John E. Murray

My focus

I advise clients on a wide range of strategic transactions, mergers, and acquisitions, with a particular focus on bankruptcy, insolvency, and distressed situations.  In my insolvency practice, I regularly represent creditors and debtors in Chapter 11 reorganizations, Chapter 7 liquidations, and out-of-court restructurings.  I focus on finding creative solutions for clients who  are in difficult situations.

Prior to joining Nixon Peabody, I was an associate in the business restructuring groups at international law firms in both Boston and New York, and I completed clerkships with the Honorable Ann M. Nevins of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut and the Honorable Marie E. Lihotz of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.

Representative experience

Restructuring and Insolvency

• LRG Healthcare in its Chapter 11 case in the District of New Hampshire
• U.S. Bank, N.A., as a member of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in connection with the Chapter 11 cases of In re Hertz, Corp.

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Sydney, Australia–based AMP Capital in the sale of its infrastructure debt platform with over $9 billion in AUM to Ares Management Corporation
• Sydney, Australia–based AMP Capital in the sale of its infrastructure equity platform with over $5.5 billion in AUM to DigitalBridge
• Tokyo, Japan-based Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in the sale of their port facilities in Oakland and Los Angeles to Ocean Network Express, Ltd., and Macquarie Asset Management

Jack joined Nixon Peabody in January 2021. Representative work may reflect experience from prior firms.

• Advised an ad hoc group of secured noteholders in the Chapter 11 cases of Garrett Motion, Inc.
• Advised a behavioral health hospital system on the wind-down and Chapter 7 filing of a subsidiary facility
• Advised a distressed debt investor in connection with an investment related to Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Chapter 11 cases, involving analysis of complex legal issues relating to make-whole and subrogation claims and wildfire claims liability
• Advised a consortium of Philadelphia-area hospitals in their winning section 363 bid for Hahnemann University Hospital’s medical residency slot assets.
• Represented CERO Cooperative, Inc., a Boston-based commercial composting company, in consensual out-of-court restructuring, which effectuated a debt-for-equity swap and other loan modifications, as well as new financing from institutional and private investors
• Represented one of the largest unsecured creditors in a high-profile consumer Chapter 7 case and related adversary proceeding objecting to the debtor’s discharge

Looking ahead

While the present higher interest rate environment has not precipitated liquidity issues for many borrowers, clients should consider strategic transactions and restructuring options, either for themselves or their counterparties, in the near term.