TSL Express Daily News

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Stephanie K. Hor-Chen has joined the firm’s Chicago office in the Finance, Restructuring, and Bankruptcy group as a partner. Stephanie focuses her practice on insolvency and restructuring and has extensive transactional and bankruptcy court experience. She joins the firm from Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.

Stephanie rejoins her former partners Kenneth J. Ottaviano, Karin H. Berg, Paige Barr Tinkham, and William J. Dorsey, who opened Blank Rome’s Chicago office in June 2019. Since the opening, the Chicago office has grown to include 22 attorneys, 11 of which joined this year including partners Basileios “Bill” Katris (Commercial Litigation), Rikke A. Dierssen-Morice (Insurance Recovery), Eric Tower (Corporate, M&A, and Securities), and Joel V. Sestito (Real Estate).

“We are excited to welcome Stephanie to our firm,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “Stephanie is highly regarded for managing complex insolvency matters and representing lenders and administrative agents in significant loan workouts, refinancings, and reorganizations, achieving successful outcomes in each matter. Her deep experience and commitment to client service is a perfect match for our firm, Chicago office, and bankruptcy and restructuring team.”

Stephanie represents lenders—including banks, commercial finance companies, private equity firms, equipment lenders, administrative agents, and indenture trustees—in out-of-court workouts and in-court proceedings. She also routinely represents other creditors, receivers, assignees for the benefit of creditors, and purchasers of assets in distressed transactions, out-of-court restructurings, and in-court proceedings. Stephanie has experience in all phases of litigation, including drafting pleadings, discovery, and motion practice in federal and state courts.

Stephanie’s experience extends to all aspects of complex Chapter 11 cases, including debtor-in-possession financing, cash collateral disputes, and Section 363 sales. She also represents indenture trustees and administrative agents with respect to the enforcement of holder rights and remedies in bankruptcy and other proceedings. Additionally, Stephanie represents lenders in general commercial loan transactions, and counsels such clients in the structuring and documentation of credit facilities and the negotiation of intercreditor agreements.

“We are thrilled Stephanie is joining us at Blank Rome and that we will have the opportunity to work together again,” said Kenneth J. Ottaviano, Partner and Chair of the firm’s Chicago office. “Stephanie has an excellent track record of helping creditors resolve loan and lease defaults, and manage the acquisition of distressed assets. She will be a great addition to our national bankruptcy and restructuring team. We have experienced steady and strategic growth in our Chicago office since opening in 2019. I am thrilled with the progress we have made over the past four years and look forward to continuing this great momentum to meet the needs of our clients.”

“Joining Blank Rome creates so many opportunities for my clients and my practice,” noted Stephanie. “I look forward to supporting current clients, reconnecting with former clients, and serving them all from a nationally renowned bankruptcy and restructuring platform. I am also really excited to rejoin my former colleagues, Ken, Karin, Paige, and Will, and to contribute to the firm’s culture, participate in the firm’s women’s group, and contribute to additional growth in the Chicago office.”

Stephanie earned her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law, her M.P.H. from the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and her B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While in law school, she was an associate editor for the University of Illinois Law Review. Following law school, Stephanie clerked for the Honorable William V. Altenberger of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of Illinois.