Greg Wilkes represents a wide variety of clients in all stages of business restructurings—both in and out of court. Greg frequently advises corporate debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, and purchasers of financially distressed companies in the energy, consumer products, hospitality, technology, real estate, and industrial sectors.
Greg also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Robert L. Jones, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas.
- Lead Bankruptcy Counsel to the secured lender and DIP lender of a national “eatertainment” restaurant chain, culminating in the successful sale of substantially all of the debtors’ assets to the secured lender.
- Lead Bankruptcy Counsel to the secured lender, DIP lender, and plan sponsor of a leading ceramics producer in the oil and gas sector, culminating in the confirmation of a plan of reorganization resulting in a debt for equity swap of the prepetition indebtedness.
- Lead Bankruptcy Counsel for the debtors and debtors in possession for Elk Petroleum and its affiliated debtors that resulted in the successful confirmation of a plan of reorganization that restructured in excess of $150 million of prepetition indebtedness.
- Counsel to 10 US-based affiliates of a Mexican parent company in their successful reorganization of approximately US$1.2 billion of debt.
- Counsel to secured lender of a telephone, cable and newspaper operator involving over US$500 million in debt, and with issues related to foreclosure, involuntary bankruptcy petitions, venue and related party jurisdiction and appointment of a Chapter 11 Trustee
- Counsel to the secured lender in connection with the US$2.2 billion out of court restructuring of Danaos Corp.
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- New York
- Texas
Court Admissions
- US District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Education
- Southern Methodist University, J.D., cum laude, 2004
- The University of Texas at Austin, B.A., Political Science and Government, cum laude, 2000
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Chambers USA for Bankruptcy/Restructuring in Texas (2022-2024)
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America® for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law in Dallas, TX (2021-2025)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Restructuring (including Bankruptcy): Corporate (2022, 2024)
- Named a Texas Rising Star, Bankruptcy, Thomson Reuters (2008-2017)
Professional Activities
Speaking Engagements
- ABI NYC Bankruptcy Conference, "Revisiting Bad Faith Filings: Improper Purposes and Use of Chapter 11" (June 10, 2022)
Attorney Ad Litem
- Former attorney ad litem for one of the children removed from the YFZ Ranch in El Dorado, Texas
Clerkships
- The Honorable Robert L. Jones, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas (2004-2005)
Member
- State Bars of New York and Texas
- Dallas Bar Association
- Former Board Member, Second Wind Foundation
- Former Board Member, The Open Doors Foundation
Publications
- “Involuntary Bankruptcies from the Creditor Perspective,” Bankruptcy Litigation, Volume 15, Number 2, Spring 2009 (An American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Journal of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Committee publication)
- “Recognizing and Fulfilling Fiduciary Duties in the Bankruptcy Zone,” 2008 Jay L. Westbrook Bankruptcy Conference, November 13-14, 2008 (Co-Author with Lou Strubeck, Michael Anglin, Ryan Manns and Kristian Gluck)
- “A Post-BAPCPA Look at Lease Assumption and Rejection, Key Employee Incentive Plans, and Reclamation," State Bar Of Texas, 25th Annual Advanced Business Bankruptcy Course, February 22 - 23, 2007 (Co-Author with Lou Strubeck, Ryan Manns and Kristian Gluck)
Volunteer
- A World for Children
- Martin Luther King Center Pro Bono Clinic