PARTNER
Peter C. Lewis
Overview
Peter C. Lewis, a partner in the firm’s Dallas office, has over 40 years of experience devoted to business reorganizations, creditors’ rights, business litigation and business transactions with particular emphasis on business bankruptcies, workouts and debt restructurings, complex business litigation and disputes, commercial collections/fair debt collection defense, receiverships as well as public finance. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Lewis was a partner at one of the largest (Dallas-based) law firms in the country as well as another national law firm. He has also served as outside general or national counsel for small to major manufacturing/ service companies, is AV rated by his peers (highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards) and has been previously cited as one of only 176 attorneys nationwide for providing superior client service to Fortune 100 companies and was named one of D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas for 2018 and 2020.
Over the past four decades, has represented companies, shareholders/investors, secured and unsecured creditors, asset purchasers, pre-petition lenders and DIP lenders in all types and phases of small to complex business bankruptcy, reorganization, workout, debt restructuring, creditors’ rights and related litigation matters throughout the country.
- Former Chapter 7 Panel Trustee for the Northern District of Texas
- Has served as a state court receiver and/or represented state and/or federal court-appointed receivers
- Served as a debtor co-counsel in the Energy Futures Holding, Inc., et al., Chapter 11 case
- Represented the City of Fort Worth and the AllianceAirport Authority, Inc. in the American Airlines Chapter 11 case
- Represented creditors in some of the largest retail Chapter 11 cases filed over the last few decades (e.g., Best Buy, Linens & Things, Radio Shack, Borders, Urban Brands, Circuit City, Movie Gallery, Ducane Gas Grills)
- Defended major U.S. corporations in scores of bankruptcy preference actions across the nation including a multimillion dollar preference matter against a major multinational corporation that was settled on extremely favorable terms for the client
- Successfully tried several fraud complaints on behalf of bank/savings and loans institutions including a complaint resulting in a multi-million dollar judgment in connection with first bank to close in Fort Worth since the Depression
- Represented major bank in Chapter 11 proceeding of one of the first subprime lender Chapter 11 cases; secured lender’s claim totaling in excess of $20 million was paid in full
- Represented the FDIC as a secured creditor in Chapter 11 reorganization cases involving office buildings, shopping centers, manufacturing concerns and/or oil and gas operations
- Represented major investor and secured creditor in Chapter 11 reorganization of television/movie syndication business resulting in confirmation of Chapter 11 plan
- Represented consortium of private equity secured lenders in successful Chapter 11 reorganization of a Florida-based wireless phone carrier resulting in confirmation of Chapter 11 plan
- Represented shopping center owners in chapter 11 case of national restaurant chain (Golden Corral) resulting in recovery of unpaid rent, taxes and CAM charges as well as the favorable resolution of contentious litigation regarding a rent dispute.
- Represented renewable fuel company creditor of debtor company in dispute regarding whether transactions involving tens of millions of renewable identification numbers were subject to the offset/safe harbor /forward contract provisions of Sections 362 and/or 556 of the Bankruptcy Code; representation resulted in favorable settlement of dispute.
Selected Reported Decisions:
- Royal American Construction Company, Inc. v. Comerica Bank, 164 S.W. 3d 466 (Tex. App.–Dallas 2005, no pet.) – successfully represented Comerica Bank in appeal court decision that upheld lower court’s denial of special appearance by Royal American thus allowing Comerica Bank to continue its lawsuit against appellant in Texas state court.
- In re CapRock Oil Tools, Inc., 585 B.R. 823 ( Bankr. S.D. Tex.2018)- successfully represented debtor where bankruptcy court held that unsecured claim of a former shareholder based on a promissory note issued as part of company’s repurchase of the former shareholder’s common stock, was subject to mandatory subordination under Section 510 of the Bankruptcy Code.
- Member, Dallas Bar Association
- John Ford Inns of Court
- J.L. Turner Legal Association
- Texas Bar Foundation
- American Creditors Association
- Juris Doctor, Columbia University School of Law, 1981
- Bachelor of Arts, Princeton University, 1978
Board Member and/or Past/Present Officer:
- Texas Public Finance Authority
- Alcuin School
- Baylor Hospital System Foundation
- North Texas Volunteer Center
- Goodwill Industries
- Dallas Historical Society
- Dallas Symphony
- Mental Health Assn. of Dallas
- Head Start
- President’s Advisory Committee, Dallas Center for the Performing Arts
- Texas Lyceum
- Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dallas
- Trust for Public Land (Texas Advisory)
- Selected in “Best Lawyers in Dallas” list, D Magazine, 2018, 2020
- Selected as one of the “Texas’ Top Rated Lawyers for 2014 in Bankruptcy” by Legal Leaders Magazine
- AV rated by peers (highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards), 1990-2022
- Collections
- Banking Litigation & Foreclosures
- Loan Workouts
- Loan Negotiation & Documentation
- Business Restructuring/ Reorganization Chapter 11/Chapter 7
- Bankruptcy Litigation/Transactions
- Chapter 7 Trustee Representation
- Receiverships- Representing/Serving as Federal/State Court Receiver
- Collections/Creditors Rights
- Lien Claims
- Contract Drafting & Negotiation
- Corporate Entity Disputes
- Corporate Finance
- Corporate Governance
- Corporate Reorganization
- Entity Selection & Business Formation
- Joint Ventures & Partnerships
- Shareholder Disputes
- U.S. District and/or Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern District, Eastern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas
- Third Circuit Courts of Appeals
- Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals