- Representing a plan administrator appointed under a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization in connection with a fraudulent conveyance action to recover proceeds of a mezzanine loan transaction (Bankr. D. Del.).
- Representing the GFGI Liquidation Trust created under the Chapter 11 plan of liquidation of bank holding company Guaranty Holdings Inc. that has resulted in a distribution to creditors of approximately $300 million to date (Bankr. N.D. Tex.).
- Represented Wilmington Trust , as the security trustee, in its interests in various airline financing transactions in Spirit Airlines, Inc. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.).
- Represented 225 Bowery LLC, the owner of a NYC boutique hotel (formerly known as the Ace Hotel) in its Chapter 11 case resulting in the confirmation of a plan of reorganization that restructured approximately $100mm of secured debt and preserved all equity interests (Bankr. D. Del.).
- Represented UnitedHealthcare with its interests in the Chapter 11 cases filed by Envision HealthCare Corporation and its affiliates. (Bankr. S.D. Tex.).
- Represented Wilmington Trust, as collateral agent, in connection with the Chapter 11 cases filed by Endo International plc. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y).
- Represented the court-appointed German insolvency administrator of Greensill Bank (AG) with certain investments and other interests Greensill Bank (AG) has in the United States and in Europe.
- Represented Qatar Airways in connection with its participation in a multibillion-dollar DIP loan to LATAM Airlines Group S.A. (LATAM), Latin America’s leading airline group, as well as all matters related to Qatar Airways’ participation in, and support of, LATAM’s Chapter 11 plan of reorganization. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.).
- Represented a New York City real estate owner and developer in the acquisition of mortgage loans and a DIP facility totaling approximately $50 million, and utilizing those loans to acquire title to the debtor’s building through a Chapter 11 free and clear sale. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y).
- Represented the Il Mulino Restaurant Group , one of the country’s premier Italian luxury dining restaurant brands, in its Chapter 11 proceedings. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y).
Gerard S. Catalanello
Partner,
- Phone: +1 212 210 9509
- Email: gerard.catalanello@alston.com
Gerard's clients rely on him to provide practical counsel while handling their most complex bankruptcy matters. Clients ranging from financial institutions to debtors trust him with Chapter 11 cases with billions of dollars at stake.
- Represented Credit Suisse as administrative agent and lead lender in a $1.9 billion DIP loan to Chapter 11 debtor Walter Investment Management Corp. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.).
- Represented a private equity fund in the prosecution and settlement of objections to the Chapter 11 plan of reorganization of Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc., one of the largest U.S. tanker operators. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.).
- Special counsel to Chemtura Corporation, one of the largest publicly traded specialty chemical companies in the U.S. with a market valuation of over $2 billion, in its Chapter 11 proceedings, leading to the confirmation of a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization that resulted in creditors receiving 100% on account of their claims. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.).
- Represented Wilmington Trust, as indenture trustee, in connection with the Chapter 11 case of bank holding company Stonebridge Financial Corp. (Bankr. D. Del.).
- Counsel to the official committee of unsecured creditors in the Orleans Homebuilders Inc. Chapter 11 proceedings involving one of the largest and oldest residential builders in the Northeast. (Bankr. D. Del.).
- Counsel to a CDO manager, as a member of the official committee of unsecured creditors in the Tarragon Corporation Chapter 11 proceedings involving a publicly traded residential real estate developer with assets of approximately $1 billion. (Bankr. D. N.J.).
- Counsel to a CDO manager, as a member of the official committee of unsecured creditors in the General Growth Properties Inc. Chapter 11 proceedings involving one of the largest mall owners and operators in the U.S. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.).
- Counsel to Devon Mobile Communications LP, an owner and operator of PCS licenses throughout the Northeast, in the sale of substantially all of its assets (licenses and telcom infrastructure) to major telecommunications companies under a Chapter 11 plan of liquidation. (Bankr. D. Del.).
- Counsel to the former chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Chapter 11 debtor Personal Communications Devices, LLC in the litigation and settlement of claims and counterclaims in excess of $150 million. (Bankr. E.D.N.Y.).
- Counsel to certain members of the Rigas family, founders of Adelphia Communications Corp., in their defense of claims and actions totaling more than $3 billion brought by the Adelphia bankruptcy estate, including the negotiation of a tripartite agreement among the Rigas family, the Department of Justice and the Adelphia bankruptcy estate for the establishment of a $750 million fund. (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.).
- Counsel to ICC Industries, Inc. in the Chapter 11 restructuring of Pharmaceutical Formulations, Inc., a publicly traded subsidiary that manufactured and distributed over-the-counter generic pharmaceuticals. (Bankr. D. Del.).
Gerard Catalanello is chair of Alston & Bird's Financial Restructuring & Reorganization Group. He focuses his practice on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights law. He represents lenders, funds, financial institutions, liquidation trusts, equity holders, debtors, indenture trustees, and acquirers of assets of troubled companies in formal bankruptcy proceedings as well as in out-of-court workouts.
Gerard has served as counsel to official committees of unsecured creditors in a wide variety of Chapter 11 cases and has represented several institutions in negotiating and selling millions of dollars of claims in major Chapter 11 cases. He has represented liquidation and creditor trusts in analyzing and prosecuting Chapter 5 causes of actions, including fraudulent conveyance and preferences claims under confirmed Chapter 11 plans of liquidation. Gerard was named to The Best Lawyers in America® for 2023-2025 in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization, and is recognized by Chambers USA in Bankruptcy/Restructuring–New York.
Bar Admissions
- New York
- New Jersey
Education
- Fordham University (LL.M., 1996)
- Touro College (J.D., 1992)
- Adelphi University (B.A., 1989)
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association