Bradford J. Sandler

Mr. Sandler is a member of the firm's Management Committee and Long- term Planning Committee and co-chair of the firm’s renowned and venerable Committee Practice Group.

He has substantial experience representing debtors, equity and creditors’ committees, acquirers, fiduciaries (including receivers and trustees), and other significant parties in interest in complex reorganizations and financially distressed situations, both in and out of court. While acknowledging that bankruptcy is often a viable business tool to fix a troubled company, Mr. Sandler believes that it is a tool of last resort, and many of his company-side representations are out-of-court, non-public representations he successfully worked by right-sizing the company’s capital structure to avoid a formal insolvency proceeding.

Mr. Sandler is known for bringing creative and aggressive representation to maximize unsecured creditor or equity recoveries. His recent committee representations include Cineworld, Sungard, Ascena, J Crew, Ditech Holdings, Corsicana Bedding, Rockdale Marcellus, Tuesday Morning, Gymboree II, Payless I and II, Shopko, the Weinstein Company, Bon-Ton Department Stores, Woodbridge Group, BCBG Max Azria, Aeropostale and Sports Authority. Mr. Sandler was lead counsel in the LifeCare Hospital case that led to a substantial recovery to unsecured creditors after making new “class skipping” law in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. His industry experience includes consumer good/retail, entertainment, food/restaurants, manufacturing, technology, financial services, agricultural.

Many publications have acknowledged Mr. Sandler’s restructuring work. He has been listed among the nation’s top restructuring attorneys in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013. He holds an “AV Preeminent Peer Rating,” Martindale-Hubbell's highest recognition for ethical standards and legal ability, and was named to Thomson Reuters’ “New York Super Lawyers” list as well as “Delaware Super Lawyers” list. He is ranked among the nation’s top Bankruptcy/ Restructuring attorneys by Chambers USA, which states that he “boasts deep expertise in the representation of creditors' committees in complex Chapter 11 proceedings," and that he “blend[s] traditional legal skills with commercial negotiating and business sense." Chambers USA also notes that Mr. Sandler has been described as “a creative, calm, effective lawyer who is also quick, smart and aggressive.”

Representations

• Committees: Cineworld, Rockdale Marcellus, Sungard, Corsicana Bedding, Alamo Theaters, Logan's Roadhouse, Tuesday Morning, Washington Prime Group, J.Crew, Ascena Retail Group, Cinemex Theaters, Goodrich Theaters, Fairway Markets, Promise Healthcare Hospitals, Lucky Brand Dungarees, Payless ShoeSource (2019), Gymboree Corporation, Shopko, The Weinstein Company, Bon-Ton Stores, Rockport, Woodbridge Group of Companies, Perkins Restaurants, SD Restaurant Group, Payless ShoeSource (2017), BCBG Max Azria, The Limited, Haggen Supermarkets, Sports Authority, Aeropostale, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P), Fox & Hound and Champps, Joe's Crab Shack, National Air Cargo, Ashley Stewart, Fired Up (Johnny Carino's), Quantum Leap (TGI Friday franchisee), Martifer Solar, LifeCare Hospitals, Namco Holdings, Bakers Shoes, Coach America, Buffets Restaurants, Smurfit-Stone, Eddie Bauer, Harry & David Holdings, Back Yard Burgers, Joan Fabrics, Quaker Fabrics, Emivest Aerospace Corporation, Oasys Mobile, SSI Group (Souper Salad), KH Funding, PJComn Acquisition Corp (Papa John's), Freedom Rings, Old Original Bookbinders, National Envelope Corporation, National Dry Cleaners, Neff Corporation, Pure Beauty Salons & Boutiques (Trade Secret), Bowe Bell & Howe, Anchor Blue Retail Group, Charlie Brown's Restaurant Group, Dan River Holdings, Goodys, Specialty Packaging Holdings, Palm Harbor Homes, Frank Parsons Inc., Custom Cable Industries
• Debtors: DVI Financial Services, Charleston Associates, Forward Foods, Network Access Solutions Corporation, Protarga, Kitchen Etc., Home Health Care of America, Avant-Garde Enterprises
• Fiduciaries: Art Van Furniture, Heritage Furniture, Bayou Steel, Adeptus Healthcare, Global Aviation, Leading Edge Logistics, Evergreen International Aviation, TSC, VeraSun Energy, Net2000 Communications, Ultimate Electronics, US Automotive Friction, Carolina Fluids, Somody, American Remanufacturers

Professional Affiliations

• Life member, American Bankruptcy Institute
• Member: Turnaround Management Association, Association for Corporate Growth, International Federation of Insolvency Practitioners (INSOL), Delaware Bankruptcy American Inn of Court
• Leadership Positions: American Bankruptcy Institute, Turnaround Management Association (Philadelphia and New York Chapters), Settlement Music School, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Art Alliance
• Member, Law360 Bankruptcy Editorial Board (2020)

Programs and Lectures

News

Publications

• Coauthor, "Suggested Amendments to US Bankruptcy Code," Law360 (February 3, 2009)
• Coauthor,"'Decoupling' Issues in Bankruptcy," Business Bankruptcy Newsletter (ABA Business Law Section January 2009)
• Author, "Corporate Guidance in M&A Transactions From Chancery Court," 8 Delaware Law Weekly No. 36 (Sept. 14, 2005)
• Coauthor, "Statutory Employer Immunity Under Pennsylvania Law," Pennsylvania Bar Quarterly (Winter 1998)
• Coauthor, Statutory Employer Immunity in Tort Cases Involving Work-Related Injuries, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association Pub. No. 148-1997 (1997)
• Coauthor, "Recent Significant Case Decisions Involving Design Professionals," in program materials for 36th Annual Meeting of Invited Attorneys (Schinnerer & Co. 1997)
• Regular law columnist for the monthly national magazine, The Construction Specifier
• Author, "Alcan Revisited: Does the Denial of a De Minimis Defense Help Achieve a 'Polluter's Pay' Policy?" 8 Temple Environmental Law & Technology Journal 141 (1994)

Events