People

Angela J. Somers

Angela J. Somers, Partner at Reid Collins & Tsai LLP, has over 28 years of experience handling complex commercial and financial disputes with an emphasis on bankruptcy or distressed business related litigation. Ms. Somers has represented clients in large and complex bankruptcy cases, including official and ad hoc committees of bond and equity holders, chapter 11 and 7 trustees, debtors, indenture trustees, institutional lenders and investors, creditors and purchasers of distressed assets and securities. Through these assignments, Ms. Somers addressed some of the most cutting edge fraudulent transfer, preference, subordination, and breach of fiduciary duty issues. Ms. Somers is able to navigate quickly through sophisticated financial circumstances in order to identify and pursue critical causes of action. Her ability to analyze the factual background and simplify the course of action in order to maximize value for her clients has been her key strength throughout her career.  Ms. Somer’s recent representations at Reid Collins are listed below.

The valuable insights of Ms. Somers have led to her frequent guest appearances on CNBC’s Squawk Box as well as Bloomberg News. She has also been quoted in various financial publications.

Prior to joining Reid Collins & Tsai, LLP, Ms. Somers was Counsel at the law firms of Allen & Overy, LLP, Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP. During her time at these firms, Ms. Somers worked on a number of notable cases mentioned below. Ms. Somers received her B.A. from Brown University in 1982 and her J.D. from Emory University School of Law in 1986.

 

Notable Representations:

  • Cryptocurrency cases:
    • The Cred Inc. Liquidation Trust in assigned claims of customers against third parties relating to yield earning platform.
    • Trustee of Tibanne Co. Ltd., the parent of Mt Gox in Chapter 15
  • Liquidation and chapter 7 trustees in suits against directors and officers, including:
    • Alan Nisselson, as chapter 7 trustee in Helios and Matheson Analytics, and Movie Pass
    • Yann Geron, as chapter 7 trustee in Pali Capital and Pali Holdings
    • Solution Trust as liquidation trustee in AWTR Liquidation/Rhythm & Hues
    • Deborah Piazza, as chapter 7 trustee in Empire Financial Group Inc., Rhinoceros Visual Effects and Design LLC, Evacuation Complete LLC
  • Liquidation and chapter 7 trustees in fraudulent transfer and related actions, including:
    • Christopher Moser, as plan trustee in Tango Transport in action against Navistar, Navistar Financial Corporation and Navistar Leasing Company (unwinding settlement and recover value of a released claim relating to MaxxForce engines.
    • Yann Geron as chapter 7 trustee in Thelen in actions against former partners
    • Yann Geron as chapter 7 trustee in Thelen in claims against the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of California.
    • FTI Consulting as litigation trustee in Centaur in action against Merit Management and other transferees
  • Numerous foreign representatives in Chapter 15 cases, including:
    • Farfetch Limited
    • AJW Offshore Ltd,
    • ICP Strategic Credit Income Fund Ltd.,
    • Monitor in the AbitibiBowater bankruptcy case in conjunction with cross border issues.
    Expert in Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd. on recognition under U.S. bankruptcy law
  • Other Constituents in Chapter 11 cases, including:
    • Second Lienholder in Avaya on chapter 11 plan issues
    • National and international plaintiffs and claimants in conjunction with derivative and other transactions in the Lehman Brothers (financial collapse).
    • Offshore bank in Granite Fund (breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation, wrongful margin calls)
    • Repo participants and other clients pursuing recovery of funds in various sub-prime lending, including New Century and People’s Choice
    • Mezzanine entity lenders to and owners of distressed real estate assets.
    • Indenture trustees as official committee members in numerous cases, including Rexene and Eastern Airlines cases
  • Debtors, Official Committees and Trustees in Chapter 11 cases, including:
    • Unsecured creditors in the Mirant Americas Generation (intercompany claim and asset transfer/reinstatement issues)
    • Unsecured creditors in the Manhattan Investment Fund (fraudulent transfer and fraud issues)
    • Debtors in NorthWest Airlines
    • Debtor in RSL COM U.S.A. (breach of fiduciary duty and fraudulent transfer issues).
    • Equity security holders in Columbia Gas (fraudulent transfer, preference and equitable subordination issues).
    • Unsecured creditors in NVF Company (directors and officers breach issues)
    • Pre-merger bondholders in the Federated Department Stores (fraudulent transfer LBO issues)
    • Debtor in Phoenix Information Systems Corp. (breach of fiduciary duty issues)
    • Debtor Portrait Corporation of America
    • Chapter 11 trustee in Sasson Jeans (hidden assets)
  • Major Suppliers in asserting ownership rights over goods in Chapter 11 cases
    • In WP Steel regarding $200 million of metallurgical coke
    • In Eagle Pipe in major pipe assets of case