GERALD L. SHELLEY

Gerald practices in the areas of commercial bankruptcy, litigation and business restructuring and reorganization. He has handled insolvency and reorganization cases in a variety of industries, including real estate, agriculture, mining, transportation, retail, franchising and licensing, health care, manufacturing, non-profit, and e-commerce. He represents lenders, secured and unsecured, committees, debtors, trustees, examiners, purchasers and other parties affected by or connected to an insolvency or bankruptcy. He has also handled cross-border insolvency issues involving Canada, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, where his Spanish fluency assists.

Education

  • J.D. Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
  • B.A. Brigham Young University
  • Omicron Delta Epsilon
  • Law clerk to the Honorable Robert G. Mooreman, Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, District of Arizona 1985-1987
  • Nationally Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification

Areas Of Practice

One of the largest and most active bankruptcy and creditors’ rights legal practices in the Southwest and California, representing clients locally, regionally, and nationally.

Our experienced agricultural attorneys provide a broad range of assistance to clients, both domestically and internationally, in many areas of agribusiness and agricultural law.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

  • Bankruptcy
  • Litigation

Representative Cases

  • Reorganized several golf courses in the greater Phoenix area.
  • Represented banks and private lenders seeking stay relief.
  • Represented Wall Street lender with “Zone of Insolvency” issues.
  • Represented official committee in hedge fund bankruptcy with Ponzi Scheme implications
  • Represented parties with interests in airline bankruptcies, both national and international.
  • Represented an international financial institution in its defense of a cramdown plan relating to low income housing apartments.
  • Represented various defendants in large and complex preference and avoidance cases.
  • Represented utility companies in rearranging or terminating contracts with Enron Power Marketing Corporation.
  • Represented the State of Arizona’s health care agency in dealing with a hospital in Chapter 11.

Awards and Honors

  • Southwest Super Lawyers®, Bankruptcy: Business, 2014-2023
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights, Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy, 2013-2024
  • AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated (the highest rating available), by Martindale-Hubbell

Articles and Presentations

  • Speaker, “Successful 363 Sales,” State  Bar of Arizona Bankruptcy Section, February 1, 2018
  • Speaker, “The Symposium,” M&A Advisor 2017 Distressed Investing Summit, March 23, 2017
  • Frequent lecturer at seminars sponsored by the Arizona State Bar, the Maricopa County Bar Association and Sterling Education Services

Professional and community activities

  • Member, State Bar of Arizona
  • Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
  • Member, Risk Management Association
  • Member, INSOL International
  • Member, East Valley Partnership

Admissions

  • Arizona
  • U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • Pro hac vice admissions in other districts throughout the United States, including Bankruptcy Courts in California, Utah, Nevada, Kentucky and New York.

LANGUAGES

  • Spanish, Fluent