News
Turning Crisis into Strategy: Contracts, projects and disputes at a global chokepoint
Douglas S. Mintz
Partner Corporate & Finance
New York
Washington, D.C.
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Overview
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Experience
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Credentials
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Insights and events
Douglas Mintz is co-chair of Cadwalader’s Financial Restructuring practice and a leader of the firm’s Special Situations team. He focuses principally on the representation of creditors in financial restructurings and special/liability management situations, including private credit providers and other secured and unsecured lenders, ad hoc committees of creditors, equity sponsors and distressed investors.
He has deep experience advising on public finance, energy, commodities and technology restructurings. Prior to rejoining Cadwalader in 2025, Doug was a partner with Schulte Roth & Zabel, where he served as co-chair of the firm’s Business Reorganization Group and co-head of its Special Situations team. He was previously a partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, where he co-led the firm’s private fund client initiative.
A frequent lecturer, author and media figure, Doug has been consistently recognized as a leading restructuring lawyer by The Legal 500 U.S., Lawdragon and Chambers USA, which has listed him every year since 2012. Doug was also named in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for Banking and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Doug and his family created the Morris and Annette Mintz Scholarship, which awards scholarships to first-generation immigrants attending the University of Maryland at College Park. He also served for four years on the Board of the University of Maryland Alumni Association.
Publications
- “S.D. Texas Bankruptcy Court Finds LME Transactions Violated Credit Agreement, but Limits Recovery to Potential Claim in Robertshaw Litigation,” Journal of Bankruptcy Law, October 2024
- “Supreme Court Rules on Purdue Pharma Chapter 11 Plan: No Authorization for Release of Nonconsensual Claims Against Third Parties,” Journal of Bankruptcy Law, September 2024
- “‘Good Faith’ Bankruptcy Filings Get Fresh Look Ahead of J&J Move,” Bloomberg Law, September 2024 (quoted)
- “TMT liability management exercises scare creditors with dastardly terms,” Debtwire, June 2024 (quoted)
- “Bitcoin Spike Burns FTX Creditors,” The Deal, September 19, 2024 (quoted) “The Rise of Special Situations,” Turnarounds & Workouts, December 2023
- “The Rise of Special Situations,” Turnarounds & Workouts, December 2023
- “WeWork files for bankruptcy, capping a stunning downfall,” MarketWatch, Nov. 6, 2023 (quoted)
- “Bankruptcy Claims Sellers Should Consider All Risk Elements,” Bloomberg Law, Aug. 11, 2023
- “Serta Simmons Ch. 11 Expands Split On Credit Agreements,” Law360, Aug. 9, 2023
- “Mid-Year 2023 Update,” Turnarounds & Workouts, August 2023 (quoted)
- “Bankruptcy is easier than ever, and on the rise,” Alternatives Watch, July 3, 2023 (quoted)
- “3M Unit Bankruptcy Toss Is Second Blow to Mass Tort Defense Play", Bloomberg Law, June 13, 2023 (quoted)
- “Bankruptcy judge tosses Chapter 11 case by 3M’s Aearo Technologies,” Axios, June 13, 2023 (quoted)
- “Bankrupt Tuesday Morning Gets OK for $32M Sale to Hilco,” Law360, April 27, 2023 (quoted)
- “Corporate Bankruptcies Jumped in Q1,” Axios, April 7, 2023 (quoted)
- “Bankruptcy Courts Lose Ground Amid Texas Electricity Rate Ruling,” Bloomberg Law, Jan. 12, 2023 (quoted)
- “Recent Challenges to Uptiering Transactions,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, December 2022
- “Third-Party Releases Under Continued Fire in E.D. Va. Decision,” Harvard Law School Bankruptcy Roundtable, Aug. 2, 2022
- “J&J Talc Lawsuits Transferred to New Jersey– A Look into the Texas Two-Step Maneuver,” Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law, April/May 2022
- “Fifth Circuit Resolves ‘Clash’ Between FERC and Bankruptcy Courts,” The Bankruptcy Strategist, April 2022
- “Third-Party Releases Under Continued Fire in Ascena Retail Group Ruling,” The Banking Law Journal, May 2022
- “Using 3rd-Party Releases in Chapter 11 After Court Pushback,” Law 360, February 2022
- “Third-Party Releases Under Continued Fire in Ascena Retail Group Ruling,” Law360, February 2022
- “Validity of Non-Consensual Third-Party Releases Called into Question in Purdue Bankruptcy - But for How Long?” Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law, April/May 2022
Speaking Engagements
- “Unique Issues in Private Credit Restructuring,” Reorg Webinar, October 2024
- “Whatever Happened to Bankruptcy?” Wharton Restructuring and Distressed Investing Conference 2023, February 2023
- “The Broad Spectrum of Distressed Investing,” 18th Annual Wharton Restructuring and Distressed Investing Conference, February 2022
Representative experience
92% of the senior lenders in liability management negotiations with a technology company.
Majority senior lenders in a health technology company.
FTX Preferred Equity Holders in negotiation of a successful settlement.
Agent to DIP and exit lenders in the Spirit Airlines bankruptcy.
Independent representative for lender in a technology company.
Group of minority lenders in a services company.
Agent to DIP Lenders in the American Tire Distributors bankruptcy.
Agent to lenders in several out-of-court matters.
Developer of one of the largest stablecoins in structuring bankruptcy-remote strategy.
Co-counsel to equity holders of PGandE.
Counsel to holders of subrogation claims against California utilities.
A significant hedge fund investor in the potential restructuring of a large investor-owned utility.
Wells Fargo in the restructuring of Chesapeake Energy Company's secured debt.
A partner in multiple distressed power projects.
Debtors' counsel in the restructuring of Mirant and LyondellBasell.
Renco Group in the appeal of fraudulent transfer litigation in the Magnesium Corp. bankruptcy.
Ocean Rig, an offshore drilling company, in the restructuring through Cayman schemes and Chapter 15, of approximately $4 billion in secured and unsecured debt.
Borrower's counsel to a biofuel plant in Oregon.
Issuer's counsel to a distressed agrifiber plant in California.
Borrower's counsel in the out-of-court restructuring of debt for a water desalinization plant in Texas.
Borrower's counsel in an owner of out-patient surgical centers in Texas and the Southwest.
Borrower's counsel to a 5G spectrum leasing company.
Lenders' and agent's counsel in the restructuring and bankruptcy of Indiana Toll Road.
Lenders' counsel in the bankruptcy of Eagle Bulk Shipping.
Counsel to Credit Agricole in the Genco bankruptcy.
Counsel to the borrower in the restructuring of the Pocahontas Parkway toll road.
Counsel to the DRA parties in Puerto Rico's Title III and related cases (advising and litigating with respect to more than $20 BN in claims against multiple Puerto Rico entities).
Counsel to bidders for the assets of GWG Holdings.
Certain bondholders of the Puerto Rico Employee Retirement System in negotiating an RSA and plan term sheet in connection with the instrumentality's PROMESA debt adjustment plan.
Bondholders in the restructuring of Puerto Rico, including as co-counsel to the COFINA Senior Bondholders' Coalition.
Counsel to distressed investors, analyzing the workout and bankruptcy of opioid manufacturers.
Borrower in the potential workout of a tribal gaming finance facility.
Bidders for the DIP loan and bondholders in the restructuring and Chapter 9 bankruptcy of Detroit.
Bondholders in the Chapter 9 bankruptcy of Jefferson County, Alabama.
Bondholders of the Chicago Board of Education and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Counsel to the equity sponsor of an entertainment data company.
Counsel to DIP lenders in the NS8 Inc. bankruptcy.
Coalition of Intelsat Jackson senior noteholders in Intelsat Chapter 11 cases.
Bondholders in multiple distressed TMT companies.
Counsel to petitioning creditor of Yieldbot in involuntary Chapter 11.
Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors' Committee of ActiveCare, Inc.
Lily Robotics, Inc. in its Chapter 11 case.
Borrower in the restructuring of a telecommunications company.
Lenders in the bankruptcy of Contec Holdings, Ltd.
Counsel to debtholders in Trimark.
Counsel to senior lenders in AAC Holdings, Inc.
Counsel to Whitebox in the Caesars Chapter 11 cases, including in the litigation of a claims transfer.
Bidders for certain assets of Toys ‘R' Us and Gibson Guitars.
Landlords and hedge funds in multiple recent retail bankruptcies.
Collateral Agent in an industrial restructuring.
Borrower in a hospital services company.
Lenders in multiple real estate restructurings and bankruptcies.
Carl Icahn in the Blockbuster bankruptcy.
U.S. Treasury in the bankruptcies of GM, Chrysler and CIT Group and the workout of other TARP investments.
Credentials
Education
- J.D., University of Virginia School of Law
- B.A., University of Maryland, magna cum laude
Bar admissions and qualifications
- District of Columbia
- New York
Court admissions
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
Publications
Insights and Analysis
19 March 2026
Insights and Analysis
01 October 2025