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Biography

Ms. Giannelli concentrates her practice in the areas of financial restructuring, debtor/creditors’ rights, and related insolvency law matters, including, among numerous other matters and services over more than 30 years of practice:

 

    • Representing the chapter 11 trustee in jointly administered complex business bankruptcy cases filed in the District of Delaware, involving more than 150 debtors

 

    • Handling creditors’ rights issues for various clients, including a multinational Fortune 500 company

 

    • Counseling clients regarding their rights and obligations under federal and state insolvency laws

 

  • Formulating reorganization plans and other financial restructuring solutions as appropriate for debtor/fiduciary clients in formal or informal insolvency proceedings

Ms. Giannelli is a Fellow and Officer of the American College of Bankruptcy, a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and is listed in the most recent editions of the Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Best Lawyers®, and New Jersey Super Lawyers. She is AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

 

The Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business notes in its most recent edition: “Karen Giannelli is described as ‘one of the leaders of the Bar’” by impressed peers, who also note that she is ‘very analytical and not afraid to get her hands dirty.’ Clients are similarly full of praise, with one calling her ‘a strategic genius.’”

Other Info About Karen

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

  • Counsel to chapter 11 debtor in asbestos bankruptcy case handling formulation of reorganization plan incorporating Section 524 channeling injunction.
  • Counsel to post-confirmation trustee of liquidating trusts created under complex joint plan of liquidation for conglomerate involving widely dispersed real estate holdings and technology companies.
  • Counsel to chapter 11 debtor indicted for violations of state campaign finance laws, responsible for negotiating settlement of civil forfeiture action with State of New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice.
  • Counsel to chapter 11 Trustee in complex case involving over 150 debtors responsible for negotiating and successfully confirming Trustee’s orderly plan of liquidation providing for four post-confirmation liquidation and litigation trusts.
  • Counsel to Official Creditors’ Committee which successfully negotiated a global settlement for unsecured creditors initially offered a “zero” distribution.
  • Chapter 11 Trustee for individual debtors with personal and business real estate assets valued at $30 million, responsible for substantively consolidating debtors’ operating companies prior to sale of debtors’ Florida resort properties.
  • Counsel to leading financial institution as creditor of residential mortgage lender in chapter 11 seeking authority to sell more than 20,000 loans serviced by our client.
  • Counsel to post-confirmation liquidating trust committees in prosecuting avoidance actions.
  • Counsel to major insurance company in rehabilitation/liquidation proceedings, responsible for handling restructure of bond debt through prepackaged chapter 11 cases and sale of remaining insurance assets in state court insolvency case.
  • Counsel to major hotel chain in negotiating buyback of sublease of outdoor signage of critical importance to client’s redevelopment plans.
  • Counsel to multinational Fortune 500 company providing creditors’ rights advice related to business transactions having insolvency-related issues.
  • Counsel to various buyers of assets under Section 363 sales and/or through plans of reorganization.
  • Counsel to parties defending avoidance actions in federal or state insolvency cases.

Published Decisions

In re American Family Enterprises, 256 B.R. 377 (D.N.J. 2000)

In re Marvel Entertainment Group, 234 B.R. 21 (D. Del. 1999)

In re Marvel Entertainment Group, 222 B.R. 243 (D. Del. 1998)

In re Marvel Entertainment Group, 32 Bankr. Ct. Dec. 102 (D. Del. 1998); rev’d., 140 F. 3d 463 (3rd Cir. 1998)

New Jersey, Dep’t of Envtl. Protection & Energy v. Heldor Indus., 989 F. 2d 702 (3rd Cir. 1993)

In re Heldor Industries, Inc., 139 B.R. 290 (D.N.J. 1992)

Matter of Route 37 Business Park Associates, 146 B.R. 640 (D.N.J. 1992)

In re Elsinore Shore Associates, 91 B.R. 238 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1988)

Matter of Oliver’s Stores, Inc., 79 B.R. 588 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1987)

In re Elsinore Shore Associates, 66 B.R. 708 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1986)

In re Elsub Corp., 66 B.R. 172 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1986)

In re Elsub Corp., 66 B.R. 189 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1986)

In re Elsub Corp., 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 6180 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1986)

Mortgage Bankers Ass’n v. New Jersey Real Estate Comm’n, 102 N.J. 176; 506 A. 2d 733 (N.J. 1986)

Bittner v. Borne Chemical Co., Inc., 691 F. 2d 134 (3rd Cir. 1982)

Matter of Triangle Laboratories, Inc., 663 F. 2d 463 (3rd Cir. 1981)

Education

Rutgers School of Law – Newark|Tufts University

J.D.|B.A., magna cum laude

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  • Recipient, Laminan Prize in Romance Languages
  • Skidmore College (1971-1972)

Clerkships

Karen served as a clerk for the court(s) and judge(s) below:

Law Secretary to the Honorable D. Joseph DeVito, United States Bankruptcy Judge, District of New Jersey, 1979-1980

Courts

Karen is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

State of New Jersey|United States District Court for the District of New Jersey|United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York|United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit|United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

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Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Listed in Best Lawyers®, Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization
Named Newark, NJ “Lawyer of the Year” – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2012

Listed in Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Bankruptcy/Restructuring

Selected to New Jersey Super Lawyers list, Bankruptcy: Business
Top 50 female attorney in New Jersey, 2007-2015, 2018, 2020

Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy

AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Recipient, NJBIZ “Icon Award,” 2020

Recipient, New Jersey Law Journal “Lifetime Achievement Award,” 2020

Selected to the Lawdragon “500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers,” 2020, 2022

Selected to the Morris/Essex Health & Life magazine’s “Essex County Top Lawyers” list, Bankruptcy and Workout, 2018, 2019

Recipient, IWIRC-NJ, “Woman of the Year Award,” 2017

Named to Profiles in Diversity Law Journal‘s “Women Worth Watching” list, September/October 2012

Recipient, Executive Women of New Jersey’s “Salute to the Policy Makers” Award, 2012

Named One of New Jersey’s “Best 50 Women in Business” by NJBIZ, 2012

Named “Woman of the Year” by the Center for Italian & Italian American Culture, Cedar Grove, NJ, November 2011

Selected by the New Jersey Law Journal as a prominent leader among women and minority attorneys in the State of New Jersey, November 2003

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

American College of Bankruptcy
Vice President (2020-2022)
Board of Directors (2016-2020)
Third Circuit Regent (2012-2016)
Member, Third Circuit Screening Committee (2011-2012; 2003-2007)
Member, Archives Committee (2010-2012)

Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors, 2015
Annual Conference Planning Committee

Law360
Bankruptcy Editorial Advisory Board Member (2011-2014)

American Bankruptcy Institute (1991-present)
Advisory Board Member, Bankruptcy Views From the Bench (2015-2018)
Advisory Board Member, ABI Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop, (2007-2009; 2012-2014)

Turnaround Management Association, New Jersey Chapter
Chair (2008-2009)
President (2006-2007)
Board of Directors (2003-2017)

National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)
Bankruptcy & Restructuring Affinity Group

Third Circuit Merit Selection Committee for United States Bankruptcy Court Judgeships (2015; 2014; 2006; 2001)

New Jersey State Bar Association Bankruptcy Law Section
Trustee
Chair (1999-2000)
Officer (1986-2000)

Women in Federal Practice in New Jersey, Inc.
Trustee/Advisory Board Member, 1985-1995
Officer (1985-1995)

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit – Task Force on Equal Treatment in the Courts, Committee on Bankruptcy Issues of the Gender Commission (1994-1997)

American Bar Association (1983-present)

Essex County Bar Association Creditor/Debtor Committee
Chair (1991-1992)
Vice Chair (1990-1991)

International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (1999-present)

Civic Activities

Civic & Charitable Organizations

Member, Center for Italian & Italian-American Culture