Jamila Justine Willis

Partner

Global Co-Chair, Consumer Goods, Food and Retail sector
Chair, New York Office Restructuring group

Emailjamila.willis@dlapiper.com

Call+1 212 335 4969

New York

About

Areas of FocusConsumer Goods, Food and Retail Finance Restructuring

Bar admissionsConnecticutNew York

CourtsUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

EXPERIENCE

Jamila's recent in-court engagements include:

Debtor Representations

Counsel to debtor UpHealth Holdings, Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries in connection with their chapter 11 cases in In re UpHealth Holdings, Inc. et al. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
Counsel to NextPoint Financial, Inc. and certain of its affiliates in connection with its cross-border restructuring in Canada under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and in the United States under chapter 15 of the United States Bankruptcy Code
Counsel to debtor REVA Medical, Inc. in connection with its “pre-packaged” chapter 11 case In re REVA Medical, Inc. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
Counsel to debtor Comcar Industries, Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries in connection with their chapter 11 cases In re Comcar Industries, Inc., et al. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
Counsel to Daniel Francis Butters and Ian Colin Wormleighton, as joint foreign representatives (the "Foreign Representatives") of Arcadia Global (USA) Limited (in administration), the London-based operator of TopShop/TopMan retail stores, in connection with the chapter 15 case In re Arcadia Global (USA) Limited in before United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
Counsel to debtors Celadon Group, Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries in connection with their chapter 11 cases In re Celadon Group, Inc., et al. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
Counsel to debtor L.K. Bennett U.S.A, Inc., the New York-based U.S. retail arm of British clothing retailer L.K. Bennett, Ltd., in connection with its chapter 11 case In re L.K. Bennett U.S.A, Inc. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Counsel to debtors Appvion, Inc. and its certain of its affiliates in connection with their chapter 11 cases In re Appvion, Inc., et. al. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
Counsel to debtors Abengoa, S.A., Abengoa Bioenergy US Holding, LLC and Abeinsa Holding Inc. and certain of their affiliates in connection with their multijurisdictional restructuring, focusing specifically on the US-based chapter 11 and chapter 15 cases before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and the sale of certain US assets through a chapter 11 case before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Counsel to debtors Xtera Communications, Inc. and its subsidiaries in connection with their chapter 11 cases In re Xtera Communications, Inc. et. al. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware

Distressed M&A and Buy-Side Representations

Counsel to purchaser, THG Beauty USA LLC, affiliate of The Hut Group (THG), in connection with its acquisition of substantially all assets related to the Biossance brand of Amyris, Inc. and its affiliated debtors in In re Amyris, Inc. et al.
Counsel to purchaser, NCI Group, Inc., an affiliate of Cornerstone Building Brands, in connection with its acquisition of substantially all assets of Bridger Steel, Inc. in In re Bridger Steel, Inc.
Counsel to stalking horse purchaser, Circles MVNE Pte. Ltd., an affiliate of Circles Global, in connection with its acquisition of substantially all mobile virtual network enabler assets of Pareteum Corporation and its debtor affiliates in In re Pareteum Corporation, et al.
Counsel to stalking horse purchaser, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., in connection with its acquisition of substantially all assets of Proteus Digital Health, Inc. in In re Proteus Digital Health, Inc.
Counsel to stalking horse purchaser, HC Salon Holdings, Inc., affiliate of Tacit Capital LLC, in connection with its acquisition of substantially all assets of Creative Hairdressers, Inc. and Ratner Companies, L.C. in In re Creative Hairdressers, Inc., et al.
Counsel to stalking horse purchaser, RBS Salon Holdings, Inc., affiliate of Tacit Capital LLC, in connection with its bid to acquire of substantially all assets of Rudy's Barbershop Holdings, LLC and its affiliated debtors in In re Rudy's Barbershop Holdings, LLC, et al.
Counsel to stalking horse purchaser, ABG-Barneys, LLC, affiliate of Authentic Brands Group, LLC, in connection with its acquisition of all intellectual property of luxury retailer, Barney’s New York and its debtor affiliates in In re Barneys New York, Inc. et al.
Counsel to stalking horse purchaser, Pfizer, Inc., in connection with its acquisition of substantially all assets of BIND Therapeutics, Inc. in In re BIND Therapeutics, Inc. et. al.
Co-counsel to stalking horse purchaser General Wireless, Inc., affiliate of Standard General L.P., in connection with its acquisition of certain of the assets of RadioShack Corporation and its affiliated debtors, including more than 1700 stores and substantially all of the intellectual property, in In re RadioShack Corporation et. al.
Counsel to real estate investment firm in connection with the potential acquisition of a portfolio of thirty-five hotels and resorts
Counsel to brand development and entertainment company in connection with the potential acquisition of a portfolio of thirty-four retail stores
Counsel to private equity firm in connection with the potential acquisition of a fast casual restaurant chain and franchisor

Other In-Court Representations

Counsel to debtor ALCO Stores, Inc. in connection with the adversary proceeding Blackhawk Network, Inc. and Blackhawk Network California, Inc. v. ALCO Stores, Inc.
Counsel to creditor Leucadia National Corp. and its subsidiaries in connection with the adversary proceeding The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Vivaro Corporation v. Leucadia National Corporation et. al.

Jamila's recent out-of-court matters include:

Represented a global alternative asset manager in connection with the foreclosure sale of an electrochemical technology company
Represented a debt capital firm in connection with the foreclosure sale of a cyber and intelligence technology company
Represented an international financial services group in connection with the out-of-court restructuring of bonds of an independent living facility.
Advised a global alternative asset manager with respect to the sale of its interest in distressed assets
Advised a Madrid-based international bank with respect to the sale of its interest in distressed US-based assets
Advised a Puerto Rico-based international bank in connection with a potential foreclosure sale of a grocery store chain
Advised an investment firm in connection with a potential foreclosure sale of a wireless communications design and development company

Education

J.D., University of Virginia School of Law

B.A., Communications, Economics, University of Pennsylvania

Awards

Pro Bono

Bylines

Co-author, "Recent Retailer-Debtors Cite Supply Chain Crisis As Trigger For Bankruptcy Filings," Journal of Corporate Renewal, March 2023
"Lessons Learned from the 'Retail Apocalypse': Where Fashion Goes from Here," New York Law Journal, August 28, 2020

Seminars

Speaker, "From Reactivity to Opportunistic Proactivity: Elevating Credibility and Influence in the Boardroom Through Strategic Planning and Creative Problem Solving," General Counsel Institute (November 7, 2024)
Speaker, "Chapter 11 Tactics: Is that Coercion or Just a Bankruptcy Thing," National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and American Bankruptcy Institute Behind The Bench Series, March 25, 2024
Speaker, "Hedging risk in a distressed environment," DLA Piper's Consumer Goods and Retail Speaker Series, September 21, 2023
Moderator, "B2C — Mindset Shift: Unpacking Business Risks & Rewards Tied to Consumer Behavior Today," Exponent 2023 Exchange, June 2023
Speaker, Legal Mentor Transactional Bootcamp Series - Session 4, DLA Piper, 2023
Speaker, "Corporate Restructuring Trends and M&A Issues in the Era of COVID-19," National Bar Association Corporate Law Section 34th Annual Corporate Counsel Conference, February 23, 2021
Speaker, "Recent Developments in Distressed Debt, Restructurings and Workouts 2021," Practising Law Institute, January 28, 2021
Speaker, "The Ongoing Impact of COVID on M&A Activities – Understanding and Finding Opportunities during a Global Pandemic," M&A Advisor Distressed Investing Virtual Symposium, December 2, 2020
Speaker, "How Has COVID-19 Impacted Bankruptcy and Business Law and Practice," UC Hastings and UCLA Anderson 2020 San Francisco Economic Outlook and Bankruptcy Law, November 10, 2020
Speaker, "Restructuring in the Time of COVID-19," National Association of Women Lawyers General Counsel Institute, November 12, 2020
Speaker, "Bankruptcy Law," Metropolitan Black Bar Association LEAP Career Forum, November 11, 2020
Speaker, "Shop Till You Drop: A Look at Bankruptcy Issues in Retail & Fashion," National Association of Women Lawyers Women in Fashion Law + Women in Bankruptcy & Restructuring, October 27, 2020
Speaker, "General Counsel Fireside Chats," Corporate Counsel Women of Color 16th Annual Career Strategies Conference, September 28-29, 2020
Speaker, "Transactional Lawyering in the Age of COVID-19," Metropolitan Black Bar Association #MBBALearns Webinar, May 6, 2020
Speaker, "Trends in Restructuring and Debt Markets," Women in Funds, April 9, 2020