Tom Califano has a broad ranging practice in all aspects of insolvency matters, including out-of-court workouts and Chapter 11 reorganizations and liquidations. He represents distressed companies, creditors’ committees, lending institutions, private equity funds, purchasers of distressed debt, and other secured and unsecured creditors. Mr. Califano is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Martindale-Hubbell rates him AV, its highest available rating.

Recent representative transactions include:

• Representation of indenture trustees in public debt cases.
• Representation of official committee of unsecured creditors in case involving power plant producers.
• Representation of buyer in $1 billion bankruptcy acquisition.
• Lead counsel to the unsecured creditors’ committee in the Schwinn/GT Corp. bankruptcy cases.
• Representation of bondholder groups in significant public debt gaming cases.
• Representation of the plan funder in the reorganization and acquisition of a publicly held biotech company.
• Debtor counsel in the Chapter 11 proceeding of Décor Gravure Corp. and related affiliates, largest manufacturer of vinyl wallboard in the United States.
• Debtor counsel for affiliated manufacturing subsidiaries of public holding companies in consolidated Chapter 11 proceedings.
• Debtor counsel for national manufacturer of ATVs and personal recreational vehicles.
• Representation of national savings bank in connection with portfolio of in excess of 50 commercial mortgage loans in bankruptcy.
• Representation of purchaser of large portfolios of defaulted mortgage loans in connection with bankruptcies and workouts of portfolio borrowers.
• Representation of cooperative "white knight" in connection with reorganization of several large cooperative owners' corporations.
• Representation of several large cooperative corporations in workouts and restructurings.
• Representation of debtor-in-possession financier and plan funder in several large real estate bankruptcies.

Admissions

• New York
• United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Memberships

• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Turnaround Management Association
• New York City Bar Association Bankruptcy Committee

Publications

• "When D&O’s Failure to Monitor Results in Breach of Fiduciary Duty, In-House Counsel Are Liable," DLA Piper Restructuring Alert (May 19, 2008)
• "Spyrus, Inc.: The Pre-Packaged Plan of Reorganization," DLA Piper Restructuring Alert (May 12, 2008)
• "The Enforcement of Intercreditor Agreements Between First and Second Lienors - The Power to Waive Bankruptcy Rights," Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law (March 2006)
• "Retaining Management: New law makes use of financial incentive programs more difficult," New York Law Journal (November 21, 2005)
• "Real Estate Lenders and Landlords are Winners In Bankruptcy Code Amendments," The Real Estate Finance Journal (Fall 2005)
• "How deep is deep subordination?" Financier Worldwide, Turnaround Management & Corporate Renewal (October 2004)
• "Sale of a Distressed Business under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code," Financier Worldwide (February 2004)
• "A Shift in Fiduciary Duties," National Law Journal (September 17, 2001)

Seminars

• Co-Presenter, “The Current State of the First and Second Lien Markets: Looking Back to See Forward,” Loan Syndication and Trading Association’s Annual Conference (October 17, 2007)
• Panelist, 15th Annual Southwest Bankruptcy Conference Complex Restructuring Program (September 6, 2007)
• Panelist, 6th Annual Advanced Restructuring and Plan of Reorganization Conference, “Plan Valuation Update” (September 18, 2007)
• Presenter, “Bankruptcy and Restructuring Issues In Today’s Troubled Environment,” Masco Corporation (May 17, 2007)
• Presenter, “Issues in Homebuilder Bankruptcies” Credit Suisse Special Situations Conference May 7, 2007
• Panelist, “Playing Second Fiddle – Protecting and Enforcing Second-Lien Positions," American Bankruptcy Institute's Rocky Mountain Bankruptcy Conference (January 26-27, 2007)
• Panelist, “Distressed Trading,” TMA/The Deal Distressed Investing Conference (January 17-19, 2007)
• Moderator, "Securitization Workouts, Servicing Transfers & Enforcing Investors' Rights," ABS East Conference (November 6, 2006)
• Presenter, "How Legal Positions in Bankruptcy," Association of Commercial Finance (September 20, 2006)
• Panelist, "Buying and Selling Distressed Companies," The Seventh Semi-Annual Mergers & Acquisitions Advisor Conference and Awards Program (December 3, 2003)
• Panelist, "Buying, Selling and Advising Troubled Companies," Rihga Royal New York Hotel (June 10, 2003)
• Panelist, "Current Trends in Reorganization," Annual Meeting of Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Accounts
• Presenter, New York City Bar Association Report: "Co-op Bankruptcies and Work-outs"
• Panelist, "Communication in Reorganization Proceedings," Denver Turnaround Management Association