John J. Monaghan is the national practice group leader of the firm's Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors' Rights Practice Group. Mr. Monaghan is particularly focused on representing major case participants in complex commercial Chapter 11 cases. His extensive bankruptcy practice has involved representation of a wide range of clients, including Chapter 11 debtors, creditors’ committees, equity committees, lenders, purchasers of assets, landlords, licensors, trustees, parties to prepetition contracts and leases, defendants in adversary proceedings and unsecured creditors. His experience crosses a broad array of industries, including finance, leasing, manufacturing, real estate, technology, telecommunications, retail, healthcare, resort and hospitality, franchise, food service, maritime and the airline industry. He advises clients on the business aspects of bankruptcy and workouts, and represents clients in matters in the Bankruptcy Court, as well as in other state and federal courts.
Matters in which Mr. Monaghan has been lead counsel have resulted in the issuance of over a dozen published opinions on topics ranging from the standing of creditors' committees to pursue a Chapter 11 debtor's causes of action to the adequate protection rights of secured parties when an estate representative seeks to return goods in satisfaction of a vendor's prepetition claim. He has been named as a top bankruptcy lawyer by The Best Lawyers In America, Chambers USA, The Deal and Massachusetts Super Lawyers. In 2008, Mr. Monaghan was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy, a professional, educational and honorary association whose membership is limited to those in the profession who exemplify the highest standards of professional and ethical standards.
A frequent lecturer on bankruptcy issues, Mr. Monaghan has presented seminars on representing debtors in commercial Chapter 11 cases, debtor in possession financing, cash collateral usage and adequate protection issues and transferring assets in Chapter 11 cases for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Program; competing plans of reorganization for the Boston Bar Association CLE Program; the Bankruptcy Code safe harbors for financial industry transactions, constitutional issues arising from BAPCPA and representing purchasers from Chapter 11 estates for the American Bankruptcy Institute; amendments to the Bankruptcy Code for the Practicing Law Institute; as well as creditor issues in bankruptcy, asset protection, bankruptcy taxation and fraudulent conveyances to various industry groups and continuing professional education organizations.