Business Reorganization & Liquidation

Since 1996, Stone & Baxter has been the go-to for law firm in Middle Georgia and all over Georgia for business-related bankruptcy cases. And representing business debtors—whether corporate debtors or individual debtors with business debts—is, by far, the largest part and primary focus of Stone & Baxter’s bankruptcy practice.

Our debtor clients range in size from small, closely-held companies to large, publicly-held companies with assets of more than $100 million. Therefore, Stone & Baxter is equipped to represent debtors of all sorts, regardless of their size or the complexity of their circumstances.

Within the past decade, the firm has on behalf of its business debtor clients:

  • Filed approximately 100 Chapter 11 reorganizations and approximately 90 Chapter 7 liquidations.
  • Served as counsel for debtors with total assets in excess of $850 million.
  • Served as counsel for debtors with total liabilities in excess of $2 billion.

We are the only law firm in Middle Georgia recognized by U.S. News as a “Tier 1” law firm in Bankruptcy & Reorganization and are only one of two firms outside of Atlanta to hold this distinction. Members of the firm possess a combined 170 years of experience and include the current Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in Insolvency and Reorganization Law for Macon and two former clerks for bankruptcy judges.

We are also frequent speakers and panelists at leading bankruptcy and restructuring conferences. Our members write about the latest developments in restructuring law in Stone & Baxter’s blog, Plan Proponent, which focuses on the confirmation issues in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.

The following is a small sampling of our business bankruptcy representations:

Manufacturer

  • Represented an RV manufacturer in an involuntary bankruptcy after a design defect resulted in partial recall and inability to sell new vehicles. Upon conversion to Chapter 11, we completed a liquidation of all of the company’s assets.

Commercial Real Estate

  • Successfully reorganized the financial affairs of an individual with over $20 million in real estate assets, including large holdings in timber and commercial real estate.
  • Represented a debtor with non-income producing property in a pending foreclosure. During the Chapter 11 case, we successfully negotiated a settlement with the secured lender whereby the lender accepted certain properties in exchange for satisfaction of all debts and guaranties owed by the debtor and affiliated individuals.
  • Successfully reorganized six affiliated entities owned by a premier Buckhead developer and holding 28 commercial and residential properties in and around the Atlanta area in a jointly-administered Chapter 11 proceeding.
  • Successfully reorganized a company owning real estate valued at $1.8 million and facing foreclosure.
  • Successfully reorganized the financial affairs of two individuals and their wholly-owned entity which developed coastal residential subdivisions in Georgia.

Service Businesses

  • Successfully reorganized a coastal hotel in a Chapter 11 reorganization in which debtor reached agreement with first and second priority lienholders and confirmed a consensual plan.
  • Successfully reorganized two funeral homes in Chapter 11 reorganization after their secured lender sought to foreclose.

Rental Business

  • Represented multiple individuals and wholly-owned corporation operating a combined rental business. Plan of reorganization confirmed.

Agriculture & Timber

  • Represented three affiliated entities that combined to operate one of the largest growers of greens (collards, kales, turnip, and mustard) in the Southeast.
  • Represented timber producer in an involuntary Chapter 11. Liquidation of approximately $5 million in real property at auction.

Practice Groups