For over 35 years, Rob has focused on corporate restructuring, reorganization and counseling. As the leader of Morris Nichols’ bankruptcy group, Rob’s substantial experience extends to representations of both debtors and creditors in all facets of pre- and post-chapter 11 filings. Known for his strategic thinking and negotiating skills, he regularly advises stressed and distressed companies as they navigate liability management and restructuring alternatives.

Rob regularly works with inside and outside counsel, turnaround professionals, crisis management firms, investment and non-investment bank professionals, and debtors-in-possession (DIP) and exit financing lenders.

An effective courtroom advocate, Rob has appeared in more than 500 bankruptcy court cases. He understands the blend of dealmaking and litigating required in bankruptcy proceedings and contested matters. Rob adeptly navigates out-of-court reorganization and restructuring, acquisitions and sale processes, administrative insolvency issues, complex lending arrangements and lender disputes. He also provides corporate governance, fiduciary duty and strategic advice to boards of directors, special committees and executives.

Rob’s representative experience spans diverse industry segments that include retail and consumer goods, health and pharmaceuticals, airlines, housing, energy, manufacturing, insurance, and finance. He has worked on behalf of distressed companies, boards of directors/special committees and/or individual members, and other parties such as official equity committees and ad hoc committees in insolvency-related matters.

He has been recognized as a leading bankruptcy attorney in Chambers USA: Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business for over 20 years. A frequent speaker before business and professional audiences, Rob has addressed attendees at the Distressed Debt Conference, the Distressed Retail Summit: Turnarounds, Restructurings, Bankruptcies & Distressed Investing Conference, New York Institute of Credit/ABF Journal/TMA Philadelphia Conference, iiBIG’s Alternative Investment All-Star Forum, Distressed M&A and Investments Summit and VALCON. He has also spoken at conferences coordinated by the ABI Journal, the Norton Annual Survey of Bankruptcy Law, Global Restructuring Practice and The Journal of Private Equity.

Rob is a member of Morris Nichols’ executive committee. Prior to joining the firm, Rob was a law clerk to the Honorable Prudence Beatty of the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and an attorney with Willkie Farr & Gallagher in New York City.

Experience

Lead Counsel to Debtors

Lead counsel to lease-to-own firm FlexShopper Inc., advising the debtor on its chapter 11 case which involved a 363 asset sale.

Representing Walker Edison Holdco LLC and three of its affiliates as lead debtors’ counsel to in chapter 11 bankruptcy case involving a swift $20 million sale of the furniture retailer’s assets.

Lead counsel to paper products company Royal Interco LLC and its affiliates, which completed a $180 million sale for substantially all of its assets following a successful auction. The acquisition of Royal Paper by Sofidel America Corp. was awarded “Section 363 Sale of the Year ($100mm to $250mm)” at The M&A Advisor 20th Annual Turnaround Awards.

Represented Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc. and certain affiliates as lead counsel in its chapter 11 bankruptcy case before the District of Delaware.

Lead debtors’ counsel to Lumio Holdings, Inc. and Lumio HX Inc., which completed a sale for substantially all of its assets after the debtors’ successful bidder backed out of the sale.

Lead counsel to the debtor in restaurant group Claim Jumper Acquisition Company LLC’s chapter 11 case.

Lead counsel to failed start-up drone manufacturer Lily Robotics, Inc. in high-profile bankruptcy proceedings and negotiations conducted amid delicate regulatory and funding issues.

Lead counsel to a major midstream contract counterparty in the $3.4 billion shale oil reorganization of Whiting Petroleum.

Acted as lead bankruptcy counsel to Impresa Aerospace, a tier 1 supplier to Boeing and other commercial and defense aviation companies, throughout its chapter 11 restructuring case and going concern sale.

Served as lead bankruptcy counsel to Premium Transportation Services, Inc., a logistics provider offering drayage, long distance haul and freight management services in Southern California and Virginia.

Acted as company bankruptcy counsel in the bankruptcy of RG Steel, LLC, one of the largest flat-rolled steel companies in the United States.

Served a bankruptcy counsel to Security National Properties Funding III, LLC, a commercial real estate developer/owner of regional shopping centers and multitenant office buildings across 15 states.

Co-Counsel to Debtors

Advised home discount retailer Big Lots Inc. in connection with its chapter 11 restructuring and sale of assets, handling both complex transactional matters and day-to-day case administration throughout Big Lots’ bankruptcy proceedings. The M&A Advisor named this case “Restructuring of the Year ($500mm to $1b)” at the 20th Annual Turnaround Awards.

Advised electric vehicle manufacturer Fisker Inc. in its chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.

Represented discount retail chain 99 Cents Only in its chapter 11 case involving liquidation.

Served as debtor’s co-counsel to biopharmaceutical company Clovis Oncology, Inc. in its chapter 11 case, guiding through a multi-day DIP financing auction and a novel sale involving innovative therapy assets.

Counsel to the debtor in Tilden Marcellus, LLC’s chapter 11 case which has included a successful sale to third-party buyer and plan of liquidation.

Acted as debtor’s co-counsel to TPC Group, the Texas-based operator of a petrochemical processing plant and pipeline, in complex chapter 11 case.

Served as debtor’s co-counsel to workspace solutions company Knotel, Inc., in its cross-border chapter 11 cases pursuing a going concern sale of its assets.

Debtor’s counsel to MTE Holdings LLC, a Texas-based oil and gas well driller in complex case involving a dispute over control of the company, a change in board leadership, and then the appointment of a special committee and subsequent settlement agreement.

Served as debtor’s co-counsel to Southcross Energy Partners, a natural gas industry midstream services provider, in their voluntary chapter 11 cases which included a $107 million asset sale.

Served as debtor’s counsel to an offshore contract drilling and liftboat services company in the oil and gas industry in its prepackaged chapter 11 bankruptcy case.

Represented Optim Energy, LLC and its affiliated debtors in possession in their chapter 11 cases in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Represented biopharmaceutical company Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc., advising on chapter 11 bankruptcy case and $75 million 363 bankruptcy asset sale.

Acted as bankruptcy counsel to oilfield services company Seventy Seven Energy Inc. in “lightning-quick” (Law360) chapter 11 taking just five weeks from filing to confirmation.

Represented oil well operator and exploration company Venoco in restructuring proceedings.

Served as debtor’s counsel for Seegrid Corporation in their bankruptcy proceedings in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Represent model and radio-control vehicle retailer as debtor in Delaware chapter 11 case. Successfully gained court approval of a series of asset sales.

Represented J. Silver Clothing, a women’s wear retailer in bankruptcy proceedings.

Acted as bankruptcy counsel to vertically integrated housing company Oakwood Homes.

Served as bankruptcy counsel to Rouge Steel, a vertically integrated steel manufacturer.

Creditor Representations

Co-counsel for electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn in the chapter 11 case of electric-vehicle maker Lordstown Motors.

Counsel to the ad hoc term loan group in retailer Joann Stores, Inc.’s chapter 11 proceedings.

Represented the ad hoc group of PIK noteholders in opposing the pre-packaged chapter 11 plan of Lucky Bucks Holdings, and successfully moved to convert the case to chapter 7.

Represented the ad hoc group of unsecured noteholders in the chapter 11 case of Ruby Pipeline.

Represented ad hoc committee of shareholders in global car rental company Hertz’s chapter 11 case. The reorganization plan returning $1 billion of value to shareholders was hailed as a “remarkable result” when approved by the court.

Co-counsel to the Official Committee of Equity Security Holders of VIVUS, Inc. After its appointment, the Committee successfully negotiated a settlement for equity under the Debtors’ plan of reorganization which provided for a cash distribution and perpetual royalty arrangement with the reorganized company. The restructuring was named “Restructuring of the Year ($100MM to $500MM)” by The M&A Advisor.

Counsel the committee of unsecured creditors in private equity-backed EdgeMarc Energy Holdings, LLC Chapter 11 proceedings. Complex negotiations resulted in court-approved liquidation plan approval and asset sale.

Represented the Eureka Hunter pipeline joint venture entity in the chapter 11 restructuring of its joint venture partner, Magnum Hunter Resources Corp.

Served as counsel to the Official Committee of Equity Security Holders of Syms Corp. in the Filene’s Basement bankruptcy proceedings.

Represented Reorganized Syms Corp. in connection with the sale of a valuable leasehold interest.

Acted as counsel to the largest unsecured creditor and landlord in Pharmaceutical Formulations, Inc. and the ad hoc committee of bonds in aaiPharma’s bankruptcy cases.

Lender Representations

Represented the ad hoc committee of existing term loan lenders in the chapter 11 case of Philadelphia refinery operator PES Holdings LLC.

Co-counsel to prepetition lender and acquirer in restructuring of Borden Dairy, one of the largest US dairy producers.

Represented prepetition lenders, DIP lenders, and potential acquirers in chapter 11 case of wellness and health retailer GNC.

Represented the ad hoc group of first lien lenders, as Delaware counsel, in the chapter 11 cases of Claire’s Stores, Inc. which was recognized by The M&A Advisor for “Turnaround Award (over $100mm).”

Acted on behalf of secured lender in all aspects of the chapter 11 bankruptcy of rare earth mineral company Molycorp.

Represented Icahn Enterprises L.P. as secured lender in the Trump Entertainment Resorts bankruptcy.

Other

Led a pro bono team which submitted an amicus curiae in a case concerning bankruptcy court authority in chapter 11 reorganizations.

Represented Thaxton Group, Inc. in bankruptcy proceedings. The diversified company provided insurance, mortgage brokering and consumer loans and related services.

Served as counsel to EchoStar Corporation in the Delta Airlines bankruptcy cases.

Served as counsel to Fortistar in NRG’s bankruptcy.

Served as counsel to Gleacher Mezzanine Fund I, L.P. and Gleacher Mezzanine Fund P, L.P., in the bankruptcy case of Norstan Apparel Shops, Inc., d/b/a Fashion Centsand its affiliated debtors.

Gained substantial experience representing purchasers of assets, including McDonalds Corp., Echostar Corporation, IER Corp and Hancock Fabrics.

News & Insights

Honors & Recognitions

Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, ranked in Delaware bankruptcy/restructuring, since 2004

Benchmark Litigation, listed for Delaware bankruptcy, since 2018

IFLR1000 United States, leading Delaware lawyer, since 2018

The Best Lawyers in America, listed in bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization, since 2013; and bankruptcy litigation, since 2021

Professional & Civic

American Bankruptcy Institute

American Bar Association

Delaware State Bar Association

Turnaround Management Association

Clerkships

  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Prudence Beatty, US Bankruptcy Judge, Southern District of New York

Education

Pace University School of Law, JD, 1990
Pace Environmental Law Review, Managing Editor

Dickinson College, BA, 1987

Admissions

  • Connecticut, 1990
  • Delaware, 1997
  • Pennsylvania, 1997
  • New York, 1995

“Appreciative clients state that Robert Dehney is ‘creative and gets the deal done’ and is a ‘great mix of fighter and deal maker.’”- Chambers USA

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