Robert Lemons is a partner in the firm’s Business Finance & Restructuring Department.
Mr. Lemons represents debtors, creditors, acquirers, and other participants in in- and out-of-court reorganizations. Recently, he has represented Lehman Brothers, Advanta Corp., and International Aluminum Corp. in their chapter 11 cases. In the Lehman Brothers cases, Mr. Lemons primarily has focused on resolving Lehman Brothers' portfolio of derivatives contracts and cross-border issues. In the Advanta cases, Mr. Lemons successfully negotiated a settlement of tax issues with the FDIC that facilitated significant recoveries for Advanta's unsecured creditors. Mr. Lemons led the Weil team that helped International Aluminum win a valuation dispute during a contested confirmation hearing to successfully exit chapter 11 after only 4 months.
Other cases in which Mr. Lemons has been involved include National Envelope (represented successful asset acquirer); Penton Media (represented prepetition agent); Delphi Corporation (represented GM, the largest customer and creditor); Calpine Corporation (represented creditor and successful asset acquirer); USG (represented equity committee); Bethlehem Steel (represented debtor); Dura Automotive Systems (represented postpetition lender); Solutia (represented ad hoc noteholder committee); Sea Containers (represented joint venture partner); National Steel (represented postpetition lender); DIRECTV Latin America (represented parent and largest creditor); and Friedman's Inc. (represented postpetition lender).
Additionally, Mr. Lemons has guest lectured classes at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, University of Buffalo Law School, and New York Law School, publicly and privately spoken and published on topics such as Dodd-Frank financial legislation, and participated on INSOL panels. Mr. Lemons co-chaired the 2011 Turnaround Management Association’s Spring Conference, held in Chicago in April 2011. He also appeared on a panel at the conference to discuss the role played by the FDIC in distressed situations.
Mr. Lemons serves on the Board of Directors of the Harlem School of the Arts and on the Leadership Committee of the Citizens Committee for New York City. In 2008 and 2011, he was recognized by Turnarounds and Workouts as an "Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer."