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About Sean O’Keefe
Sean A. O’Keefe is recognized by his peers as one of Southern California’s most skilled bankruptcy and insolvency strategists. Mr. O’Keefe has represented lenders and other creditors in complex Chapter 11 cases, assignments for the benefit of creditors, and a broad range of commercial litigation. His experience in real estate insolvency encompasses the entire asset spectrum — from raw land and large residential developments to retail, industrial, office and other commercial property portfolios. Mr. O’Keefe is also an experienced federal appellate court practitioner.
Mr. O’Keefe graduated from Dartmouth College (BA 1980) and obtained his law degree from Fordham University School of Law (1983). He is licensed to practice law in New York (1984), California (1986), Virginia (2017), the District of Columbia (2018) and Texas (2021). He is admitted to practice before the following courts:
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- All United States District Courts in California
- All United States Bankruptcy Courts in California
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas
Mr. O’Keefe specializes in counseling clients in the real estate, manufacturing, retail, service and healthcare industries. He also represents some of California’s largest shopping center owners in tenant bankruptcy proceedings, and he aggressively represents both buyers and sellers of distressed business entities.
Martindale Hubbell (AV) accorded Mr. O’Keefe the highest peer review rating, he has been recognized by Best Lawyers for the past seven years and by Super Lawyers for over a decade. He has written and spoken on bankruptcy and insolvency matters for over twenty years and is a past Chairman of the Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section of the Orange County Bar Association.
Professional Writing and Speaking Engagements
- “Adequate Protection After United Savings v. Timbers of Inwood Forest,” 16 Cal. Bankr. J. 8 (1988);
- “Post-Petition Perfection of Assignment of Rent Clauses Under 11 U.S.C. §546(b): A Creative Illusion,” 17 Cal. Bankr. J. 123 (1989);
- Panelist: 1990 Annual Conference of the California Bankruptcy Forum, “Converting Rents, Rates and Revenues Into Cash Collateral: New Challenges to an Old Alchemy”;
- Orange County Bankruptcy Forum, “What Price Justice: Is There an Exception to The Absolute Priority Rule?” February, 1993;
- National Business Institute Seminar, “How to Protect Secured Interests in Bankruptcy in California,” August, 1993;
- Orange County Bar Association, “Bankruptcy Issues Arising From Securitized Loans,” February 2002;
- Orange County Bar Association, “Nondischargeability Litigation: Selected Issues,” May 2002; and
- Panelist, Orange County Bankruptcy Forum Program: “Recovering the Loot: “Pursuing and Defending Fraud and Other Claims Against Insiders, Investors, and Aiders & Abettors In Bankruptcy Cases,” April 2009.
- Panelist, American Bankruptcy Institute, “Failing Lenders: Dueling Bankruptcy Cases”, March 2012.
- Panelist, Orange County Bankruptcy Forum and Chapman University School of Law, “Bankruptcy Code Section 523: A Comprehensive Seminar on All Aspects of Nondischargeability and Nondischargeability Litigation Under 11 U.S.C. Section 523”, April 2012”