Experience

Sean A. O’Keefe, the firm’s principal, has over thirty years of experience in the areas of bankruptcy, commercial transactions, business litigation and federal appellate practice.

Chapter 11 Experience

The firm has extensive experience representing real estate developers, builders and investment entities that own large commercial, retail and multifamily real estate portfolios (REITs, limited partnerships, limited liability companies) in Chapter 11 cases. The firm also has in depth experience representing manufacturing businesses, retail and service businesses, health-care centric businesses and financial service businesses requiring legal assistance in Chapter 11 cases.

Creditor Representation

The firm has experience representing bondholders, banks, mutual funds, landlords and unsecured creditors in workouts, Chapter 11 cases, and in litigation matters arising in such proceedings.

Litigation Practice

The firm has experience defending and prosecuting a diverse range of litigation matters including dischargeability cases, preference and fraudulent transfer cases, securities fraud cases, trademark cases, contract cases, and the range of disputes arising under the Uniform Commercial Code. Mr. O’Keefe also has substantial experience in valuation trials, having tried cases involving substantially every major real estate asset.

Federal Appellate Practice

Mr. O’Keefe has argued over ten appellate cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and over six cases before the United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit. Some of the written opinions in Mr. O’Keefe’s  appellate cases are listed below:

  • Matter of Point Central Financial, Inc.,  890 F.3d 1188 (9th Cir. 2018)
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Howard, 671 Fed.Appx. 954 (9th Cir. 2016)
  • U.S. Philips Corp. v. KBC Bank N.V., 667 F. App’x 632 (9th Cir. 2016)
  • U.S. Philips Corp. v. KBC Bank, N.V., 590 F.3d 1091 (9th Cir. 2010)
  • In re U.S. Philips Corp., 526 F. App’x 728 (9th Cir. 2013)
  • In the Matter of Checkmate Staffing, Inc., 359 Fed.Appx. 736 (9th Cir. 2009)
  • In re Sullivan, 522 B.R. 604 (9th Cir. BAP 2014)
  • In re Hatim Yehia Youssef, 2011 WL 3298903 (9th Cir. BAP 2011)

Of Counsel

The firm has Of Counsel relationships with two other experienced attorneys, and it has cooperative relationships with other preeminent lawyers and law firms. These additional legal resources associate with the firm when necessary to staff larger more complex cases.