Evan Jones has broad experience in all facets of reorganization – both in and out of court – having represented bank groups, secured creditors, debtors, unsecured creditor committees, acquirers of distressed assets, and other constituents. He has worked in media, entertainment, real estate, hospitality, retail, manufacturing and other industries.
Evan is experienced in both reorganization-related litigation and transactions ranging from large billion dollar national cases to smaller regional ones. In addition to restructuring, Evan also is involved in structuring deals to avoid or minimize the risks of bankruptcy, in close cooperation with the attorneys in our entertainment, structured finance, corporate, and infrastructure practices.
Evan is active in entertainment matters, representing major and mini-major studios, distribution and production companies, licensees of rights, investors and production companies in bankruptcy and out of court restructurings.
In technology cases, Evan has represented creditors committees, lenders, investors and buyers in numerous sales and workouts of technology-related companies. He writes and lectures extensively on technology and bankruptcy issues.
Evan has extensive experience in real estate restructurings, workouts, and bankruptcies involving oil and gas projects, alternative energy, coal companies, timber assets, hotels, apartment complexes, office buildings, and residential developments. He also is bankruptcy liaison to the Firm’s Environmental group.
Evan is recognized by Chambers and Partners USA as one of the leading insolvency/corporate recovery lawyers in California and was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. Chambers particularly highlights Evan’s “sterling work on behalf of major financial institutions and banks.”
- Represented agent bank in restructuring of geothermal project
- Represented a lead lender to Tribune Broadcasting
- Represented secured creditors in entertainment bankruptcies including Relativity, RHI and TeeVee Toons, Inc., recovering collateral through settlement and sales
- Represented lead investors in restructuring of mini-major film studio
- Represented secured noteholders in restructuring of municipally financed alternative energy project
- Represented the agent bank for secured lenders in the bankruptcy and sale of Scotia Pacific, Inc., a large timber company, obtaining a full cash payment of principal and interest
- Represented lenders recovering over US$325 million (principal and default interest and fees) through restructuring of coal company Horizon Natural Resources, AEI Resources
- Represented pre-petition and DIP lenders in recovering approximately US$500 million in loans (principal and default interest and fees) by compelling pre-plan sale of multi-dimensional agricultural cooperative in the Chapter 11 of Farmland Industries Inc.
- Represented the special committee of the Board in consummating the sale of Davis Petroleum on the first day of prepackaged bankruptcy case
- Represented Gottschalks, Inc. in connection with its recent chapter 11 filing, securing US$125 million of debtor-in-possession financing
- Represented creditors’ committee in bankruptcy of computer manufacturer Trigem Texas, Inc.
- Represented conduit issuer for LAX bonds in dispute over lease recharacterization in Chapter 11 of Delta Airlines
- Represented buyer in two-stage acquisition of debtor Pillowtex Corporation’s complex in Kannapolis, North Carolina for redevelopment in multi-use community
- Represented largest creditor of restructuring of Hyatt Waikiki hotel
- Represented secured lender in acquiring Baldwin Piano and Organ Company through pre-plan foreclosure
- Represented creditors committee in Applied Magnetics Corporation reorganization
- Represented purchaser of television station from bankruptcy in Urban Broadcasting Chapter 11
- Represented investor in the large real estate restructuring of Gas Company Tower, confirming client's plan over debtor's competing plan
- Represented unsecured bank creditors in obtaining full repayment with interest and fees in bankruptcy of Sizzler Restaurants, Inc.
- Represented the debtor in possession of Phar-Mor, Inc.
- Represented the secured lenders in DIP financing of Revco, D.S.
- Represented the largest secured lender in restructuring of Leisure Tech, Inc., a major home builder
- Represented the secured bank group in the bankruptcy of EPI Products, U.S.A.
- Represented the secured lender in the restructuring of petroleum plant Collet Ventures, Inc.
- Successfully represented Sony Pictures Entertainment in the various bankruptcies and litigation regarding “Spiderman,” including obtaining the rights to produce and distribute the film
- Represented distributors, licensees of rights, investors, and production companies in Orion, 21st Century Productions, Carolco, Cannon, and other cases
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
- District of Columbia
Court Admissions
- US District Court, Central and Eastern Districts of California, and District of Columbia
- US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
Education
- University of California at Berkeley, J.D., 1984: Order of the Coif; Editor, California Law Review
- Duke University, A.B., 1981: magna cum laude; Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor Society)
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers® for Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency & Reorganization Law in Los Angeles, CA (2022-2024); Evan has been listed in Best Lawyers® since 2006
- Recognized by Chambers and Partners USA as one of the leading insolvency/corporate recovery lawyers in California
- Recommended by Legal 500 in the area of Finance: Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy)
Professional Activities
Member
- Board of Governors, Financial Lawyers Conference (1992-96; 2001-05)
Author
- “CARES Act Expands Simpler Bankruptcy Restructuring Under New Subchapter V to Businesses With up to $7.5 Million in Debt,” (co-author Jennifer Taylor), Journal of Bankruptcy Law (August 18, 2020)
- “Bankruptcy Court Determines Special Provisions Protecting IP Licenses of Bankrupt Debtors Apply to Foreign Corporation,” Alert (November 17, 2011)
- “Lehman Bankruptcy Judge Prevents Trigger of CDO Subordination Provision Based on Credit Support Provider and Swap Counterparty Bankruptcy Filings,” The Banking Law Journal (April 2010)
- “Bad Bankruptcy Citizen,” The Deal (April 2010)
- “Facing New Realities in Today's Debtor-in-Possession Market,” Debtor-in-Possession and Exit Financing: Leading Lawyers on Securing Funding and Analyzing Recent Trends in Bankruptcy Financing (2010)
- “M&A of Companies in Insolvency Proceedings in US, UK and Japan”
- “China’s Draft Bankruptcy Law,” Asian Counsel, Vol. 3, Issue 1 (February 2005)
Speeches
- “Bankruptcy Nuts and Bolts-Executory Contracts” Financial Lawyers Conference (June 07, 2013)
- “Is Your Collateral A Mirage? Issues in IP Collateral” LACBA (April 28 2013)
- “What’s Termination Got To Do With It? Rejection after Sunbeam” Financial Lawyers Conference (October 04, 2012)
- USC Gould School of Law 2011 Real Estate Law and Business Forum (April 02, 2011)
- “DBSD v. DISH: Designation, Gifting, and Standing... Did the Second Circuit Get it Right? (And what are the implications for the loan market?)” LSTA Conference Center (March 09, 2011)
- “The Failing Real Estate Project,” USC Gould School of Law 2011 Real Estate Law and Business Forum (March 02, 2011)
- “Important Leasing Issues in Today's Economy,” presented to USC Law School's 2009 Real Estate Law and Business Forum (March 25, 2009)
- Guest Lecturer UCLA Law School, “Debt, Fiduciary Obligation and Theory of the Firm,” Law 237 (Corporate Finance) (March 2004; March 2006)
- Guest Lecturer, Loyola Law School, “Bankruptcy and M&A,” (Mergers & Acquisition) Chapter 11,” (Transactional Practice Workshop) (November 23, 2005; April 11, 2006)
Guest Lecturer
- Stanford University
- UCLA
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Oregon
- USC Entrepreneur Institute
- Loyola Law School