Eli J. Vonnegut
Experienced adviser to all types of participants in restructurings, complex transactions and bankruptcy litigation. A 2023 T&W “Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer.”
Eli represents investors, debtors, arrangers and agent banks, lenders, bondholders and other strategic parties in a range of in- and out-of-court corporate restructurings, liability management and financing transactions, bankruptcy litigation, asset sales and acquisitions. He also advises clients on structuring and managing their investments in complex distressed businesses.
He also advises numerous financial institutions – including all eight of the U.S.’s global systemically important banking groups (G-SIBs) – and trade groups in connection with Dodd-Frank resolution planning.
Eli was named an “Outstanding Restructuring Lawer” by Turnarounds & Workouts in 2023. He is ranked by IFLR1000 and Chambers USA, which quotes a client saying of Eli: “He’s really thoughtful, very responsive and his customer service is great.”
Experience
- Ad hoc group of WeWork noteholders in new money financing and comprehensive out of court debt recapitalization
- Ad hoc group of Multiplan senior convertible noteholders in $4.5 billion debt exchange
- Ad hoc group of iHeartMedia creditors in comprehensive out-of-court debt exchange
- Ad hoc group of Logix first lien term lenders in comprehensive out-of-court recapitalization and maturity extension transaction
- Ad hoc group of Revlon BrandCo lenders in both the BrandCo financing and subsequent comprehensive restructuring
- Ad hoc group of Alkegen creditors in $2.125 billion comprehensive liability management exercise
- Other creditor and ad hoc group representations including Canopy Growth, Goodlife Fitness, PSAV, Sears, GenOn Energy, Ultra Petroleum, SandRidge Energy, Jack Cooper Transport, Key Energy Services, JW Aluminum and RadioShack
- Uniti Group in the comprehensive restructuring of its anchor tenant, Windstream Communications
- Mastronardi Produce and Mastronardi Berea in the comprehensive restructuring of AppHarvest
- GenOn Energy in the restructuring of Heritage Power
- Company-side representations including Purdue Pharma, Ocyan, Pernix Therapeutics and Frontier Airlines
- Senior lender or agent representations (including pre-petition, DIP and exit facilities) including Accuride, Pitney Bowes, Envision Healthcare, Intelsat, Frontier Communications, Chuck E Cheese, Toys “R” Us, PG&E, iHeartMedia, Avaya, LightSquared, Exide, NewPage and Tribune
- Numerous private equity sponsors in managing and restructuring their investments in distressed businesses
- All eight of the U.S.’s global systemically important banking groups (G-SIBs) in their resolution plans and numerous other major financial institutions in connection with Dodd-Frank resolution planning
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the United States Treasury in the rescue of AIG
Insights
News
Recognition
Turnarounds & Workouts – “Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer,” 2023
Chambers USA – Bankruptcy/Restructuring, New York
IFLR1000 – Restructuring and Insolvency, United States, Highly Regarded
Turnarounds & Workouts – “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer,” 2017, 2018, 2019
American Bankruptcy Institute – “40 Under 40,” 2018
Law360 – “Rising Star: Bankruptcy,” 2017
Education
- cum laude
- with honors
Qualifications and admissions
- State of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court, S.D. New York