Richard J Cooper

Practice Areas

Richard J. Cooper is one of the preeminent cross-border bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers in the United States and is the recognized leader in cross-border and sovereign restructurings involving companies and countries in Latin America and other emerging markets. His practice focuses on domestic and international corporate, municipal, and sovereign restructurings. Rich is known for his innovative work on behalf of corporate debtors, state-owned entities, governments and institutional investors, creditor committees, and other notable clients in connection with in and out-of-court insolvency proceedings and complex financings, including rescue financings. He has advised clients involved in some of the most prominent and noteworthy restructurings in the United States and other markets over the last two decades. In the past year, he has advised clients involved in some of the most high-profile bankruptcies and restructurings in Brazil, including the restructurings of: Odebrecht Oil & Gas, the largest ever Brazilian extrajudicial reorganization; LATAM Airlines, one of the largest bankruptcies filed in recent times, with over $16 billion in liabilities; Samarco Mineracao (over $10 billion in liabilities); and QGOG Constellation, among other high profile restructuring matters involving debtors Azul, Andrade Gutierrez, Oi, OGX and Tonon Bioenergia.

Career

Rich joined Cleary in 1986 and became a partner in 1995. J.D., Columbia Law School, 1986; M.Sc., University of London, London School of Economics and Political Science, 1983; B.A., Duke University, 1982.

Professional Memberships

Member of the Bar in New York

Bretton Woods Sovereign Debt Working Group

IIF Principles Consultative Group