Overview
CAROLLYNN H.G. CALLARI is a seasoned corporate and bankruptcy law attorney with over twenty years of experience at top-tier AmLaw 100 firms, including Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Venable LLP, and approximately ten years as a founder of a business-focused boutique law firm. She counsels investors and executives on distressed investments and serves as a trusted general corporate advisor to her clients, guiding them through day-to-day legal matters, acquisitions, and commercial agreements, including helping clients implement growth and turnaround strategies, as well as strategic corporate planning and transactions.
Carollynn has extensive experience in complex business reorganizations and restructurings, working across a broad range of Chapter 11 cases, as well as out-of-court workouts and general commercial transactions. She is also a qualified bankruptcy mediator, having completed the American Bankruptcy Institute’s 40-hour program at St. John’s University School of Law.
For over a decade, Carollynn served as Executive Director and board member of the New York Chapter of Opus Connect, a network of private equity, family offices, and capital providers. She continues to foster opportunities in the financial sector, facilitating networking and educational events. She has also taught at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies and has been a speaker at conferences on corporate bankruptcy and distressed investments.
Significant Transactions
- Represented debtors in a number of large bankruptcy cases including retailers, such as The Hechinger Company, Frank’s Nursery & Crafts, Petrie Retail, Inc., and Winkelman’s and manufacturers such as Werner Holding Co (DE) Inc.
- Represented energy provider PG&E National Energy Group, where she helped direct prepetition negotiations with creditors representing more than $2 billion in debt to facilitate the debtor filing bankruptcy with a pre-negotiated plan.
- Represented the telecommunications company XO Communications, Inc. in the prepetition and postpetition sale processes resulting in competing offers and entry into an $800 million investment agreement.
- Representation of various sized private equity groups in connection with investments in distressed companies, including representing a purchaser in a $365 million bankruptcy acquisition.
- Handled numerous auctions involving the disposition of fee owned properties and more than 500 real property leases and managed the claims objection and reconciliation process for thousands of claims.
- Represented investors and creditors (including secured lenders, trade creditors, landlords, indenture trustees, ad hoc committees and other interested parties) in Chapter 11 cases, such as Extended Stay Inc., General Growth Properties, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., US Mortgage Corp., Global Crossing Ltd., Teleglobe Communications Corporations, Worldwide Direct Inc., Alliant Protection Services Inc., Access Cardiosystems Inc., A&P and Borders Inc.
Professional Affiliation
- American Bar Association
- New York City Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Association for Corporate Growth
- Turnaround Management Association
- Opus Connect
- Women in the Boardroom