Stephen E. Ludovici

Associate, New York

Biography

Overview

Stephen is an associate in White & Case's Financial Restructuring and Insolvency Practice.

Prior to joining White & Case, Stephen served as a law clerk to the Honorable Barbara A. Lagoa (then-sitting on Florida's Third District Court of Appeal), and was an associate with a US regional firm in their creditor's rights litigation practice with extensive in-court experience.

As a law student, Stephen served as Executive Research Editor of the Florida Law Review, was a summer litigation associate at a global law firm, and served as an intern to the Honorable Paul C. Huck of the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Bars and Courts
New York
Florida
US District Court for the Southern District of Florida
US District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Education
JD
University of Florida
BA
Mathematics & Sociology
University of Florida
Languages
English

Experience

Representation of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Chapter 11 case of Celsius Network LLC in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, acting as the fiduciary for 1.7 million account users that used the Celsius platform before its bankruptcy filing.

Representation of 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.

Representation of the Boy Scouts of America in its chapter 11 proceedings pending in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States and is one of the largest Scouting organizations in the world, with approximately 2.2 million registered youth participants and approximately 800,000 adult volunteers as of December 2019. The Boy Scouts of America filed its chapter 11 cases to equitably compensate survivors of historical sexual abuse in Scouting.

Representation of the owners of premier commercial office towers located at 245 Park Avenue in New York, New York and 181 West Madison Street in Chicago, Illinois in connection with their chapter 11 cases before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware; and in connection with a definitive agreement to sell PWM's interests in the commercial office tower located at 245 Park Avenue in New York City to an affiliate of SL Green Realty Corp.

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.

Representation of AlphaCredit in its financial and operational restructuring, including preparation of a chapter 11 filing and negotiations with various funded debt creditors, most notably, an ad hoc group of unsecured noteholders.

Representation of ad hoc group of personal injury claimants in the in-court restructuring of Purdue Pharma L.P. and its debtor affiliates in connection with negotiation and confirmation of chapter 11 plan of reorganization and establishment of opioid-related personal injury trust.

Representation of Strike, LLC, a leading full-service pipeline, facilities, and energy infrastructure solutions provider, in its chapter 11 case. During the chapter 11 case, following a court-approved marketing process, Strike successfully sold substantially all of its assets to an affiliate of American Industrial Partners for over US$115 million plus the assumption of certain liabilities.

Representation of, as international counsel, Oi S.A., one of Brazil's largest telecommunications companies, in its financial restructuring, which was implemented by way of Brazilian recuperação judicial, and which also involved insolvency proceedings in the United States (chapter 15), England, the Netherlands, Portugal and the Cayman Islands.

Representation of Occidental Petroleum and its affiliates who are counterparties to various contracts with Sanchez Energy Corp. and its subsidiaries arising from Anadarko's (now owned by Occidental) 2017 sale of various exploration and production assets in the Comanche area of South Texas to Sanchez and several other oil and gas operators.

Represented U.S. Bank National Association in its capacity as indenture trustee of the 2019 Notes in the chapter 11 proceedings of Nine West Holdings, Inc.

Representation of the ad hoc group of holders of, and indenture trustee for, unsecured legacy bonds in the chapter 11 cases of iHeart Communications Inc. a diversified media and entertainment business.

Representation of KK-PB Financial in the chapter 11 case of the Palm House Hotel in United States Bankruptcy Court in Palm Beach.

Representation of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company, in its $9.45 billion all-cash acquisition of Energy Future Holdings Corp., which indirectly owns 80% of Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC, an operator of the largest electric transmission and distribution system in Texas. The transaction, which created the largest utility holding company in the US, valued Oncor at $18.8 billion. This transaction was named "M&A Deal of the Year" by The Deal in 2018. Representation included significant post-acquisition appellate work in the District of Delaware and the Third Circuit.

Awards and Recognition

Order of the Coif, 2014