People

Overview

Travis McRoberts is involved in complex chapter 11 proceedings and out of court restructurings on behalf of a wide variety of domestic and international clients. Travis has extensive experience representing debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, acquirers of distressed assets, liquidating trusts and official committees in all aspects of the restructuring process. His restructuring matters encompass a wide variety of industries, including oil and gas, shipping, retail, banking and healthcare.

Admissions & Affiliations

  • State Bar of Texas
  • Delaware State Bar
  • American Bar Association
  • Delaware State Bar Association
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • American Bankruptcy Institute
  • J.D., University of Maryland School of Law 2008
    cum laude
  • B.A., Political Science, Iowa State University 2005
    with distinction

Experience

  • Blackjewel, L.L.C. – Counsel to Blackjewel, L.L.C. and its affiliated debtors and debtors in possession (“Blackjewel”) in chapter 11 proceedings in the Southern District of West Virginia. At the time of filing, Blackjewel was one of the largest producers of thermal and metallurgical coal in the United States, with over 500 mining permits, almost 2,000 employees, and operations in four states.The cases, which included liabilities of more than $1 billion, were filed on three days’ notice and included a ten day sale process that resulted in the sale of substantially all of Blackjewel’s assets to twelve distinct purchasers.A liquidation trust was established upon confirmation and tasked with identifying and monetizing remaining assets.
  • Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Phoenix Services, LLC (“Phoenix”) in its chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Phoenix was a steel industry services provider primarily engaged in the removal, handling, and processing of molten slag. The Committee worked cooperatively with the Debtors and Secured Lenders throughout the cases to negotiate financing terms and influence numerous key aspects of the cases. The Debtors ultimately confirmed a plan that resulted in certain of the Debtors’ pre- and post petition secured Lenders exchanging their debt for equity and recapitalizing the company.
  • Patriot Well Solutions, LLC – Counsel to Patriot Well Solutions, LLC (“Patriot”) in the preparation, filing, and prosecution of its chapter 11 case. Patriot was a significant provider of wire lining and coiled tubing services to various upstream oil and gas producers. Patriot’s chapter 11 case resulted in the sale of a substantial portion of its assets to its prepetition equity sponsor and DIP lender.A chapter 11 plan of liquidation was ultimately confirmed and liquidation trust established to make distributions to creditors.
  • BJ Services, LLC – Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of BJ Services, LLC (“BJ Services”) and its affiliated debtors and debtors in possession. BJ Services was a large oilfield services company that specialized in fracturing and cementing services. The BJ Services cases were extremely contentious throughout and included substantial litigation over the Debtors’ proposed asset sales, allocation of sale proceeds, surcharge of a secured lender’s collateral, cash collateral, stay relief for certain secured creditors, and the proposed plan of liquidation. Ultimately, a global resolution was negotiated that resulted in a confirmed plan and substantially greater recoveries to unsecured creditors than originally contemplated.
  • Hartshorne Holdings, LLC – Counsel to Hartshorne Holdings, LLC and certain affiliated entities (“Hartshorne”) in the preparation and filing of their chapter 11 cases.At the time of the filing, Hartshorne produced thermal coal from mining operations in Kentucky and had liabilities of approximately $100 million.Hartshorne’s assets were eventually liquidated in a court supervised process and a plan of liquidation was confirmed.
  • Optima Specialty Steel, Inc. – Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Optima Specialty Steel, Inc. (“Optima”). Optima was a leading manufacturer of specialty rolled steel products. Optima emerged from bankruptcy following a debt for equity transaction with its prepetition first lien lender. The lender exchanged approximately $90 million in secured notes for the equity of the restructured company and provided a $240 million exit facility. Unsecured creditors received a 100% recovery.
  • Quicksilver Resources Inc. – Counsel to Quicksilver Resources Inc. and its affiliated debtors and debtors in possession (collectively, “Quicksilver”) in chapter 11 proceedings commenced in the District of Delaware. At the time of filing, Quicksilver was a leading producer of natural gas in Texas with liabilities of over $2 billion. Quicksilver’s assets were ultimately sold in a section 363 sale process and a liquidating plan was confirmed.
  • International Shipholding Corporation – Counsel to International Shipholding Corporation (“ISH”) and its affiliated debtors and debtors in possession in chapter 11 proceedings commenced in the Southern District of New York. At the time of filing, ISH had more than $400 million in liabilities.ISH’s assets were sold to SEACOR Holdings during the chapter 11 cases and a chapter 11 plan was confirmed.
  • Global Geophysical Services, Inc. – Counsel to the DIP lender in the chapter 11 proceedings of Global Geophysical Services, Inc. (“GGS”), which was a leading seismic data provider in Texas. The GGS representation was initially of an ad hoc group of prepetition secured lenders that morphed into the debtor in possession financing lenders following a contested priming dispute with the senior secured lender. The cases ended with a debt for equity transaction and the DIP lender owning the company.
  • Geokinetics Inc. – Counsel to Geokinetics Inc. and its affiliates (“Geokinetics”) in chapter 11 proceedings commenced in the District of Delaware.Geokinetics was a Texas-based seismic data company with liabilities of several hundred million dollars at the time of filing.The case successfully executed a prepackaged debt for equity transaction with a prepetition secured lender.
  • ECOtality, Inc. – Counsel to ECOtality Inc. and its affiliated debtors and debtors in possession (“ECOtality”) in chapter 11 proceedings commenced in the District of Arizona.At the time of filing, ECOtality was a leading developer and manufacturer of electric vehicle charging systems.The ECOtality debtors had more than $100 million in liabilities and an expiring $250 million grant from the federal government.The case resulted in a sale of substantially all of ECOtality’s assets to multiple third parties and the confirmation of a liquidating chapter 11 plan.
  • Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Center- Counsel to the Liquidating Trustee of the Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Center Liquidating Trust (the “Trust”).  The Trust was required to oversee a complicated claims resolution process, including establishing procedures to resolve medical malpractice claims, negotiate with the hospital’s various unions, and work with the federal government to manage certain remaining assets and resolve issues related to Medicare and Medicaid. Distributions to unsecured creditors were ultimately more than three times the original projections.

Awards and Community

Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, 2024