Jeff Bjork, Managing Partner of Latham’s Los Angeles offices and former Global Vice Chair of the firm’s Restructuring and Special Situations Practice, represents public and private companies, creditors, and investors in all aspects of restructuring. Widely recognized as a leading restructuring lawyer in the United States, Mr. Bjork is a fellow in the prestigious American College of Bankruptcy, and most recently was named Dealmaker of the Year by The American Lawyer in 2023 for leading Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals in its Chapter 11 restructuring.

With 25 years in practice, Mr. Bjork represents debtors, creditors, sponsors, boards of directors, and investors in all aspects of restructuring distressed companies. He regularly advises companies on successful strategies to address mass tort and legacy liabilities, including asbestos, environmental, and product related liabilities, and has represented clients in numerous mass tort bankruptcies.

Accolades and Recognition

In recognition of his work, Mr. Bjork was selected as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Los Angeles for 2022 by the Los Angeles Business Journal. He was also named Bankruptcy Attorney of the Year for 2021 by the Los Angeles Business Journal, and one of the Outstanding Restructuring Lawyers for 2020 by Turnarounds & Workouts. Chambers USA recommends Mr. Bjork for Bankruptcy/Restructuring Nationwide and in California, noting that his “experience in matters involving any and all industries enables him to quickly assess and understand a situation, and to provide the legal advice that best positions his clients for maximum recovery and success.” He excels “at representing debtors and creditors” and that “one of his outstanding attributes is his creativity.” Commentators have observed that he is “very creative and very helpful to have involved in negotiating a business deal, M&A transaction or settlement,” while others have noted that he is “thoroughly knowledgeable, detail-oriented, client-focused, practical and fearless in representation.”

Mr. Bjork has been named as a leading restructuring lawyer by IFLR1000 (Highly Regarded, Restructuring and Insolvency), The Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America in 2020, 2022, and 2023, The Best Lawyers in America (Bankruptcy/Insolvency), The International Who’s Who for Restructuring & Insolvency Lawyers, The Legal 500 (Municipal Bankruptcy), among others. 

Mr. Bjork is a member of the Pepperdine University Board. He is a frequent lecturer, speaker, and writer on restructuring, bankruptcy, and insolvency topics.

Mr. Bjork has experience in large scale, cross-border restructurings and insolvencies globally. He advises clients in distressed situations across industries including energy (power, E&P, and E&P services), hospitality and gaming, real estate, industrials and manufacturing, automotive, print and film media, and retail and consumer products. He has successfully represented bond insurers and bond holders in high profile municipal restructurings, including in Chapter 9. His representative experience includes advising:

Company-Side Representations

  • Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
  • Imerys Talc America
  • Virgin Orbit
  • Paddock Enterprises (formerly Owens Illinois Inc.)
  • Sable Permian Resources
  • Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
  • Starry Group Holdings, Inc.
  • American Energy Permian Basin
  • Dearden’s*
  • Key Energy Services, Inc.*
  • Dynegy Holdings*
  • R.H. Donnelly Corp.*
  • Federal Mogul Corporation*
  • Sea Containers LTD*
  • Devon Convenience Stores, Inc.*
  • Fortunoff Holdings, LLC*
  • The Flintkote Company*

Creditor and Investor Representations

  • Fast Radius (Chapter 11; client, sponsor)
  • Neiman Marcus (Chapter 11; client, sponsor)
  • The Boy Scouts of America (Chapter 11; client, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
  • Metropolitan Automotive Warehouse (Chapter 11; client, Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors)*
  • Powerwave Technologies (Chapter 11; client, Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors)*
  • Station Casinos, Inc. (Chapter 11; client, senior lenders)*
  • TI Automotive (UK Scheme of Arrangement; client, debt syndicate)*
  • ARG Holdings Inc. (“Black Angus Steakhouse”) (Chapter 11; client, secured lender and majority equity holder)*
  • St. Francis Medical Centers (out-of-court restructuring; client, bond insurer)*
  • ABFS Inc. (Chapter 11; client, bond insurer)*
  • Olympic Sales, Inc. (Chapter 11; client, Brunswick Corporation as purchaser)*
  • Midway Games (Chapter 11; client, THQ Inc. as purchaser)*
  • Acclaim Inc. (Chapter 11; client, THQ Inc. as purchaser)*
  • Advanced Tissue Sciences Inc. (Chapter 11; client, purchaser)*
  • KB Toys Inc. (Chapter 11; client, purchaser)*

Municipal Debt Restructurings

  • Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Title III (PROMESA), client, Autonomy Capital)
  • City of Detroit (Chapter 9, client, National Public Finance Guarantee)*
  • City of Stockton, California (Chapter 9, client, Assured Guaranty)*
  • City of San Bernardino, California (Chapter 9, client, Assured Guaranty)*
  • Town of Mammoth Lakes, California (Chapter 9, client, creditor)*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • California

Education

  • JD, Emory University School of Law
    with distinction
  • BA, Pepperdine University
    magna cum laude