Sharon M. Kopman

Attorney

• skopman@steptoe.com
• vCard
• Century City Office

Sharon M. Kopman is an attorney in the Century City office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where she is a member of the Business Solutions Department and a member of the West Coast Restructuring Group. 

Ms. Kopman's practice focuses on bankruptcy and bankruptcy-related litigation and transactions representing creditors' committees, debtors, chapter 7 and 11 trustees, and individual creditors, both secured and unsecured. She has extensive (i) litigation experience, including complex, international cases such as representation of the plaintiff in Carolco Liquidating Trust v. Credit Lyonnais, S.V.; (ii) appellate experience, including preparing briefs for the Ninth Circuit and Bankruptcy Appellate Panel and arguing before the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel; and (iii) transactional experience, including chapter 11 business restructurings, bankruptcy acquisitions and transactions, debtor-in possession (DIP) financing, and advising secured lenders on, among other things, syndicated credit facilities.

For her work on the restructuring of DDi Corp., in which there was significant debt reduction and a restructured senior credit facility, Ms. Kopman was mentioned on the list of the top ten Successful Restructurings of 2003 in Turnarounds & Workouts' annual survey of the bankruptcy industry.

Representative Matters

• Adelphia Communications Corp. - Represented ad hoc committee of over 60 financial institutions as secured lenders in the Adelphia chapter 11; negotiated with creditors’ committee and debtors on plan of reorganization.
• Bugle Boy Industries, Inc. - Represented owners of Bugle Boy, a multi-state clothing manufacturer and retail chain, in liquidating chapter 11; successfully negotiated a global settlement of various issues resulting in the sale of the company.
• DDi Corporation - Represented DDi, a control board manufacturer, as debtor-in-possession in pre-arranged chapter 11; negotiated settlement with noteholders and secured lender and amended credit agreements and indentures; confirmed plan of reorganization in four months. 
• JL French Automotive Castings, Inc. - Represented JL French, a manufacturer of automotive components for Ford, Daimler Chrysler, and GM, as debtor-in-possession in its pre-arranged chapter 11; negotiated debtor-in-possession financing and exit facility; negotiated rights offering and backstop rights agreement with second lien noteholders; handling solicitation process on plan of reorganization.
• Leathermode - Represented Leathermode, a multi-state retail chain selling leather goods and accessories, as debtor-in-possession; negotiated senior secured credit agreement; confirmed plan of reorganization.
• OAN Services, Inc. - Represented OAN and its affiliated entities as debtors-in possession in negotiations with secured lender; negotiated sale of substantially all assets to competitor; litigated numerous issues with largest customer.
• Rampage Clothing - Represented Rampage, a multi-state retail chain selling clothes and accessories, as debtor-in-possession; handled litigation with factors, and other creditors; negotiated revised factor agreements with GE Capital; successfully argued case before the Ninth Circuit, Bankruptcy Appellate Panel.
• United Air Lines, Inc. - Represented United as debtor-in-possession in chapter 11; handled solicitation process; and confirmed plan of reorganization.

• Entertainment Clients - Represented various talent on high-profile matters focusing particularly on asset protection for back-end profit deals and foreign distribution agreements.
  

Noteworthy

• Member, Board of Directors, Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center, 1999-present; (Officer: Vice Chair), (Committee Chair: Personnel), (Committee Membership: Budget & Finance).
• Extern for the Hon. David V. Kenyon, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, 1991.
  

Select News & Events

• Panelist on “Syndicate Lenders and the Adelphia Bankruptcy: A Cautionary Tale," Loan Syndication and Trading Association Roundtable Discussion on important issues for lenders in syndicated debt facilities in mega bankruptcy cases.
• Presentation on the automatic stay provisions under 11 U.S.C. § 362.
• Presentation on the Family Medical Leave Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.
• Panelist on "Flirting with Disaster" at the Annual conference of the State Bar of California; a discussion of the First Amendment and what its scope should be at disaster sites.
• Guest speaker on "Good Day L.A." regarding the effect an absent working parent has on his or her child and on society.
• Panelist on “Sexual Harassment and The First Amendment,” at ACLU presentation.

Publications

• Sales of Technology Assets Begin Heating Up the Bankruptcy Courts
  September 2000, www.thelawyerspages.com, monthly newsletter, Vol.1, Issue 5
• Giving References for Former Employees: A Trap for the Unwary
  August 1997, Inside Health Law, Vol.2, No.8, Aspen Publication

Professional Affiliations

• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Financial Lawyers Conference
• INSOL (International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals)
• Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Turnaround Management Association