High Profile Cases

The firm has represented numerous debtors in Chapter 11 cases including:

  • Hillsborough Holdings Corp., f/k/a The Jim Walter Corporation, and its 32 subsidiaries, which had combined assets and liabilities of more than $3 billion;
  • Koger Properties, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange company at the time of filing with assets and liabilities of more than $500 million;
  • The Koger Partnership, Ltd., a publicly traded limited partnership with assets and liabilities of more than $200 million;
  • Bicoastal Corporation, f/k/a The Singer Company, a corporation with assets in excess of $500 million and over $2 billion in asserted claims;
  • Lykes Bros. Steamship Co., Inc., the third largest U.S. Flag international shipping company with assets and liabilities in excess of $300 million;
  • JumboSports Inc., a major national retailer of sporting goods with 59 stores in more than 20 states and assets and liabilities of more than $300 million;
  • Linc.net, Inc., a Miami-based construction company with annual revenues and liabilities in excess of $300 million;
  • Viasource Communications, Inc., a Ft. Lauderdale-based company with annual revenues and assets exceeding $100 million;
  • Moltech Power Systems, Inc., a Gainesville-based manufacturer of rechargeable batteries with annual revenues of $140 million and assets and liabilities of approximately $80 million;
  • Wm. G. Roe and Sons, Inc. and Wm. G. Roe and Company, Inc., the largest packer and shipper of tangerines in Florida;
  • The American Ship Building Company, a New York Stock Exchange company at the time of filing; and Trust America Service Corp., an American Stock Exchange company at the time of filing. 

The firm also represents mid-size and smaller businesses and individual debtors on a regular basis and with a high degree of success. Formulating a strategy at the outset of these cases and implementing that strategy is key to handling these cases on an economical basis. 

The firm has also represented substantial creditors, purchasers, defendants, committees, or other parties in interest in a number of significant Chapter 11 cases, including those of:

  • The Celotex Corp. (a manufacturer of home building products with annual revenues of $400 million);
  • Silas Creek Retail, L.P., d/b/a Piece Goods Shops and d/b/a Northwest Fabrics (the fourth largest retail fabric chain in the nation with 195 locations throughout the United States);
  • Murray Chris-Craft (a leading recreational boat manufacturer);
  • American Family Publishers (a Time, Inc. subsidiary);
  • The Eli Witt Company (a large food and tobacco distributor);
  • Braniff Airlines and Grand Union Co. (cases in which the firm represented a member of the Official Creditors' Committee);
  • Fabric King, Inc. (a 74-store retail fabric chain);
  • Gardinier, Inc. and Mulberry Phosphates (each a large phosphate and fertilizer processor); and
  • W.T. Grant Co. (a large national retailer)