Wilmington, Del. – July 10, 2018 – Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce veteran bankruptcy litigator Thomas J. Francella Jr. — who brings to the firm nearly 20 years’ experience handling a wide range of multi-million dollar bankruptcy cases — has joined its national Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring Group. Francella comes to the firm from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLC, where he was a partner in that firm’s Business Reorganization and Bankruptcy practice. He joins Cozen O’Connor as a member and will reside in its Wilmington, Delaware office.
A former deputy attorney general for the State of Delaware, Francella brings to the firm an extensive debtor and unsecured creditor practice. He regularly represents corporate debtors in the administration of their Chapter 11 bankruptcy estates; corporate entities in out of court financial workouts with secured lenders; and secured and unsecured creditors in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. He also represents trustees in Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings; and unsecured creditor committees appointed in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
“Unlike other transactional work or litigation, bankruptcy can involve dozens or even hundreds of directly interested parties with divergent interests,” says Mark E. Felger, managing partner of Cozen O’Connor’s Wilmington office and co-chair of its Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring Group. “With experience representing parties on all sides of the table, combined with a thorough knowledge of Delaware’s laws and local procedures, Tom is able to anticipate the needs and priorities of divergent constituencies and put together winning strategies for our clients. I’m thrilled to welcome him to our group.”
Admitted to practice in Delaware, Florida, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Francella has the distinction of having confirmed a plan of reorganization in a chapter 11 case where the Debtors were tenants in common (believed to be the only tenant in common bankruptcy case to have a plan confirmed). He is AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale Hubbell—the organization’s highest peer rating—which signifies that his peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards.
“I’m joining Cozen O’Connor because of the firm’s stellar reputation in the marketplace and because its size, office locations and numerous practice areas will allow me to provide my clients with a much larger scope of services,” Francella says. “Further, I’ve been a member of the Delaware bar for nearly 20 years and my experience—along with my contacts within and outside of Delaware—will help grow the Wilmington office.”
Francella earned his J.D. at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and his B.S. at West Chester University.
Cozen O'Connor represents key parties on all sides of bankruptcy and restructuring matters, including large corporate debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, creditors’ committees, and trustees. On the debtor side, the firm works quickly to assess the client’s options and devise the best possible solution, whether the client is looking to refinance or restructure debt, or to sell substantially all of its assets through an out-of-court process or a Chapter 11 proceeding.
On the creditor side, the firm develops and implements strategies for creditors and creditors’ committees to maximize their recoveries in an expeditious manner. It also represents trustees in administering complex Chapter 7 cases, pursuing litigation against third parties, and selling business assets under a court-sanctioned auction process. Overall, its goal in every engagement is to restructure or liquidate in a way that preserves and maximizes value.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has more than 925 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle market companies, Cozen O’Connor services its clients’ needs through 33 offices across two continents.
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