Keller, Tobias S.

Lawyer Overview

Tobias Keller counsels clients in a variety of industries dealing with financial distress, advising on dislocations arising from excessive leverage, uncontrolled litigation, or unanticipated employee or vendor problems, and the governance questions that arise in connection with those challenges.

Tobias represented an auto transport company in protecting its operations while key constituencies including its equity sponsor, first and second lien debt holders, and a union attempted to negotiate a global resolution of their differences; he advised a billion-dollar student loan syndicator in its negotiations with its warehouse lenders and its wind down; he helped design and implement the strategy by which a financially challenged retail pharmacy was able to sell its assets to a major competitor and return a distribution to its public shareholders; and successfully argued to the Ninth Circuit to overturn a local rule limiting his client's ability to litigate in the bankruptcy courts. He also has advised private equity funds, parent companies, and joint venturers in the restructuring of affiliates and strategies that both minimize legal exposure while maximizing their economic returns; committees in obtaining substantially increased returns for unsecured creditors; and buyers in acquiring distressed properties.

Tobias regularly lectures for organizations including Stanford Law School, the American Bar Association, and the Association for Corporate Growth. He has been recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers and is one of the partners charged with overseeing Jones Day's West Coast restructuring practice.

Areas of Practice

• Business Restructuring & Reorganization
• Private Equity
• Distressed Mergers & Acquisitions

Representative Cases

• Ampex creditors' committee improves creditors' recoveries , (2009)
• Board of Performance Transportation Services, second largest U.S. automobile hauler, reviews fiduciary duties to creditors and other constituents, stalking horse bids, and governance issues related to bankruptcy filings , (2009)
• Chapter 11 trustee to assist in the liquidation of National Farm Financial Corporation , (2009)
• Education Finance Partners liquidates $1 billion student loan portfolio , (2009)
• Familymeds Group sells its stores
• Franklin Advisers privately renegotiates bond default , (2009)
• Gordian Group hired as financial advisor , (2009)
• HealthCentral.com appeals local rule , (2009)
• JMP Securities submits opinion on tender offer , (2009)
• Private equity fund to attempt acquisition of distressed company , (2009)

West Practice Categories

Banking & Finance Law, Business & Commercial Law, Business Organizations, Lending & Secured Transactions, Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures, Venture Capital

Bar Admissions

• California

Education

• Harvard University
• Stanford University

Published Works

• Counseling The Licensee Through The Licensor's Bankruptcy, Business Law News, Issue 4, 2007
• Legal Risks for Distressed Claims Traders, 3 Pratt's Journal of Bankruptcy Law 115, 2007
• An Overview of Legal Risks for Distressed Claims Traders, 2006

Address

555 California Street
26th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

Phones

1.415.875.5869 (Business Phone)

Faxes

1.415.875.5700 (Business Fax)

Emails

Contact Us (Business Email)

Websites

http://www.jonesday.com