Overview
Scott Lewis is a partner and member of Chapman’s Special Situations and Restructuring Group. He concentrates his practice on bankruptcy, workout, and related regulatory matters, including the representation of financial institutions, secured lenders, indenture trustees, and other commercial clients. Scott often advises clients with respect to the bankruptcy safe harbors for derivative transactions and municipal bankruptcy matters. He has analyzed the eligibility of hundreds of municipal and other entities for bankruptcy and/or state insolvency relief for various financial institutions. He also represented clients in many aspects of the Lehman bankruptcy, including with respect to derivatives issues and RMBS warranty litigation.
Scott has participated in litigation, restructuring, and workouts involving a wide range of industries, including financial services, food processing, construction, and manufacturing. He also participates in proceedings related to professional malpractice, foreclosures, and other commercial actions.
Scott is an Illinois-registered CPA with experience in both audit and tax.
Representative Matters
Scott has recently represented clients in the following matters:
- Termination and settlement of derivative agreements and financial contracts (and application of related bankruptcy safe harbors)
- RMBS repurchase claims
- Municipal bankruptcy issues
- Indenture trustee matters
- Auditor malpractice actions
- Claims under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act
- Commercial foreclosure proceedings
- Mechanics’ lien litigation
Practice Focus
Memberships
Registered Certified Public Accountant, Illinois
Admitted
Illinois
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Education
University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2002
- Order of the Coif
DePaul University, M.S., Accountancy, 1994
Vanderbilt University, A.B., Economics, cum laude, 1990
Insights
Publications
- Author, "Important Court Rulings Arise from Puerto Rico's Economic Crisis," Journal of Corporate Renewal, May 2022
- Author, "Puerto Rico Confirms a Plan of Adjustment under PROMESA," Client Alert, January 26, 2022
- Co-Author, "The Bankruptcy Safe Harbors Are Not Necessarily Safe for Financial Institution Customers," The Banking Law Journal, April 2021
- Co-Author, "Appeal of a Municipal Plan of Adjustment Held to Be Equitably Moot by the Ninth Circuit," The Banking Law Journal, July/August 2019
- Co-Author, "Opportunistic Investors' Drive to Accelerate Termination of a CDO Hits a Dead End," Real Estate Finance Journal, Spring 2019
- Co-Author, "Sixth Circuit Weighs in on the Meaning of 'Governmental Unit,'" Pratt's Journal of Bankruptcy Law, January 2019
- Co-Author, "'Mere Conduit' Defense is Alive and Well in the Eleventh Circuit," Client Alert, December 5, 2018
- Co-Author, "Non-Consensual Third-Party Releases Held Enforceable in Chapter 15 Proceeding," Client Alert, April 17, 2018
Presentations
- Panelist, “Treatment of Derivative, Repurchase Agreements and Forward, Commodities and Securities Contracts in Bankruptcy,” Chapman and Cutler CLE Marathon. May 2014.