Debra A. Dandeneau
Biography
Debra A. Dandeneau is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Global Restructuring & Insolvency Group based in the Firm's New York office. Her practice focuses on business reorganizations and debtor and creditors' rights. Debra served as Chair of the Global Restructuring & Insolvency Group from 2016 through 2022.
Debra received the Restructuring & Insolvency Lawyer of the Year award from the Women in Business Law Awards 2023/Americas. She has been ranked by The Best Lawyers in America 2011-2022 in the practice areas of Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Litigation-Bankruptcy. In 2022, she was named "Lawyer of the Year" in Litigation - Bankruptcy, New York City by Best Lawyers in America. She has been recognized by Legal 500 US for Municipal Bankruptcy and Super Lawyers 2006-2022 for Bankruptcy and also received the Top Women in Dealmaking award (Restructuring) from The Deal in 2021 and 2022.
Debra regularly speaks on restructuring issues and is frequently quoted in the media, including The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, and BBC Radio.
Representative Legal Matters
- Debra's debtor representations include Aleris International, Armstrong World Industries, Brothers Gourmet Coffee, Daffy's, Eagle-Picher Industries, Formica Corporation, LandSource Communities Development (Newhall Land & Farming), Magellan Health Services, Maidenform Corporation, Okeelanta Power Corporation, Petite Concepts, Sun Healthcare Group, and Takata Corporation.
- In addition to her many out-of-court restructuring deals, Debra has represented creditors and other parties in a number of high-profile bankruptcy cases, including those of Highland Capital Management, Westinghouse, Essar Steel Minnesota, Mt Gox, MF Global, Empire Generating, Catalina Marketing, TerraVia, Caesars Entertainment, the Archdiocese of Portland, the Diocese of Spokane, the city of Stockton, the city of San Bernardino, Homer City Generating, and Montreal, Maine & Atlantic.
Professional Honors
- Lawyer of the Year, Americas, from the Women in Business Law Awards 2023
- Listed, Lawdragon 500 Leading US Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers, 2020, 2022 and 2023
- "Top Women in Dealmaking" award from The Deal, 2021 and 2022
- "Best Lawyer" in Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation, Best Lawyers in America, 2011-2022
- "Lawyer of the Year" in Litigation - Bankruptcy, New York City, Best Lawyers in America, 2022
- "Super Lawyer" in Bankruptcy, Super Lawyers, 2006-2022
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Restructuring & Insolvency Lawyers, 2020
- "Top Women" for Bankruptcy: Business in New York, Super Lawyers, 2017
- Recommended Lawyer in Municipal Bankruptcy in the US, Legal 500 US, 2015
- Pro Bono Publico Award, The Legal Aid Society, 2008
Professional Associations and Memberships
- New York Bar - Member
- Florida Bar - Member
- California Bar - Member
Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida~United States
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida~United States
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan~United States
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York~United States
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York~United States
- Florida~United States
- New York~United States
- California~United States
Education
- Columbia Law School (J.D., Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar) (1986)
- University of Miami (A.B., Magna cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) (1983)