Thomas Lauria

Partner, Miami, New York

Biography

Thomas Lauria is “a tough, client-focused bankruptcy litigation attorney. He is described by peers as ‘a very smart and very good lawyer’… with a great reputation.”
Chambers USA

Overview

Thomas is widely recognized as one of the leading bankruptcy attorneys in the United States. As Global Head of White & Case's Financial Restructuring and Insolvency Practice, he has played a pivotal role in the restructuring of more than US$100 billion of debt, in some of the largest and most complex restructurings in history. This significant track record has made Thomas a go-to lawyer for clients involved in the toughest and most challenging of bankruptcies. He combines a deep understanding, based on more than 30 years’ experience, of the underlying legal principles, with a willingness to develop new and creative solutions and then to take on the difficult litigation challenges that often come into play in the insolvency arena. Thomas' reputation, as a legal innovator, a thoughtful strategist and a tenacious champion of his clients' interests, has attracted a host of respected and well-known strategic and financial investors as regular clients on complex insolvency matters. Undaunted by scale or complexity, Thomas' robust representation is based both on his strengths as a strategist and negotiator and his acclaimed leadership skills. Noted by Chambers Global for his reputation as a "strong commander", Thomas is adept at coordinating advice across multiple offices, to provide clients with clear yet creative solutions to technically intricate, multijurisdictional problems. Among his numerous high-profile and award-winning deals, Thomas advised the investment group that bought the Texas Rangers baseball team from bankruptcy, acted as lead counsel to the creditors who won ownership of Six Flags Inc. following the company's bankruptcy, and represented a group of creditors who opposed the US government's section 363 sale of Chrysler. Thomas was singled out by the Financial Times in its 2010 list of 'US Innovative Lawyers' for his work on these matters. Thomas also led the restructuring of the Central European Distribution Corporation, a deal that won "Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (over US$1 billion)" award at the 2014 M&A Advisor Distressed Investing Summit, where he also won the "M&A Advisor's 2014 Leadership Award." A respected authority on restructuring matters, Thomas is a prolific speaker and author on related topics such as comparative insolvency law systems, enterprise valuation, cross-border restructuring, liquidating plans and alternative dispute resolution procedures. Leading publications seek his opinion regarding restructuring issues of national and international interest and the rehabilitation strategies of distressed companies.
Bars and Courts
Florida
Texas
US District Court for the Southern District of Florida
US District Court for the Northern District of Texas
US District Court for the Southern District of Texas
US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Education
JD
George C. Taylor Law Center, University of Tennessee
BA
University of Tennessee
Languages
English

Experience

Hertz Global
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. and certain affiliates in their chapter 11 cases and global restructuring matters. Hertz completed its successful chapter 11 restructuring and its plan of reorganization became effective on June 30, 2021. This representation is one of the highest profile restructurings arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and one of the most successful chapter 11 and international reorganizations in recent history.

Swissport
Representation of Swissport, the world's leading provider of airport ground services and air cargo handling, on its comprehensive restructuring and recapitalization. The restructuring provided Swissport with a delevered and strengthened balance sheet by addressing approximately €1.9 billion of existing debt, and left the business with improved liquidity with which to withstand the ongoing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

GT Real Estate Holdings
Representation of GT Real Estate Holdings, LLC in its chapter 11 case filed in Delaware to facilitate the wind-down of a proposed mixed-use real estate development planned to include a practice facility for the Carolina Panthers, as well as the resolution of all related claims.

Dynegy Inc.
Advised the company, one of the largest generators of electricity in the United States, in connection with the innovative refinancing and restructuring of over US$6 billion of debt and obligations, which was completed through a chapter 11 plan in the Southern District of New York.

The Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers, one of Major League Baseball's most storied franchises, filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware to preserve Frank McCourt's continued ownership of the team. Thomas and a team of the Firm’s lawyers represented Major League Baseball in successful negotiations for the sale of the team to new ownership, in a record-setting US$2.15 billion transaction.

Chrysler
Represented holders of portions of Chrysler's approximately US$7 billion in first-lien secured debt in opposing the reorganization of Chrysler through a Section 363 sale of substantially all Chrysler's assets. As widely reported, Thomas and his team pressed the dispute to the US Supreme Court, where they initially obtained a stay of the sale (which the Court subsequently vacated to permit the sale to close), and later won the vacature of the Second Circuit's ruling on the sale.

Washington Mutual
Following the largest bank failure in US history, Thomas and a team of the Firm’s lawyers represented the Ad Hoc Committee of senior noteholders, the senior-most stakeholders in this US$327 billion chapter 11 bankruptcy. The full amount of the debt was successfully recovered, as well as substantially all of the accrued interest thereon.

Mirant Corporation
Served as debtors' lead counsel in the company’s successful chapter 11 reorganization in the Northern District of Texas. This matter involved more than US$10 billion in debt—the largest US bankruptcy in 2003, and one of the largest energy sector bankruptcy filings in US history. Mirant Corporation is one of the largest producers, generators and marketers of electricity in the world.

Visteon Corp.
Represented a group of bondholders who led the negotiation and financing of Visteon's successful exit from chapter 11. Visteon is one of the largest auto-parts manufacturers in the world.

Texas Rangers Baseball Partners
Represented an investor group led by Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan and sports attorney Chuck Greenberg in their successful effort to purchase the Texas Rangers baseball club out of chapter 11 in August 2010 — thereby enabling them to lead the team to its first-ever World Series appearance.

Six Flags Amusement Parks
Thomas and his team represented an ad hoc group of parent-level noteholders in their successful effort to acquire Six Flags — one of the largest amusement park operators in the world, which was then in chapter 11 - by raising sufficient new debt and equity financing to over-take the company's previously proposed plan, which would have provided the parent-level lenders with a de minimis recovery.

Adelphia Communications
This was one of the largest and most complex bankruptcies ever filed in the Southern District of New York, involving more than US$18 billion in assets. Thomas and a team of the Firm’s lawyers acted as counsel to the Ad Hoc Committee of Arahova Noteholders, a group of large financial institutions and funds which held a substantial portion of the US$1.75 billion of notes issued by Adelphia's indirect subsidiary, Arahova Communications. Through the Firm’s efforts, the Arahova Noteholders received total consideration valued at an amount roughly equal to the full par amount of the notes plus all accrued interest, after defeating a plan that would have paid them only a small fraction of what they were owed.

Awards and Recognition

Leading Lawyer: Corporate Restructuring, Legal 500 USA 2020 - 2021

Leading Lawyer (Band 1): Bankruptcy/ Restructuring – New York, Chambers USA 2021

Leading Lawyer (Band 1): Bankruptcy/ Restructuring – Florida, Chambers USA 2014 - 2021

Leading Lawyer (Band 2): Bankruptcy/ Restructuring – New York, Chambers USA 2014 - 2021

Leading Lawyer (Band 2): Bankruptcy/ Restructuring – Nationwide, Chambers USA 2014 - 2021

Leading Lawyer (Band 2): Bankruptcy/ Restructuring – Chambers Global 2014 - 2020

Chambers USA
"Strategically he is exceptional - he understands the client's problem and he maps out the path."
"He is very good at seeing the investors' standpoint. He balances creativity with aggressiveness and commerciality."
"He is the best lawyer I have ever worked with; he is tenacious, intelligent, principled and client-driven."
"If you need bankruptcy counsel you want Tom representing you."

Chambers Global
“Leading bankruptcy attorney Tom Lauria... is "one heck of a lawyer," reported sources... Peers praised him for being "a strong commander and negotiator," while one remarked: "I've learned more from him in one case than from everyone else put together!"

Leadership Award 2014, M&A Advisor

The World's Leading Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyers, Expert Guides 2014

The Best Lawyers in America, 2008–2021

Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer, Turnarounds & Workouts, 2011 - 2012

Best Bankruptcy Lawyer in America, Turnarounds & Workouts

Top Ranking, IFLR USA