Elena Ketchum

Practice Areas

Elena Paras Ketchum is a recognized bankruptcy, insolvency, and business restructuring attorney who has built a distinguished reputation representing businesses, creditors, and other stakeholders in complex financial matters throughout Florida. As a shareholder with Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler, P.A. (SRBP) since 2007, Elena focuses her practice on Chapter 11 reorganizations, Subchapter V proceedings, business workouts, bankruptcy litigation, assignments for the benefit of creditors (ABCs), distressed asset transactions, and business insolvency matters.

With more than two decades of experience, Elena serves as trusted counsel to companies navigating financial distress, helping business owners, management teams, investors, and creditors develop strategic solutions that preserve value and maximize recovery. Her practice emphasizes practical, results-oriented restructuring strategies designed to help businesses reorganize, restructure debt, protect assets, and achieve long-term financial stability.

Elena is particularly well known for her extensive experience in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and Florida assignments for the benefit of creditors, an important alternative to traditional bankruptcy proceedings. She regularly advises clients on complex insolvency issues involving commercial real estate, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and professional service industries. Her ability to guide clients through sophisticated restructurings and distressed transactions has earned her recognition among Florida's leading bankruptcy and restructuring attorneys.

Elena is consistently recognized by leading legal publications and peer-review organizations for excellence in bankruptcy and restructuring law. She has earned distinctions from Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, Martindale-Hubbell, Lawdragon, Florida Super Lawyers, and other respected industry rankings. She is also a frequent speaker and author on topics involving Chapter 11 reorganizations, Subchapter V bankruptcy, creditor rights, business workouts, insolvency trends, and fiduciary responsibilities. Her presentations have been featured before professional organizations, legal associations, and academic institutions, including University of Florida and Stetson law schools, throughout Florida.

A respected leader in the legal and restructuring community, Elena has held numerous leadership positions within bankruptcy and insolvency organizations, including serving as former President of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association. Her commitment to client service, strategic problem solving, and practical business solutions has made her a trusted advisor for companies facing operational and financial challenges.

Businesses, creditors, and professionals seeking experienced counsel in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, business restructuring, insolvency litigation, creditor rights, Subchapter V proceedings, and assignments for the benefit of creditors rely on Elena Paras Ketchum for sophisticated legal guidance, strategic advocacy, and proven results. Her combination of technical legal knowledge, business acumen, and restructuring experience positions her among Florida's premier bankruptcy and business restructuring attorneys.

Professional Memberships

Commissioner, Architectural Review Commission for the City of Tampa (appointed in 2024 for 3-year term)

Local Rules Lawyers’ Advisory Committee (2020 – 2023)

Member, Board of Directors, Tampa Museum of Art (2019 – 2023)

Leadership Tampa, Class of 2019, The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce

President and Member, Sister City Affiliate Group for Heraklion, Crete (Greece)

President, Daughters of Penelope, Chapter Alcmaeon 167 Tampa (2022-2023)

Chair, District-Wide Steering Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida (2012 – 2016)

Member, International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation

Member, American Bankruptcy Institute

Member, American Bar Association

Community Tampa Bay, Board Member (2013 – 2016); Treasurer (2013 – 2014)

Turnaround Underground – member of organizing group in Tampa (2012)

Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association

Member, Special Committee on Bylaw Review and Amendments (2018)

Chair (2011-2012)

President (2010-2011)

Vice- President (2009-2010)

Treasurer (2008-2009)

Chair of the Credit Abuse Resistance Education program (2007-2010)

Membership Chair (2006-2007)

The Florida Bar, Business Law Section

Executive Council (2006-2007)

Member, Membership and Law Student Relations Committee (2006-2007)

Hillsborough County Bar Association, Co-chair of the Community Service Committee (2005-2006)

Hillsborough County Bar Association, Teen Summit Mock Trial (2005)

Tampa Theater, Restoration Committee (2005)

Great American Teach In, Academy of the Holy Names (2004)

Pupil, American Inns of Court, Justice William Glenn Terrell Inn (2002-2003)

Reading Mentor, Time to Read Literacy/Mentoring Program (2002-2003)

Junior League of Tampa (Active Member 1999-2012; Sustainer 2013 to current)

Publications

Publications and Speaking Engagements:

“A Guide to the Standing Doctrine”, American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, Vol. XLIV, No. 8, August 2025

“The Narrow Rooker-Feldman Doctrine in Practice”, The Florida Bar Out-of-State Division’s State to State, Spring 2025

Contributor of “Relevant Bankruptcy. Sections from Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021” for Business Bankruptcy Legal Update and Unmasking Some Great Consumer Cases from 2020 and 2021, presentations 45th Annual Memorial Alexander L. Paskay Bankruptcy Seminar, March 26, 2021

“The Value of a Secured Creditor’s Collateral is Established by Third-Party Winning Bid, Not Credit Bid”, American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, Vol. XL, No. 3, March 2021

“SBRA: So Many Choices, So Little Time – Electing to Proceed under Subchapter V” – assisted in drafting PowerPoint for presentation by panel at Insolvency 2020 Virtual Summit hosted by American Bankruptcy Institute

“Economic Buoys for Businesses Affected by COVID-19″, April 3, 2020

Moderator, TMA Florida Annual Conference, March 2026 – “Private Equity in Chapter 11 Cases: From DIP Financing to Chapter 11 Plan”

Moderator, CLE Program presented at The Florida Bar Business Law Section August 2025 Labor Day Retreat – “Unique Tales of Sales: Strategies and Complications with Getting the Deal Done.”

Moderator, CLE Program hosted by The Business Law Section of The Florida Bar (March 2025) – “Insolvency Options for Florida Businesses”

Panelist, Nuts & Bolts Program, 47th Annual Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy

Seminar, hosted by American Bankruptcy Institute (February 2023)

Moderator, Fireside Chat with Former Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, and Secretary Thomas Bowman, the 7th United States Deputy Secretary of Veteran Affairs, 12th Annual Turnaround Management Association Florida Conference (March 2022)

Speaker, New Orleans Bar Association Program in New Orleans, Louisiana (July 2018) – “Strategies and Best Practices for §363 Sale: Everything You Need to Know About APA and Bidding Procedures”

Guest Lecturer, Advanced Bankruptcy Course, University of Florida College of Law (2018)

Speaker, Orange County Bar Association Conference (April 2016)

Guest Lecturer, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Seminar, Stetson University College of Law (Fall Semester 2014)

Speaker, American Bar Association Business Law Section Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C. (April 2013) – “The Anatomy of a Workout”

Speaker, Central Florida Bankruptcy Law Association Annual Bankruptcy Seminar (September 2012)

Speaker, American Bankruptcy Institute’s 17thAnnual Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop (July 2012) – “Bankruptcy Litigation: A Practical Skills Guide”

Speaker, Bankruptcy/UCC Session, Florida Bar’s Annual Meeting (June 2012) – “Anatomy of a Workout”

Attendee, 2011 Eleventh Circuit Judicial Conference held April 28 – 30, 2011.

Guest Lecturer, Advanced Bankruptcy Course, University of Florida College of Law (2011)

Speaker, Hillsborough County Bar Association’s 2nd Annual Real Estate Update (2011) – “Negotiating Workouts Outside of Bankruptcy”

Speaker, Hillsborough County Bar Association (2010) – “HCBA Loan Modification and Workout Town Hall Meeting”

Expert in these Jurisdictions

The Florida Bar (all State courts)

United States Courts of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit

United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida

United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Education

Awards

Work Highlights

Rated “AV Preeminent” in Martindale-Hubbell

Listed, Chambers & Partners, Bankruptcy/Restructuring Practice in Florida 2012-2025

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2018 – 2026)

Listed among the 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers in the inaugural 2020 Edition, as well as the 2022 through 2026 Editions of Lawdragon

Listed in “Florida Super Lawyers” in the area of bankruptcy/insolvency practice as “Super Lawyer” (2014 – 2025) and “Rising Star,” (2009 – 2012)

Listed, Top 50 Women Lawyers in the State of Florida by “Florida Super Lawyers” (2015 – 2020)

Listed, Florida’s Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine (2012 – 2015, 2018)

Fellow, American Bar Foundation

Recipient of the 2006 James M. “Red” McEwen Memorial Award presented annually by the Hillsborough County Bar Association to the individual who contributed the most to the HCBA during the year.

Phi Beta Kappa, initiated April 18, 1994

Book Award, Comparative Tort Litigation and Rules of Procedure, UF law school

Mortar Board, Agnes Scott College

Industry Sector Expertise

In addition to being lead counsel in numerous out-of-court workouts for loans involving hundreds of millions of dollars, Elena Paras Ketchum has served as lead counsel or had significant involvement in numerous Chapter 11 cases across a variety of industries.