All Professionals
Overview
Luc Despins is a partner in the Corporate practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s New York office.
Mr. Despins is a bankruptcy practitioner with over 30 years of experience representing debtors and creditors in some of the most high profile and complex restructuring matters. He is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading financial restructuring lawyers and has been cited on numerous occasions for his role in major bankruptcies.
Recognitions
- Best Lawyers: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2025
- The American Lawyer’s “Top 45 Under 45” [For all practice areas] (January 2003)
- The Best Lawyers in America 2008 (Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law)
- Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers
- “IFLR1000, Highly Regarded”
- K&A Register: “Leading Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Lawyers and Financial Advisors in the United States”
- Lawdragon’s “Leading Dealmakers” and “Leading 500 Attorneys”
- The Legal 500 US: Corporate and Finance (Corporate Restructuring)
- Turnarounds and Workouts’ Special Report: (Top Ten) Outstanding Bankruptcy Lawyers 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006
Education
- Harvard Law School, LL.M., 1985 (Viscount Bennett Scholar)
- University of Ottawa, LL.B., 1982
- University of Ottawa, LL.L., 1981
Representations
- As counsel for the official committees of unsecured creditors in the following matters: FTX, The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and related entities, Molycorp, NewPage Corporation, Spansion, Inc., AbitibiBowater, Inc, Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., Refco, Inc., Enron Corp., and Safety-Kleen Corporation.
- As counsel for the following debtors (either as part of an out-of-court restructuring or in chapter 11 cases): Chapter 11 Trustee of GT Advanced Technologies, Inc.; FairPoint Communications, Inc., Fruit of the Loom, Inc., Dictaphone Corporation, Safety Components International, Inc., Satmex, Inc. HomePlace Stores, Inc., Seven-Up/RC Bottling Company of Southern California, Inc., CIS Corporation, Zeta Consumer Products Corp., Ames Department Stores, Inc., Sun TV Inc., Wang Computers, and A.H. Robins.
- As chapter 11 trustee of Ho Wan Kwok.
news
- Paul Hastings Selected as Counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of FTX - December 22nd, 2022
- 18 Partner Elite Nationwide Financial Restructuring Group Joins Paul Hastings - March 31st, 2022
- Paul Hastings Ranked as Top Three Firm for New Rankings and Recognized for Numerous Practice Strength and Growth in Chambers USA 2021 - May 21st, 2021
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2020 - May 1st, 2020
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2019 - May 1st, 2019
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2018 - May 11th, 2018
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2017 - June 5th, 2017
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2016 - June 8th, 2016
- Paul Hastings Continues to Grow in London with Addition of Leading Restructuring and Debt Finance Partner David Ereira - November 18th, 2015
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2015 - May 20th, 2015
- Paul Hastings Practices and Lawyers Score Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2014 - May 27th, 2014
- Paul Hastings Represents Shunfeng Photovoltaic in its Acquisition of Wuxi Suntech - May 5th, 2014
- Paul Hastings Adds Prominent Restructuring Partner in New York - March 12th, 2014
- Paul Hastings Advises Ventura Capital Privado S.A. de CV in the Takeover and Restructuring of Maxcom Telecomunicaciones, S.A.B. de C.V. - October 18th, 2013
- Paul Hastings Advises Furniture Brands International in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy - September 10th, 2013
- Paul Hastings Represents Quebec Government and Victims of Railway Disaster in connection with Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway Chapter 11 Bankruptcy - August 28th, 2013
- Paul Hastings Represents Cetero Research in Bankruptcy Restructuring - March 26th, 2012
- Paul Hastings Advises Capital Trust in Debt Restructuring - April 5th, 2011
- Paul Hastings Earns Top Marks in Chambers 2011 Global Guide - March 21st, 2011
- Best Lawyers Names 91 Lawyers to 2011 Edition of Rankings - August 16th, 2010
Recognitions
- Paul Hastings Recognized in Global Restructuring Review’s GRR 100 2022 List - December 21st, 2022
- Paul Hastings Financial Restructuring Practice Recognized by Chambers USA 2022 - June 1st, 2022
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2021 - May 21st, 2021
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2020 - May 1st, 2020
- Ranked by Chambers USA 2019 - April 26th, 2019
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2018 - May 15th, 2018
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2017 - June 5th, 2017
- Recognized by Chambers USA 2016 - June 8th, 2016
- Practical Law Company II - May 26th, 2010
- Legal Media Group - May 24th, 2010
insights
- Chapter 11: Introdução À Reorganização Judicial Nos EUA - July 21st, 2020
- Triumph for Trademark Licensees: Supreme Court Says Right to Use Trademarks Following Debtor’s Rejection of Licensing Agreement Is Determined By Non-Bankruptcy Law - May 29th, 2019
- Are Buyers of Assets Acquired from Debtors in Section 363 Bankruptcy Sales Protected from Product Liability Claims? - July 27th, 2016
- Delaware Bankruptcy Court Refuses to Dismiss Chapter 11 Case Despite Existence of Secured Lender’s “Golden Share” in Debtor’s Delaware LLC Agreement: Could Bankruptcy-Remote Structures Be at Risk? - June 16th, 2016
- APCOA Parking: Can the Amendment of Governing Law Provisions in Finance Documentation Provide a Global Gateway to U.K. Schemes of Arrangement? - April 25th, 2014
- Back to the Future: Appeals Court Lets Bankruptcy Court Decide State Law Claims - August 26th, 2013
- Delaware Bankruptcy Court in In re School Specialty Affirms Lenders Ability to Recover 37 Percent Make-Whole Premium as Part of Its Secured Claim - April 29th, 2013
- United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York Holds That a UCC-3 Filing Without Authorization is No Filing At All - March 28th, 2013
- Fifth Circuit Decision May Reignite Debate On Artificial Impairment In Engineering A Cramdown Plan Of Reorganization - March 6th, 2013
- To Confirm or Not to Confirm? Third Circuit Rules That Bankruptcy Court May Determine at Disclosure Statement Stage That a Chapter 11 Plan Is Patently Unconfirmable - July 30th, 2012
- This Trend May Not Be Your Friend: Could Catalyst Paper Spawn a New Breed of Chapter 15 Cases for U.S. Debtors? - April 2nd, 2012
- The Saga of a Secured Lenders Right to Credit Bid Continues - Seventh Circuit Rejects Third Circuit Approach and Upholds Secured Lenders Right to Credit Bid in Sale Pursuant to a Bankruptcy Plan - June 30th, 2011
- Game Changer: Second Circuit Finds Gifting By Secured Creditor to Old Equity Pursuant to Chapter 11 Plan Violates Absolute Priority Rule - February 9th, 2011
- Aftermath and Revival: Developments in Distressed Debt Acquisition and Revival of Real Estate Debt Markets - October 1st, 2010
- Third Circuit Finds No Absolute Right To Credit Bid By A Secured Lender - March 25th, 2010