Hogan Lovells Expands L.A. Office with Prominent Business Restructuring and Insolvency Partner
Los Angeles, 28 May 2019 – International law firm Hogan Lovells is pleased to announce that David Simonds has joined the firm’s Business Restructuring and Insolvency (BRI) practice as a partner based in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
"I am very excited to expand my practice both nationally and internationally at Hogan Lovells," said Simonds. "I’ve worked with members of the Hogan Lovells BRI practice over the years and am looking forward to offering the firm’s broad array of services to my clients and strengthen the already established BRI platform in Los Angeles."
"We have been strategically expanding our practice globally and David is a perfect addition," said Chris Donoho, Global Head of Hogan Lovells Business Restructuring and Insolvency practice. “He is highly regarded for his representation of ad hoc groups, investment fund and institutional noteholders and lenders, and other creditors and parties in interest, in high profile out-of-court restructurings and bankruptcy cases."
Simonds joins the firm from Akin Gump, where he has served as a partner since 2004, having joined as an associate in 2000. He has more than 25 years of experience representing debtors, official and informal creditors’ committees, secured and unsecured creditors, asset purchasers and other parties in interest in chapter 11 cases, out-of-court restructurings, cross-border insolvencies, and transactions. He recently served as lead bankruptcy counsel to the owner of films and associated rights that were the subject of a complex licensing/distribution arrangement with The Weinstein Company. In addition, he also recently represented a group of private placement noteholders in a successful cross-border, out-of-court restructuring through which his clients acquired a majority equity ownership of the Savers and Value Village retail chains, one of the largest thrift store operators in the United States and Canada, by equitizing their notes and making a substantial new money investment.
"David is a seasoned practitioner who will be able to offer our clients advice in financial restructuring matters across a variety of industries," said Rick Wynne, Co-Head of the U.S. Business Restructuring and Insolvency practice. "David’s recruitment strengthens our Los Angeles office and our practice in the California market."
Simonds joins the L.A. office right after Ann C. Kim joined the office’s Litigation practice, and a little over one year after Rick Wynne, Bennett Spiegel, and Erin Brady joined the office’s BRI practice.
"David will be a wonderful addition to the LA office and the BRI team," said Michael Maddigan, Office Managing Partner of the Los Angeles Office. "California has a significant number of private equity and hedge funds that regularly invest in distressed debt. David’s knowledge and experience will be valuable in expanding our offerings to meet their needs."
Simonds received his B.S., summa cum laude, in Accounting in 1989 from the State University of New York at Albany, and his J.D. in 1992 from the New York University School of Law, where he was an editor of the Annual Survey of American Law. He is also a certified public accountant.
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