ProfessionalsWilliam A. Clareman

Tel: +1-212-373-3248
Fax: +1-212-492-0248
wclareman@paulweiss.com
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York,
NY
10019-6064
Fax: +1-212-492-0248
A partner in the Litigation Department, William (“Billy”) Clareman represents clients in a range of bankruptcy and restructuring matters and related commercial disputes. Billy has successfully represented clients in financial restructuring matters and related disputes at every stage of litigation – at trial, on appeal, and in dispositive motion practice – in state and federal courts. Billy is consistently named to Lawdragon’s “500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers List.”
EXPERIENCE
Billy’s recent bankruptcy and restructuring representations include:
- Diamond Sports Group, the nation’s largest owner of regional sports networks, in its successful chapter 11 cases filed in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Billy co-led a team of Paul, Weiss litigators in an investigation on behalf of Diamond’s board that culminated in a complaint against various parties for over $1 billion arising from pre-petition transactions, which settled on highly favorable terms, including approximately $500 million in cash to the estate. The litigation settlement paved the way for the Company’s emergence from chapter 11
- Carlyle Asset Management and Spring Creek Capital and its affiliated holders of 1.25L notes issued by Wesco Aircraft Holdings (d/b/a Incora), in connection with Incora’s restructuring in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Billy served as lead trial counsel for the defense of Carlyle and Spring Creek leading to dismissal of all claims against following a six-month trial in the Bankruptcy Court
- An ad hoc group of first lien noteholders of AMC Entertainment Holdings, the largest movie theater chain in the U.S. and worldwide, in connection with litigation in New York State Court related to the company’s refinancing transaction announced in July 2024
- Certain Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation bondholders who participated in the company’s 2024 exchange transaction, in litigation in New York State Court by a non-participating bondholder against the transaction participants alleging breach of contract and other claims
- Enviva and its debtor affiliates, the world's largest producer of sustainable wood pellets, in their prearranged chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, including a successful settlement of valuation disputes and pre-petition litigation claims following an internal investigation
- Proterra, a publicly traded developer and producer of commercial electric vehicle technology, including proprietary battery systems, electric transit buses and turnkey charging solutions, in its chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
- Revlon, a leading global beauty company, and certain of its subsidiaries in its contested chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, including Revlon’s successful defense in an adversary proceeding by pre-petition lenders alleging breach of credit agreements and other claims. Paul, Weiss’s litigation defense resulted in a complete dismissal of all claims against Revlon on the eve of trial
- TV Azteca and certain subsidiaries in connection with successfully obtaining dismissal of the involuntary chapter 11 petitions filed by certain petitioning creditors in the Southern District of New York
- Successful defense, argued in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, of Hartree Partners’ entitlement to a break-up fee and expense reimbursement as stalking horse bidder for certain assets of Bouchard Transportation, in a sale under section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code in the company’s chapter 11 cases
- An ad hoc committee of holders of secured and unsecured debt of Bausch Health in connection with the company’s proposed spin-off of its eyecare business and potential transactions with respect to the company’s funded debt
- An ad hoc group of first lien, second lien, and unsecured lenders in the chapter 11 restructuring of Endo Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company. The group comprised approximately of $3.2 billion, nearly forty percent, of the company’s funded debt
- An ad hoc group of first lien lenders of Sandvine, a Canadian-based broadband network equipment maker, in connection with the company’s recapitalization
- Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, a not-for-profit organization, in its chapter 11 case filed in the Southern District of New York to address claims arising under the New York Child Victims Act
- Co-counsel to Apollo Global Management, as DIP lender in the chapter 11 proceedings and contested confirmation process for Grupo Aeroméxico, the flag carrier airline of Mexico. Paul, Weiss’s Restructuring Litigation team lead a successful plan objection effort that lead to a settlement of that dispute through a new chapter 11 plan, followed by a successful defense against challenges to plan confirmation
- Glass Mountain, the owner of a 450-mile pipeline providing crude oil transportation and storage services, in a comprehensive restructuring with its equity sponsor and secured lenders that resulted in a reduction of over $230 million in debt
- Affiliates of Prudential Capital Partners and Onex Falcon as petitioning creditors in the involuntary chapter 11 cases and subsequent consensual out-of-court restructuring of American Achievement Corporation, a leading publisher of yearbooks, manufacturer and direct marketer of scholastic and graduation products, and provider of graduation commencement services
- Pioneer Energy Services Corp., an oil and gas services company, in chapter 11 proceedings, including challenges to plan confirmation based on alleged material adverse effects associated with COVID-19, which was settled on highly favorable terms that allowed the company to confirm its chapter 11 plan and successfully emerge from bankruptcy
- The Collegiate Churches of New York, the oldest operating church in the United States, in connection with its investment in a major commercial real estate development project in New York City, and related New York Supreme Court litigation, which was dismissed against the Churches in full
- ad hoc group of senior secured creditors of Oro Negro, a Mexican offshore drilling company, in chapter 15 proceedings in the Southern District of New York, and adversary proceedings by former managers of the company against the ad hoc group
- An indenture trustee and collateral agent in litigation in the District Court for the Southern District of New York concerning the enforceability of senior secured notes issued by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A.
- ad hoc group of unsecured noteholdersin connection with the chapter 11 cases of Dean Foods Company, the largest processor and direct-to-store distributor of fresh fluid milk and other dairy products in the United States
- ad hoc group of holders of securities issued by Exide Technologies, a global manufacturer of automotive and industrial batteries, in Exide’s chapter 11 proceedings
- An ad hoc group of creditors of California Resources Corporation, an independent, publicly traded oil and natural gas exploration and production company with the largest oil and natural gas production operations in California, in its pending chapter 11 cases. The company’s plan provides for the restructuring of over $5.8 billion of debt and preferred equity interests
- An ad hoc committee of noteholders in the chapter 11 restructuring of Whiting Petroleum, one of the largest independent exploration and production companies in the U.S. with over $3.4 billion in funded debt obligations
- 侱پdzܱin various litigations relating to Lehman Brothers’ chapter 11 and SIPC proceeding, including a six-month trial challenging multi-billion dollar claims by Citigroup arising from terminated derivative trades