Eric J. Monzo

Eric J. Monzo is the chair of the firm’s Bankruptcy and Restructuring group. 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

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

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 

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