e"},"locales":["en"]},"secondary_title_id":null,"upload_assignments":{"headshot":[{"id":13201}]},"capability_group_id":3},"created_at":"2025-12-17T16:35:28.000Z","updated_at":"2025-12-17T16:35:28.000Z","searchable_text":"Won{{ FIELD }}Sam is an associate in King \u0026amp; Spalding's Atlanta office and a member of the firm's Business Litigation practice group. His practice primarily focuses on representing businesses in high-stakes commercial litigation, including securities litigation, class actions, breach of contract cases, and other complex business disputes.\nSam graduated from the University of Georgia's School of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif. While in law school, Sam served on the Executive Board of the Georgia Law Review and co-authored a publication with a law professor on the intersection of emerging technologies and the law. After graduation, Sam served as a law clerk to the Honorable Richard W. Story in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Sam earned his B.B.A. in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia. Samuel Won lawyer Associate University of Georgia University of Georgia School of Law University of Georgia University of Georgia School of Law Georgia Judicial Clerk, Hon. Richard W. Story, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia","searchable_name":"Samuel Won","is_active":true,"featured":null,"publish_date":null,"expiration_date":null,"blog_featured":null,"published_by":202,"capability_group_featured":null,"home_page_featured":null}]}}