Stuart Brown

Stuart Brown

Partner
It was a pleasure to work with you and - more importantly - watch you work your magic with the Debtors’ counsel. You are a superior lawyer and helped not only your client, but also the Lenders.
— Opposing Counsel for Lender
Wilmington
About

Stuart Brown is a Partner at DLA Piper, a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. An accomplished bankruptcy lawyer, Mr. Brown's practice encompasses the representation of companies in distress and as debtors in possession, institutional lenders, investors and business enterprises in diverse matters, including general business, transactions with bankruptcy estates, anti-bankruptcy transactional consultation, bankruptcy litigation, substantive non-consolidation, securitization and servicing and bankruptcy fraud. A significant part of Mr. Brown’s practice is M&A, including the sale and acquisition of businesses and assets out of court and through in-court processes and Article 9 sales.  Mr. Brown also represents non-traditional funding sources with respect to workouts, claim realization and asset recovery.  The American Board of Certification recognizes Mr. Brown's considerable experience in the area of Business Bankruptcy.

In 2022, Mr. Brown received a Judicial AV Preeminent designation from Martindale Hubbell, their highest rating standard based on confidential reviews of both judges and attorneys.

Areas of FocusConsumer Goods, Food and RetailEnergy and Natural ResourcesFinancial ServicesHealthcareIndustrialsReal EstateCorporateFinanceLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsMergers and AcquisitionsRestructuringTechnology
Bar admissionsDelawareNew JerseyPennsylvania

EXPERIENCE

Representative Experience

  • Represented former Third Circuit Judge Arlin M. Adams, as trustee for the estate of the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy, involving the resolution of $1.5 billion of claims asserted as a result of an international fraud perpetrated on philanthropists and nonprofit organizations
  • Retention by agent for syndication of senior secured lenders to workout problem loans through out-of-court restructuring or transition into bankruptcy
  • Retention by publicly or privately held equity sponsors of special purpose enterprises or joint ventures to consult in insolvency and insolvency-related litigation resulting from troubled or failed projects
  • Retention by strategic or fund purchasers in connection with the acquisition of assets from debtors-in-possession in bankruptcy or other insolvent sellers
  • Retention by secured creditor to exercise rights and remedies against borrowers and guarantors under state law including potential bankruptcy or filing of involuntary bankruptcy
  • Retention by corporate clients to workout troubled loans
Education
  • J.D., Temple University School of Law 1988
    Member, Law Review
    with honors
  • B.S., Finance, Boston University 1985
    with honors

Awards

Chambers USA

  • Band 2, Delaware Bankruptcy/Restructuring (2023-2024)

The American Board of Certification has recognized Stuart as a Board Certified Specialist in the area of Business Bankruptcy Law. He has repeatedly been recognized in Chambers USA, in which observers reported that Stuart is "a sophisticated deal lawyer who appears in court a lot." "He is praised by sources as 'outstanding,' 'a top-notch, tenacious lawyer' who is 'very careful and deliberate,' as well as 'experienced and insightful.'" Sources have said, "[h]e is excellent in 'getting into the nuts and bolts' of a case." Furthermore, he is "very talented," "well-respected" and "[p]eople look to him to see his perspective on things."

Stuart has also been recommended by The Legal 500 United States for his Corporate Restructuring practice. The well-regarded legal directory has noted that he "enhances the client's business through his business acumen." In addition, he is listed in the Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law section of The Best Lawyers in America, was awarded the "2022 AV Preeminent" rating by Martindale-Hubbell, and was recognized by Lawyers of Distinction, which highlights the top 1% of lawyers in the US.

Additional Awards

  • Client Choice Awards, Lexology Index (2024)
  • Distressed Investment Deal of the Year, AeroFarms, Global M&A Network (2024)

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Insight Overview

Stuart regularly participates on panel presentations on bankruptcy law, finance and litigation.

Bylines

  • Co-author, "Expert Q&A on the FTX Bankruptcy: What Parties Can Expect," Thomson Reuters Practical Law, December 8, 2022
  • Co-author, "Colorado Court Denies Bankruptcy Relief for Debtors with Ties to Marijuana Industry," DLA Piper Cultivate, March 16, 2021
  • Co-author, "The Role of Government Regulators in Chapter 11 Health Care Restructurings," American Bankruptcy Institute, October 2019
  • Co-author, "The Landlord-Tenant Relationship Post-Bankruptcy," Law360, November 17, 2016
  • Co-author, "The Supreme Court Forecloses Lien Stripping in Chapter 7: An Analysis of Bank of America, N.A. v. Caulkett and Bank of America, N.A. v. Toledo-Cardona," ABI Mid-Summer Conference, July 24, 2015

Seminars

  • Panelist, "Does your client have a validly perfected security interest?" DLA Piper, October 18, 2023
  • Presenter, "SPAC Bankruptcies: Challenges and Practical Tips," Woodruff Sawyer SPAC Notebook, September 21, 2023
  • Presenter, "Restructuring Boot Camp Part 2: Legal Principles and Ethics," Turnaround Management Association, May 2021
  • Presenter, "Real Estate Joint Ventures: Default Provisions," Webinar, August 30, 2018
  • Panelist, ''Keeping Up with the Supremes: Supreme Court Update,'' ABI's Annual Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop, Hershey, PA, August 6-8, 2015
  • Panelist, Ethics Panel, "Candor, Conflicts of Interest and Collisions with Rule 9011 Bad-Faith Filings" and Advisory Board Member, American Bankruptcy Institute's Eighth Annual Mid-Atlantic Bankruptcy Workshop, Cambridge, Maryland, August 2-4, 2012

Media Mentions

Prior Experience

Before joining DLA Piper, Stuart led the Restructuring and Insolvency practice at an international law firm and was head of its Wilmington office.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • American Bankruptcy Institute
  • Delaware Bankruptcy Inns of Court

My latest insights

News
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DLA Piper advises Complete Solaria in its purchase of assets of SunPower for US$45 million

4 October 2024 .1 minute read

News
Aerial view of abstract staircase

DLA Piper receives four Deal of the Year awards from Global M&A Network as part of annual...

24 September 2024 .2 minute read

Past event
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Does your client have a validly perfected security interest?

18 October 2023 .2 minute read

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Connect

Phone

+1 302 468 5640
(Work, Wilmington)
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