Kenric D. Kattner

Partner Houston New York

T +1 713.547.2518
T +1 212.659.4988

F +1 713.236.5408
F +1 212.918.8989

[email protected]

Biography

Ken Kattner focuses on complex business restructuring matters both in and out of court. He has deep experience in providing advice and structuring various M&A transactions on the buy and sell side, including distressed and non-distressed situations. Ken also advises boards concerning their duties in these special and complex situations. He has extensive experience with many reorganization efforts representing debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, committees and asset purchasers in a wide range of cases involving real estate, power and energy transactions, manufacturing companies, airlines, computer and software firms, hospitality businesses, strategic asset acquisitions, retailers, wholesalers, real estate companies, service firms, travel agencies and individuals.

Ken has served in various leadership roles at Haynes Boone, including as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, Department Chair for the firm’s Finance, Real Estate and Restructuring practice groups and as a member of the Admission to Partnership Committee.

Ken is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and has led the Fifth Circuit’s Education Committee. He has written numerous articles and has given speeches and lectures for trade groups, CLE courses and other professional associations. Ken is co-author of the Labor and Employment chapter of the Collier Guide to Chapter 11: Key Topics and Selected Industries. Ken has also served as an adjunct professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center.

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: Represented Satcom Direct in M&A sale transaction with Gogo, Inc. This M&A transaction won the 16th Annual International M&A Awards Telecommunication Services Deal of the Year.

Represented Erickson Incorporated in its chapter 11 case and subsequently in numerous refinancings and its M&A sale transaction with Helicopter Express.

Represented Heritage Power in its chapter 11 case implementing a debt for equity transaction and rights offering in a chapter 11 plan that reorganized the company.

Represented BlockFi Inc. and its affiliates in their highly complex, multi-billion-dollar chapter 11 cases resulting in confirmed chapter 11 plan providing for the full return of digital assets to BlockFi Wallet accountholders and a pro rata distribution to BlockFi’s other creditors.

Represented Bealls, Inc. as an asset purchaser in the chapter 11 cases of Stage Stores, Inc.

Represented Chiyoda International Corporation in the chapter 11 case of McDermott, in connection with Chiyoda's role as a contract counterparty with McDermott in building $10 billion in LNG export facilities in the US.

Represented the majority equity interest owner in the chapter case of C&J Energy Services Ltd.

Represented Dune Energy, Inc. in its chapter 11 case implementing a complex sale of various oil and gas assets to numerous parties.

Represented Global Aviation in its chapter 11 case.

Represented Arrow Airlines, in its chapter 11 case in Miami, Florida. Exited bankruptcy with confirmed plan and sale of company within seven months.

Represented ATA Airlines, Inc., in its chapter 11 case.

Represented Gemini Air Cargo, Inc., in its pre-negotiated chapter 11 case, which successfully exited bankruptcy within six months from filing. Negotiated and confirmed chapter 11 plan providing for debt to equity conversion and restructured operations and aircraft fleet.

Represented MAIR Holdings, Inc., in the chapter 11 case of its airline subsidiary, Mesaba Airlines.

Represented Highland Capital Management, L.P., in various restructuring matters and related chapter 11 cases throughout the United States.

Represented Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., in its chapter 11 case, which was one of the 10 largest bankruptcy filings at the time that both filed and exited bankruptcy in the same year. Negotiated and implemented a restructuring of the company's EETC transactions which is the first successful restructuring of an EETC financing undertaken in a bankruptcy case. Successfully confirmed chapter 11 plan within six months from filing bankruptcy case.

Represented major U.S. airline in successfully defending and settling $30 million lawsuit involving various business torts including franchise act violations, joint venture partnership and unjust enrichment.

Represented FirstPlus Financial, Inc. in its chapter 11 case, which was one of 10 largest bankruptcy filings at the time. Negotiated settlement of litigation with affiliates that provided sole source of funding for Plan. Devised Plan and settlement structure to resolve case.

Represented Drypers Corporation in its chapter 11 case as debtor and manufacturer of disposable baby products with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Malaysia and Latin America. Drypers was one of the largest cases filed in Houston, Texas at the time.

Represented unsecured creditors committee in chapter 11 case of Empire Funding Corp., an entity which specialized in the acquisition, servicing and securitization of over $3 billion in HLTV mortgage loans.

Represented Lehndorff companies in successful litigation and settlement of multi-million dollar claims against former officers, directors and founders. Restructured financial affairs for certain entities in the Lehndorff companies pursuant to complex real estate and oil and gas roll-up transaction.

Representation of defendants in preference and fraudulent transfer litigation nationwide.
: State Bar of Texas Litigation, Business and Corporate Law Section of Texas Bar Association

American Bar Association

Federal Bar Association

Houston Bar Association

Turnaround Management Association

American Bankruptcy Institute
: Recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America, Woodward/White, Inc., for Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2008-2026; Litigation - Bankruptcy, 2012-2026
Featured in Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Restructuring and Insolvency Lawyers and U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers listings, 2020-2026
: Education
J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 1988
B.B.A., Finance and Accounting, Southern Methodist University, 1983
B.A., English, Southern Methodist University, 1983
Admissions
New York
Texas
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas