Eric J. Monzo is the chair of the firm’s bankruptcy & restructuring group, and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. His practice focuses on issues relating to business restructuring and insolvency.

He regularly represents a wide range of stakeholders with a focus on official and unofficial committees, indenture trustees and agents, commercial creditors and lender groups, in addition to, corporate debtors and their independent and special committee management.

Eric is widely recognized by clients and peers for his preeminent legal ability and creative solutions. Clients regard him as a true professional, who is fully prepared and focused on the business objectives. Eric is esteemed for his high technical proficiency and knowledge of bankruptcy law, his “excellent situational awareness,” and his strategic analysis, as highlighted by Chambers USA.

Eric handles matters relating to the restructuring and liquidation of companies in a broad range of industries with experience in healthcare, construction, energy, finance, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, technology, transportation, real estate, and retail. While many of the matters pertain to matters pending in courts located in Delaware and involve issues of Delaware law, Eric also represents clients in multi-jurisdictional and international insolvency proceedings and litigation outside of Delaware.

Experience
  • Counseling official committees of unsecured creditors and equity committees
  • Counseling current and former directors, officers and advisors of debtors
  • Advising indenture trustees, agents, and lending groups in complex restructurings
  • Counseling claimants in major mass tort and business tort bankruptcies and class action litigation relating to complex issues including successor liability and coordination of resolution of mass tort claims through plans of reorganization and liquidation
  • Representing financial institutions and lenders in transactions in acquisition financing, debtor-in-possession financing, mezzanine financing, leveraged and asset-based financing
  • Assisting secured creditors seeking to enforce rights against debtors, including through foreclosure, liens, replevin, execution, and levy
  • Advising prospective purchasers in 363 asset sales, including stalking horse purchasers in complex sale transactions and auctions
  • Advising clients in complex cross-border insolvency and asset recovery issues
Committees
  • 24 Hour Fitness USA, LLC
  • AmCad Holdings, LLC
  • Axion International, Inc.
  • Borden Dairy Company
  • BlueStem Brands Inc.
  • Cloud Peak Energy Inc.
  • Cone Mills Corp.
  • Delta Mills, Inc.
  • Diamond Glass
  • Eagle Hospitality
  • Edgenet
  • EHT US1 Committee
  • F+W Media, Inc.
  • Global Aviation Holdings, Inc.
  • Gold Standard Baking
  • Juno USA, LP
  • Hayes-Lemmerz International, Inc.
  • Hygea Holdings
  • Klausner Lumber One, LLC
  • The Lasik Vision Institute (LVI)
  • Le Pain Quotidien
  • Loot Crate, Inc.
  • Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
  • Melinta Therapeutics, Inc.
  • M&G USA Corporation
  • Restora Healthcare Holdings, LLC
  • Shiloh Industries, Inc.
  • SportCo. Holdings, Inc.
  • Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc.
  • Valeritas Holdings, Inc.
  • Vertellus Specialties Inc.
  • YogaWorks, Inc
Debtors
  • Angel Medical Systems, Inc.
  • Calplant I, LLC
  • CCX Inc.
  • Medley LLC
  • Morris | Schneider | Wittstadt Va., PLLC, Lead Counsel to Debtors
  • Punch Bowl Social (PBS BrandCo LLC), Lead Counsel to Debtors
  • Sugarfina Inc.
  • Westlake Hospital, Lead Counsel to Debtors
  • Zumobi Inc., Lead Counsel to Debtor
Indenture Trustee
  • Claire's Store Inc.
  • Corp. Group Banking NA.
  • Exide Technologies Inc.
  • Gibson Brands, Inc.
  • High Ridge Brands Co.
  • Magnum Hunter Resources Corp.
  • Nuverra Environmental Solutions, Inc.
  • Optima Specialty Steel, Inc.
  • Pernix Sleep, Inc.
  • Pyxus International
  • Ruby Pipline
  • Scottish Holdings, Inc.
  • UCI International, LLC
Directors and Officers
  • John Q. Hammons Management LLC, Lead Counsel to Independent Manager
  • White Eagle General Partner, LLC, Lead Counsel to Independent Manager
Additional Matters
  • Jevic Transportation, Inc., Represented Secured Lender
  • The Beverly Hills Unified School District, Lead Counsel

Engaged in the Community

  • Past lead, General Chair to the Combined Campaign for Justice, which helps funds many low-income Delawareans faced with critical challenges in their lives through the assistance of Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI), Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Inc. (DVLS) and Legal Services Corporation of Delaware, Inc.
  • Court-appointed guardian ad litem or counsel to children in family court proceedings through Delaware’s Office of the Child Advocate
  • Member of the Local Rules Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
Honors
  • Best Lawyers®, 2019 - Present
  • Chambers USA, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, 2020 - Present
  • Delaware Today Top Lawyers, Business Bankruptcy, 2016 - Present; Top Vote Getter, 2019
  • Delaware State Bar Association Young Lawyers Distinguished Service Award, 2018
  • Kathryn R. Heidt Memorial Award, ABA Section of Business Law Business Bankruptcy Committee, 2017

Services

Admissions

  • Delaware, 2008
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware
  • U.S. District Court, District of Delaware
  • Maryland, 2007
  • New Jersey, 2002
  • Pennsylvania, 2002
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania

Clerkships

  • Law Clerk for The Honorable Mary Pat Thynge, United States Magistrate Judge, US District Court, District of Delaware

Education

  • Widener University Delaware Law School, JD, with honors, 2002
  • Washington & Jefferson College, BA, Business Administration–with a concentration in finance, 1999; BA, Psychology, 1999

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Business Bankruptcy Committee: Past Chair, Chapter 11 Subcommittee; Past-Chair, Trust Indenture Subcommittee
  • American Bankruptcy Institute, Board of Directors, Unsecured Trade Creditors’ Committee, Past Co-Chair
  • Delaware Bankruptcy American Inn of Court
  • Delaware State Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association
  • Fellow of the American Bar Foundation
  • Turnaround Management Association