Alexander J. Nicas

Alexander Nicas is a partner in Goodwin’s Financial Restructuring practice.

Alexander represents distressed companies, equity sponsors, lenders, asset purchasers, secured and unsecured creditors, and other stakeholders in all aspects of corporate restructuring transactions, including in-court chapter 11 cases or out-of-court debt restructurings, special situations, and state law insolvency proceedings (ABCs, wind-downs). Alexander also regularly advises public and private company management teams and boards regarding fiduciary duties and risk mitigation strategies during times of corporate distress.

Debtor Representations

• Washington Prime Group Inc.: Representation of WPG and eight-eight affiliates in their chapter 11 cases. WPG, the owner, developer, and manager of approximately 100 shopping centers across the United States, restructured over $1 billion in prepetition funded debt pursuant to its confirmed chapter 11 plan*
• FTS International, Inc.: Representation of FTSI and two affiliates in their chapter 11 cases. FTSI, a provider of hydraulic fracturing services to North American exploration and production companies, restructured approximately $450 million of prepetition funded debt pursuant to its confirmed chapter 11 plan*
• Murray Energy Holdings Co.: Representation of Murray Energy and ninety-eight affiliates in their chapter 11 cases. Murray, the largest privately-owned coal company in the United States, headquartered in St. Clairsville, Ohio, restructured of over $2.7 billion in prepetition funded debt and over $8 billion in legacy liability obligations pursuant to its confirmed chapter 11 plan*
• Aegean Marine Petroleum Network, Inc.: Representation of Aegean and seventy-four affiliates in their chapter 11 cases. Aegean, a leading marine fuel logistics company, restructured approximately $900 million in prepetition funded debt pursuant to its confirmed chapter 11 plan*
• Cenveo Inc.: Representation of Cenveo and thirty-five affiliates in their chapter 11 cases. Cenveo, a leading global provider of print and related resources restructured approximately $1.1 billion in prepetition funded debt pursuant to its confirmed chapter 11 plan*

Other Representations

• Amyris, Inc.: Representation of Foris Ventures, LLC and certain affiliated entities, as prepetition lenders, DIP lenders, and plan sponsors in the chapter 11 cases of Amyris, Inc. and its affiliates, which successfully discharged approximately $1 billion of secured and unsecured debt, renegotiated key customer contracts, streamlined manufacturing operations, and funded $190 million of new capital for reorganized Amyris’ operations
• Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc.: Representation of World Market, LLC, a national retailer, in connection with the assumption and assignment of numerous real property leases   
• PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Representation of Ji Xing Pharmaceuticals in their successful purchase of certain of the debtor’s assets
• FTX Trading Ltd.: Representation of numerous interested parties in FTX’s chapter 11 cases
• Celsius Network LLC: Representation of a defendant in an adversary proceeding commenced by Celsius
• Garrett Motion, Inc.: Representation of Honeywell International, a substantial contract and litigation counterparty, in Garrett’s chapter 11 cases. Honeywell co-sponsored Garrett’s recapitalization*
• Achaogen, Inc.: Representation of an asset purchaser in Achaogen’s chapter 11 case*
• FirstEnergy Solutions Corp.: Representation of an ad hoc group of secured and unsecured bondholders in FirstEnergy’s chapter 11 cases*
• Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: Representation of holders of secured bonds issued by multiple instrumentalities of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in proceedings commenced under Title III of PROMESA and out-of-court restructuring negotiations*
• Molycorp, Inc.: Representation of an ad hoc group of secured bondholders in Molycorp’s chapter 11 cases*
• Seadrill Limited: Representation of the official committee of unsecured creditors in Seadrill’s chapter 11 cases*
• CHC Group, Ltd.: Representation of official committee of unsecured creditors in CHC’s chapter 11 cases*
• Arch Coal, Inc.: Representation of official committee of unsecured creditors in Arch’s chapter 11 cases*

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin.

Prior to joining Goodwin, Alexander was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York. Previously, Alexander was as an associate at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP and a distressed debt legal analyst at Reorg Research, Inc.

Alexander served as a law clerk to the Honorable Brendan L. Shannon of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and the Honorable Cecelia G. Morris of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

Alexander is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Turnaround Management Association.

Alexander is recognized as a Recommended Lawyer by the Legal 500 US for his work in Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Corporate. 

Alexander has been recognized as a Rising Star (2022) by Super Lawyers and was included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2022,2023) for his work in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Alexander was awarded second place at the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Student Writing Competition in 2012.

Alexander’s notable publications include:

• Co-Author, “Per Plan” or “Per Debtor”? Transwest Reignites the § 1129(a)(10) Debate,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, April 2017
• Co-Author, “Deficiency Claim Calculations Cloud Creditor Negotiations,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, October 2014
• Contributor, “Lien Avoidance in Chapter 20: The Great Divide Between Bankruptcy Courts,” Norton Annual Survey of Bankruptcy Law, 2012 ed., August 2013
• Author, “The Assignment of Voting Rights in Intercreditor Agreements: Enforceability and its Impact on Plan Confirmation,” American Bankruptcy Institute Business Reorganization Committee Newsletter, June 2012