Overview

Tyler is Co-Head of the firm’s bankruptcy and restructuring practice, rated Band 1 for Bankruptcy/Insolvency in Virginia by Chambers USA, a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, and ranked among the Top Ten lawyers in Virginia by Super Lawyers. Chambers USA, 2020 interviewees describe Tyler as “outstanding, super capable and very, very good on his feet.”  He “has a wealth of experience advising debtors and creditors on the full range of bankruptcy and insolvency-related matters.”

Tyler regularly represents debtors, creditors’ committees, and secured and unsecured creditors in complex chapter 11 cases. Tyler also handles loan workouts, lender liability claims, contract disputes, and other commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels. Tyler provides transactional and lending advice to commercial, consumer and mortgage lenders, private equity firms and hedge funds, and public and private companies. He has extensive litigation experience with adversary proceedings and contested matters in US Bankruptcy Court and commercial litigation in Virginia state and federal courts. Tyler is admitted to practice in the US Supreme Court, the Virginia Supreme Court, the Third, Fourth and Eleventh Circuits, and the US District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia.

Tyler’s recent engagements have included various roles in the complex Chapter 11 cases of Intelsat, Guitar Center, J Crew, Alpha Media, Ascena, Pier 1 Imports, Gymboree, Think Finance, Restaurants Unlimited, Toys ‘R Us, Alpha Natural Resources, LeClairRyan, Rogers Bancshares, James River Coal, and Xinergy, among many others.

Experience

  • Served as lead debtor’s counsel in corporate Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.
  • Represented numerous secured and unsecured creditors, directors, bondholders, trustees and equity interests in Chapter 11 reorganizations, restructurings and workouts.
  • Significant trial and motions experience in Bankruptcy and District Courts throughout the eastern United States.
  • Regularly represent corporations in defense of preference claims, turnover actions, fraudulent conveyance and transfer claims, and other bankruptcy and insolvency disputes.
  • Handled defense of numerous consumer claims for national finance companies, banks and mortgage lenders. 
  • Handled defense of federal class actions against mortgage and consumer lenders on bankruptcy and RESPA claims.
  • Represented insurance guaranty associations in numerous insurance company insolvencies.
  • Successfully represented manufacturers and transportation companies in significant coverage disputes with insurers.
  • Regularly advise Fortune 500 companies on bankruptcy-related issues involved in the structuring of corporate acquisitions, loans and other transactions.
  • Substantial experience in attachment, detinue, replevin, injunction, seizure and other aggressive creditor actions.

Accolades

Honors & Recognitions

  • Selected as Richmond “Lawyer of the Year” for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, The Best Lawyers in America, 2024
  • Selected as Richmond “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation – Bankruptcy, The Best Lawyers in America, 2024
  • Selected as a Best Lawyer for Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Bet-the-Company Litigation, and Litigation – Bankruptcy, The Best Lawyers in America, 2005-2024
  • Selected as a Top 10 Lawyer in Virginia, Virginia Super Lawyers, 2023

  • Selected as a Super Lawyer for Bankruptcy, The Washington Post Magazine and Virginia & West Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine, 2006-2023

  • Recognized as a Leader in Bankruptcy/Restructuring, Virginia, Band 1, Chambers USA, 2015-2023
  • Listed in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers 2020-2023
  • Recommended for Restructuring (including Bankruptcy): Corporate, Legal 500 United States, 2020-2023
  • Selected as a Top 10 Lawyer in Virginia, ranked 1st, Virginia Super Lawyers, 2019
  • Named among the Legal Elite for Bankruptcy Law, Virginia Business Magazine, 2008-2022

Affiliations

Professional

  • Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy, Class of 2009, and Member, Fourth Circuit Admissions Council
  • Fellow, Virginia Law Foundation, Class of 2016
  • Co-Chair of Planning Committee, Mid-Atlantic Institute on Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice
  • Past President, Richmond Bar Association
  •  Past President, Greater Richmond Bar Foundation
  • Past Member, Board of Governors, Bankruptcy Section, Virginia State Bar
  • Member, American Bankruptcy Institute

Insights

Events & Speaking Engagements

  • February 24, 2023
    Event
    Speaker
    Creditors’ Rights and Agency, Reciprocity Course, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, VA
  • September 9, 2022
    Event
    Speaker
    Use of Independent Directors and Board Committees in Chapter 11 Cases, Mid-Atlantic Institute on Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, VA
  • April 27, 2022
    Event
    Speaker
    Third Party Releases, FTI Senior Lender Webinar
  • September 10, 2021
    Event
    Speaker
    Release and Exculpation Provisions in Chapter 11 Plans, Mid-Atlantic Institute on Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, VA
  • September 3, 2021
    Event
    Speaker
    Creditors’ and Debtors’ Rights, 47th Annual Recent Developments in the Law, Virginia CLE, Virtual
  • September 11, 2020
    Event
    Speaker
    Plan Support Agreements and Issues in Providing Exit Financing, Mid-Atlantic Institute on Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice, Virginia CLE, Virtual
  • June 18, 2020
    Event
    Speaker
    Creditors’ and Debtors’ Rights, 46th Annual Recent Developments in the Law, Virginia CLE, Virginia Beach, VA
  • February 28, 2020
    Event
    Speaker
    Creditors’ Rights, Reciprocity Course, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, VA
  • November 1, 2019
    Event
    Speaker
    Alternative Financial Products, National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, Washington, DC
  • September 13, 2019
    Event
    Speaker
    The Authority and Limits of Section 363, Mid-Atlantic Institute on Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, VA
  • June 13, 2019
    Event
    Speaker
    Creditors’ and Debtors’ Rights, 45th Annual Recent Developments in the Law, Virginia CLE, Virginia Beach, VA
  • November 9, 2018
    Event
    Speaker
    Mid-Atlantic Institute on Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, VA
  • April 6, 2018
    Event
    Guest Lecturer
    Bankruptcy, Washington and Lee University School of Law, Lexington, VA 
  • September 15, 2017
    Event
    Speaker
    Mid-Atlantic Institute on Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, VA
  • June 15, 2017
    Event
    Speaker
    Creditors’ and Debtors’ Rights, 45th Annual Recent Developments in the Law, Virginia CLE, Virginia Beach, VA
  • April 14, 2017
    Event
    Guest Lecturer
    Bankruptcy, Washington & Lee University School of Law, Lexington, VA
  • April 11, 2017
    Event
    Speaker
    Hot Topics in Chapter 11 Practice, Virginia CLE, Charlottesville, VA
  • March 17, 2017
    Event
    Speaker
    Practical Considerations in Confirming a Chapter 11 Plan, Virginia State Bar Annual Bankruptcy Practice Seminar, Richmond, VA

Publications

News

Education

JD, Washington and Lee University, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, Editor-in-Chief, Washington and Lee Law Review, Vol. 44, 1987

BA, Syracuse University, 1984

Admissions

Virginia

Clerkships

  • Supreme Court of Virginia
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