Whether representing creditors, debtors, committees or trustees, Paul Jennings applies more than 30 years of experience to finding creative solutions for clients faced with a financially troubled company. He has been involved in several of the largest Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings in the state of Tennessee, in addition to representing clients in insolvency-related litigation matters including preference, fraudulent conveyance and proofs of claim issues. He often provides counsel to clients on board-related insolvency fiduciary duty issues. Paul also represents court-appointed receivers and trustees, including a recent success representing the liquidating trustee in a high-profile bankruptcy and achieved multi-million dollar D&O settlement on a contingency basis.
Paul’s practice involves:
Paul was a participant in the inaugural class of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s bankruptcy mediation training program at St. John’s University’s Carey Center for Dispute Resolution which focused mediation training on the unique circumstances presented in insolvency and bankruptcy situations, including preference and fraudulent conveyance claims and litigation, confirmation and valuation disputes and claims litigation.
Nashville Bar Association
Mid-South Commercial Law Institute — Board of Directors
Tennessee Bar Association — Section of Commercial, Bankruptcy and Banking Law, Past President
Southeastern American Bankruptcy Institute — Steering Committee
American Health Law Association (AHLA)
Representation of LFM Capital, a private equity firm focused on lower middle market manufacturing and industrial services businesses, in its sale of Pratt Industries Intermodal Chassis, a designer and manufacturer of specialized trailers and chassis, to the North American Chassis Pool Cooperative, a provider of a modern fleet of chassis to users with at cost pricing. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Represented Old Time Pottery and OTP Holdings in the restructuring of its debt and lease obligations when the companies filed voluntary Chapter 11 cases in the Middle District of Tennessee in late June 2020 and emerged from bankruptcy with a confirmed plan of reorganization providing for new permanent exit financing and payment in full of allowed claims in November 2020.
Represented a Liquidating Trustee in connection with the pursuit of potential director and officer claims arising out of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of a $700 million hospitality company, resulting in a large confidential settlement for the Trust
Served as primary outside counsel to the NHL’s Nashville Predators since 2010.
Represented Quest Diagnostics in its acquisition of Provant Health
Served as counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Vanguard Healthcare in protecting interests of unsecured creditors in all aspects of bankruptcy and achieving 100% recovery of amounts owed to unsecured creditors
Represented the liquidating trustee in a high-profile bankruptcy
Representation of management and publishing company in suit by well-known entertainer to “break” management and publishing contracts
Completed the initial public offering of a non-traded business development company, with a maximum offering of 150,000,000 shares of common stock
We represented hotel investors in the purchase of the Downtown Indigo Hotel in Nashville, TN out of bankruptcy, which involved drafting the purchase agreement utilized in the court approval process, counseling and working through a number of title issues and negotiating the lease agreement with a tenant in the building housing the hotel.
Chambers USA — Bankruptcy/Restructuring (2020-2023); Litigation: Bankruptcy (2005-2019)
The M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards — Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year ($10MM to $100MM) (2021)
American College of Bankruptcy — Fellow, 33rd Class
Best Lawyers® — Nashville Litigation: Bankruptcy “Lawyer of the Year” (2015, 2019); Nashville Bankruptcy Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law “Lawyer of the Year” (2014, 2017)
The Best Lawyers in America© — Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Litigation: Bankruptcy (2003-2023)
Nashville Business Journal “Best of the Bar” (2011-2012, 2020-2022)
Lawdragon 500 Leading Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers (2022)
Lawdragon “New Stars”
Mid-South Super Lawyers (2006-2022)
Nashville Post “Nashville’s 101 Top Lawyers” (2011)
Tennessee Law Review — Student Materials Editor (1988-1990)