J. Eric Wise



J. Eric Wise is a partner in the New York office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is a member of Gibson Dunn’s Global Finance and Business Restructuring and Reorganization Practice Groups.

Mr. Wise advises agent banks in complex leveraged financings, including cross-border and multicurrency transactions, real estate financings, asset-based financings, leveraged acquisition financings and bank and bond/bridge and other financings, and represents lender and bondholder groups, financial institutions, hedge funds, private equity funds and corporate debtors in complex restructuring and reorganization transactions. He has extensive experience in complex special situations transactions, involving financial institutions, debtors and corporate issuers in second lien and subordinated financings, mezzanine structures, debtor-in-possession financings, Chapter 11 exit financings, rights offerings, recapitalizations, restructurings, work-outs, Chapter 11 cases, pre-packaged Chapter 11 cases and distressed debt purchases and sales.

Mr. Wise has experience in finance and restructuring transactions across industries, including healthcare, hospitality, real estate, telecommunications, steel, automotive, chemical, energy, transportation, telecommunications, financial institutions, and paper and forest products sectors. Mr. Wise is an expert in intercreditor relationships and complex debt structuring issues, and is frequently asked to advise in financial transactions involving complex intercreditor and debt structuring issues.

Mr. Wise is the author of “Obtaining Adequate Protection: An Analysis Pertaining to Real Estate Projects,” published in the April 2013 (Vol. 22, No. 2) issue of the Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice, “Restructuring Issues Concerning Real Estate Projects,” published in the March 10, 2011 issue of BNA’s Bankruptcy Law Reporter, “Reorganization Securities And Second-Lien Structures,” published by Law360 at www.law360.com on November 9, 2010; “X Clauses: Meaning and Mutations,” published on November 8, 2010 by Bloomberg Law Reports—Bankruptcy Law, “Tanking Bond Prices Spell Opportunity for Issuers,” The National Law Journal, Bankruptcy Law Section, February 16, 2009; “Second Lien Loans: A Market Matures;” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, April 2007; “Covenants: A Brief Guide to Survival;” The Banking Law Journal, June 2007; and “Crises in Auto Industry Raises Finance Issues;” The National Law Journal, Bankruptcy Law Section, July 11, 2005. Mr. Wise is also the author of “Is Detroit Dead?,” City Journal, August 9, 2013.

Mr. Wise is a member of the bar of New York and is admitted to practice in the federal courts in the Southern District of New York.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Mr. Wise practiced with Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Representative transactions include:

LightSquared Inc: Representing Harbinger Capital Partners in connection with the Chapter 11 restructuring of LightSquared.
The Scooter Store: Representing Garrison Investment Group in connection with its position as a holder of the senior secured debt of The Scooter Store and its Chapter 11 proceedings.
Newland International Properties Corp.: Representing a Panamanian developer of the Trump Ocean Club in Panama City, Panama in connection with its pre-packaged Chapter 11 case restructuring $220 million of secured notes.
Church Street Health Management: Representing Garrison Investment Group in connection with its position as a lender to Church Street Health Management in its Chapter 11 case in the Middle District of Tennessee, and in connection with the acquisition of substantially all of the assets.
Solyndra LLC: Representing the post-petition lenders and plan sponsors in connection with the high-profile restructuring of solar panel manufacturer Solyndra.
GenTek: Representing Goldman Sachs in connection with its $355 million loan to GenTek Holding.
Travelport Limited: Representing holdco lenders to Travelport in connection with the restructuring of $715 million of indebtedness of Travelport.
Trident Resources: Representing Credit Suisse as lead arranger of $410 million exit credit facility for Trident Resources, a U.S./Canadian natural gas enterprise.
TBS International plc: Representing TBS International, an ocean transportation service provider serving over 300 industrial shippers in more than 20 countries, in connection with its incurrence of debtor-in-possession financing.
Pegasus Solutions, Inc.: Representing the holders of senior notes of Pegasus Solutions in connection with a debt for debt and equity exchange in an out-of-court restructuring.
ST Paper: Representing Goldman Sachs in connection with the restructuring of $70 million of credit facilities to ST Paper, a Wisconsin-based paper products enterprise.
Real Mex Restaurants: Representing Farallon Capital Management in connection with the issuance and restructuring of $250 million of second lien debt and notes by Real Mex Restaurants.
Education Media Publishing Group: Representing Credit Suisse in connection with the restructuring of $1,300 billion debt of Education Media Publishing.
General Growth Properties: Representing a consortium of financial institutions in connection with providing $400 million of debtor-in-possession financing to General Growth Properties.
Cadence Innovation: Representing Cadence Innovation in its $125 million revolving and term facility.
Performance Transportation Systems: Representing Credit Suisse in connection with the restructuring of autohauler, Performance Transportation Systems.
Cerberus Capital: Representing Bear Stearns Corporate Lending as lead arranger for $500 million credit facility to Cerberus Capital Management.
Ainsworth Lumber: Representing creditors in connection with the cross-border restructuring of Ainsworth Lumber, a U.S./Canadian forest product company.
280 Park Avenue: Representing Credit Suisse in connection with $1 billion of the CMBS financing of 280 Park Avenue.
C-BASS: Representing Farallon Capital Management in connection with debt holdings in Credit-Based Asset Servicing and Securitization LLC.
Severstal North America, Inc.: Representing Citicorp USA, Inc. in connection with its $275 million credit facilities to Severstal North America.

Good to know

Areas of Practice 1) Business Restructuring and Reorganization
Law School The University of Michigan Law School, J.D. 1995
Education Claremont McKenna College, B.A., 1991
Bar Member / Association New York State Bar Association
Most recent firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
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