-
Overview
-
Experience
Introduction
Brian focuses on corporate restructuring, bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, and general commercial litigation.
Brian Audette represents secured lenders, creditors, trustees, assignees for the benefit of creditors, and debtors in Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings, Chapter 7 liquidations, state court foreclosure actions, and out-of-court restructurings and liquidations.
Brian has experience in the hospitality industry, where he has represented secured lenders, major hotel brands, creditors, and debtors in all aspects of Chapter 11 restructurings, out-of-court transactions, general litigation, and business litigation. He also represents landlords in retail restructuring cases across the United States.
Brian is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). He has led numerous seminars at the ICSC's annual U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference, addressing complex issues affecting landlords when their tenants file for bankruptcy.
Education & credentials
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D.,
cum laude, Assistant Features Editor (2000-2001) and News Editor (2001-2002) for Public Interest Law Reporter
, 2002 - Brown University, B.A., Psychology and Organizational Behavior Management, 1997
- Illinois
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- DLA Piper, Associate, 2002-2008
Professional recognition
Listed as a "Super Lawyer" by Super Lawyers Magazine, 2014-2022
Listed as an "Illinois Rising Star" by Illinois Law & Politics, 2012
Member of the Private Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees, 2010-2017
American Bankruptcy Institute, Member
ICSC, Member
*The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no certificate, award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.
- Served on a team of attorneys representing petitioners before the U.S. Supreme Court in RadLAX Gateway Hotel, LLC, et al. v. Amalgamated Bank (Case No. 11-166), a high-profile bankruptcy case involving secured creditor cram down.
- Counseled a national hotel brand in connection with complex commercial litigation involving potential damages of more than $200 million in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
- Acted as lead counsel for the owner of the largest and oldest newspaper in West Virginia in its Chapter 11 proceeding in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
- Served as lead counsel for a CMBS special servicer in the bankruptcy of a hotel in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
- Represented five hotel-owning entities in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
- Served as Chapter 7 Trustee for the indirect owner of two restaurants located in Chicago, Illinois.
- Counseled seven hotel-owning entities in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
- Acted as lead counsel for a CMBS special servicer in connection with the foreclosure and related bankruptcy of a real estate company that owned eight apartment buildings in Chicago, Illinois.
- Counseled a trustee in the liquidation of a technology solutions company.
- Served as Chapter 11 bankruptcy counsel for a leading supplier of building materials and manufacturer of building components in the United States.
- Counseled the unsecured creditors' committee in the bankruptcy of a brand marketing organization in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois.