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Sherri Blank Lazear

Sherri Blank Lazear is a trial lawyer focusing on bankruptcy litigation, creditors’ and debtors’ rights, construction litigation and commercial law.

Ms. Lazear has a wide range of experience with litigation in bankruptcy courts, including the representation of secured and unsecured creditors, lenders, construction companies, landlords, officers and directors, and vendors. She has a national practice and handles matters including preference and fraudulent conveyance litigation, relief from stay, administrative claims and reclamation proceedings in bankruptcy courts throughout the country. Ms. Lazear has also advised members of Creditor’s Committees in numerous Chapter 11 proceedings.

Ms. Lazear’s bankruptcy litigation matters include litigation in the healthcare, airline, real estate, construction, steel and paper industries. Some representative matters in these areas include:

• Representation of a financial services company which was the largest creditor in the multibillion-dollar Chapter 11 proceedings of National Century Financial Enterprises. Ms. Lazear has continued this representation in the multidistrict securities fraud litigation relating to National Century currently pending in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio.
• Representation of one of the nation’s largest pharmaceutical distribution companies in its role as both a secured and unsecured creditor in numerous healthcare industry bankruptcy proceedings including hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacy chains, and psychiatric facilities.
• Representation of airports in numerous airline bankruptcy proceedings including Skybus Airlines, U.S. Airways, TWA, Midway and Southern Air Transport.
• Representation of lenders in significant Chapter 11 proceedings including Cardinal Industries, Inc., which included more than 200 separate Chapter 11 filings of its real estate partnerships.
• Representation of non-institutional secured creditors of entities related to the 1031 Tax Group Debtors.
• Representation of numerous lenders in multimillion-dollar mortgage foreclosure proceedings, including proceedings for the appointment of receivers. Ms. Lazear represented the Resolution Trust Corporation in foreclosure proceedings throughout the State of Ohio following the Savings and Loan Crisis.
• Representation of bonding companies, general contractors, public and private owners, and developers in bankruptcy proceedings in the construction industry.
• Representation of a major supplier and equipment lessor to the steel industry in Chapter 11 proceedings including Bethlehem Steel, Weirton Steel, Birmingham Steel, Rouge Steel, and Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel.
• Representation of a major supplier and equipment lessor to the paper industry in Chapter 11 proceedings including Shasta Paper, Smart Papers, American Tissue, Great Northern Paper and Crown Paper.

In regard to her construction practice, Ms. Lazear’s involvement with a project often begins with the drafting of the construction agreement and evolves into consultation and dispute resolution during the construction process. She has a broad range of experience in construction matters, including the representation of sureties, owners, general contractors and subcontractors.

Ms. Lazear recently successfully defended a surety in a dispute relating to the construction of a wastewater treatment plant, which involved five separate cases. She has represented both public and private owners in cases involving defaults by contractors during construction projects in progress; has handled mechanics’ lien matters; has represented a public owner in a proceeding to recover sums owed by the Veterans Administration on a project involving the construction of an outpatient clinic; and has handled numerous lawsuits for owners, general contractors and subcontractors.