Robert D. Gordon, Partner

Robert Gordon represents and provides strategic counsel to distressed companies, significant creditor constituencies, and related parties in complex and high-stakes corporate and public-sector restructurings. Robert has led private-sector restructuring engagements arising out of a broad range of industries, including energy, telecommunications, automotive/manufacturing, real estate, gaming and hospitality, media and entertainment, retail, and aviation. Among his clients are distressed companies, independent directors, ad hoc and official creditors’ and retirees’ committees, pension systems, secured and unsecured creditors, distressed-asset investors, lessors, trustees and liquidating agents. Robert has also served as a federal court receiver in an SEC enforcement action.

Robert is creative and pragmatic in developing case strategy but also prepared to aggressively leverage litigation positions as needed to advance his clients’ goals. His clients appreciate his insight and informed guidance in crafting strategies that account for the numerous competing interests and motivations of various stakeholders in distressed situations. In addition, Robert provides effective transactional advice regarding contractual risk management, agile counsel in matters involving supply chain distress, and skilled litigation representation, including in matters involving liability management transactions, fraudulent transfer actions, preference actions and other commercial and bankruptcy-related matters. Robert has successfully argued cases before numerous courts.

Prior to joining Herrick, Robert was a partner at Jenner & Block LLP.

Recent notable engagements include:

• Serving as counsel to the Official Committee of Retirees in the restructuring proceedings for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, representing the interests of 167,000 public-sector retirees who, along with active employees, are owed approximately $58 billion in connection with the funding of their accrued pensions.
• Represented a special committee of independent directors of Intelsat (Luxembourg) S.A. in the highly complex and contentious Chapter 11 bankruptcy of global satellite communications provider Intelsat S.A. and 35 affiliated debtors, successfully restructuring $14 billion of debt.
• Represented a special committee of independent members of upstream oil and gas company Bruin E&P Partners, LLC regarding various issues in connection with the negotiation of a restructuring support agreement and prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy that restructured $1 billion of funded debt.
• Served as special restructuring counsel to the Detroit Retirement Systems in the City of Detroit’s landmark Chapter 9 bankruptcy case.