John P. Campo
New York
Akerman LLP
1251 Avenue of the Americas
37th Floor
New York, NY 10020
Tel: +1 212 880 3800
Email:
john.campo@akerman.com
Web:
www.akerman.com
John Campo is a Partner with Akerman LLP in New York City. A veteran bankruptcy practitioner with a focus on Chapter 11 and large, complex Chapter 7 proceedings, as well as out-of-court workouts, John has extensive experience in both the litigation, and the corporate and transactional sides of bankruptcy matters. He represents debtors, trustees, creditors, equity holders, and asset purchasers.
John has served as either the operating Chapter 11 trustee or attorney for the trustee in cases in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, including representing the Chapter 11 trustee in In re: Maywood Capital Corp. et al., a multidebtor proceeding involving a $200 million real estate Ponzi scheme. He has served as the lead lawyer in numerous reported circuit court, district court, and bankruptcy court decisions.
John’s experience includes many high profile cases covered in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The American Lawyer. He has been quoted extensively, and has appeared on CNBC’s “American Greed.”
Honors and Distinctions
- The Best Lawyers in America 2021-2022, Listed in New York for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law
- Law & Politics’ New York Super Lawyers – Metro Edition 2006-2008, 2012-2016, Listed for excellence in Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rated
Published Work and Lectures
- New York Law Journal, Co-author, “Structured Dismissals: Alive and Well After ‘Jevic,’” April 2017
- The Business Advisor, Co-author, “New Sale Guideline Rules for the Eastern District of New York”, April 30, 2010
- Valcon: The Conference on Bankruptcy Valuation, Speaker, “Pereira v. Cogan, A Case Study in “Vicinity of Insolvency” Jurisprudence and the Resulting Shift of Fiduciary Duties,” March 5, 2004
Merhav Ampal Group Ltd.: Represents the non-debtor subsidiary of Ampal-American Israel Corp. in an action to collect on a note and guarantee in the Southern District of New York against the Israeli principal and related Israeli entity. Obtained summary judgment in bankruptcy court in excess of $29 million which has been affirmed in both the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Ampal-American Israel Corp.: Represents the Trustee of the U.S. holding corporation debtor in breach of fiduciary duty and related causes of action against the debtor’s officers, directors, and controlling shareholder. Case involves multi-million dollar claims in which there are related proceedings in Israel. The claims in the debtor’s estate are in excess of $300 million.
In re: Maywood Capital Corp. et al.: Represented the Trustee in connection with a multi-debtor proceeding involving a $200 million real estate Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Joseph Greenblatt. The matter involved the sale of assets and the recovery of substantial fraudulent conveyances on behalf of the investors, resulting in a total distribution to defrauded investors of approximately 57 percent under the Trustee’s confirmed plans of reorganization of the debtor entities. The confirmed plans of reorganization and the allowance of investor claims and distributions to investors were based upon on a formula that measured net dollars in versus net dollars out. This formula was later adopted by Trustee Irving Pickard in the multi-billion-dollar Madoff case.
Waterford Wedgwood, USA, Inc.: Represented the Trustee of multi-debtor proceeding involving more than $250 million in fraudulent conveyance and preference actions.
Barney’s, Inc.: Represented the luxury retailer as lead counsel in its Chapter 11 cases.
Kingsboro Medical Group, P.C.: Represented the 80-physician medical group in its successful Chapter 11 reorganization in the Eastern District of New York.
Artha Management: Represented the operating Chapter 11 Trustee of the debtor and its 67 related real estate limited partnership cases. Representation resulted in the successful confirmation of multiple plans of reorganization for each debtor entity with creditors being paid in full with interest in excess of 45 of those cases.
Akerman’s Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice Group serves as a strategic partner to creditors, distressed businesses, court appointed committees, and various fiduciaries. Our team has served as bankruptcy counsel in many of the nation’s largest bankruptcy filings. Creative and cost-effective, we work closely with clients to resolve financial issues quickly, whether through bankruptcy or out-of-court solutions.
Areas of Focus:
- Chapter 11 reorganization for business debtors
- Secured creditors and debtors-in-possession financing
- Bankruptcy trustees representation
- SEC receiverships and Ponzi schemes
- Chapter 15 cross-border insolvency cases
- Commercial landlord-tenant bankruptcy
- Corporate restructuring and insolvency
- Creditors committee representation
- Buying and selling assets in Section 363 sales
- Distressed M&A transactions
- Preference and fraudulent transfer litigation
Ranked by Law360 among the top 100 law firms for Bankruptcy, we guide clients through Chapter 11 reorganizations, workouts, receiverships, and Chapter 7 liquidations. We have extensive experience handling bankruptcy matters in multiple sectors, including private equity, hedge funds, healthcare, real estate, energy, hospitality, and restaurants.
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