Profile    |    Experience    |     Qualifications    |    Awards & Afflliations

Profile

• Mr. Kepner has over 35 years’ experience in handling all phases of complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings and workouts, and related litigation in over twenty states, including Georgia, Texas, New York and Delaware. His clients have included giant, multinational Fortune 500 corporations and smaller start-up companies and entrepreneurs.
• During the course of his career, Mr. Kepner has represented virtually all parties in interest in bankruptcy cases and workouts throughout the country, including individual and corporate debtors, creditors’ committees, banks and other secured parties, and individual creditors. He also represents all parties in a myriad of litigation matters, including cases involving alleged fraudulent transfers, preferences, breaches of contracts, employment disputes, fiduciary duties and a wide variety of other litigation in state and federal courts, including appellate courts.
• Mr. Kepner has served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center, where he taught International Financial Transactions. He prepared and presented numerous continuing education seminars to lawyers throughout the United States, and has appeared on CNN, and has been published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Syracuse Journal of International Law and Commerce, and several other publications.
• Prior to joining Scroggins, Williamson & Ray, P.C., Mr. Kepner practiced with the international law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP in its Houston office, and was a partner with Arnall Golden & Gregory, LLP.

Chapter 11 Experience

• Representative Debtor Clients: FoxMeyer Corporation (national drug distributor); The Circle K Corporation (convenience store chain); United Companies Financial Corporation (sub-prime mortgage lender); Edison Brothers, Inc. (department store chain); KCS Energy, Inc. (energy exploration and production company); Weiner’s Stores, Inc. (department store chain); SLJ Retail (shoe and apparel retail chain); Shoebilee, Inc. (shoe retail chain); 1901 East Victory, LLC (single asset real estate company); Andersen 2000, Inc. (international emissions control company); Cornerstone Ministries Investments, Inc. (specialized real estate finance company); Crossing Park Properties, LLC (commercial real estate); Pure Laser Hair Removal & Treatment Clinics, Inc. (specialized retail chain); Southern Golf Partners, LLC (golf retail chain); Ridgewalk Holdings, LLC (single asset retail company); Caudell-White Properties, LLC (real estate holding company); AE&E, Inc. (energy-from waste engineering firm); Lee’s Famous Recipes, Inc. (Chicken restaurant franchisor); Southern Regional Health Systems, Inc. (Hospital); Dixien, LLC (auto parts manufacturer); Hutcheson Medical Center, Inc. (hospital and nursing home); Beaulieu Group, LLC (carpet/flooring manufacturer); Boyson, Inc. (ferry operator in US Virgin Islands); SED International, Inc. (international software distributor); Phillips Investments, LLC (retail shopping center); Ace Hardware and Building Center, LLC (hardware store); Scott Leventhal (real estate developer)
• Representative Trustee Counsel Engagements: Hutcheson Medical Center, Inc. (hospital and nursing home); Hindu Temple and Community Center of Georgia, Inc. (hindu temple); Pure Laser Hair Removal & Treatment Clinics, Inc. (specialized retail chain).
• Representative Creditors’ Committee Counsel Engagements: APS Holdings, Inc. (auto-parts retail chain); Forcenergy, Inc. (energy exploration and production company); Costilla Energy, Inc. (energy exploration and production company); Le Petit Bistro (restaurant chain); Verilink Corporation (telecommunications); Verso Communications, Inc. (technology); Westminster Ceramic (ceramic manufacturer and distributor); Triad at LaGrange I, LLC (nursing home chain); Real Estate Exchange Services, Inc. (intermediary of tax deferred section 1031 exchanges); Star Acquisitions, Inc. (envelope manufacturer)
• Other Major Clients: Verizon Communications, Inc.; Qwest Corporation; PG&E Corporation; Transocean Offshore USA; International Business Machines Corporation; GAB Robins North America, Inc.; Lehman Brothers; Rayonier, Inc.; Sysco Corporation; Weingarten Realty, Inc.; Constellation Energy Commodities Group, Inc.; Pizza Hut, LLC; Brookfield Property REIT, Inc.; Hilton Franchise Holdings, LLC.

INTERNATIONAL LEGAL EXPERIENCE

• Represented major corporate lessor of fleets of aircraft in connection with insolvency proceedings and other actions involving various Latin American airlines.
• Represented international food ingredients company in multi-jurisdictional insolvency proceedings.
• Represented major secured creditor in cross-border insolvency proceedings of manufacturing company.
• Analyzed Mexican foreign investment regulation for international clients.
• Represented international software distributor.

Qualifications

Bar Qualification / Admissions

• State Bar of Georgia
• State Bar of Texas
• Admitted to practice in numerous district courts around the country.

Education

• MBA/JD, University of Houston, 1989
• BA, Dartmouth College, 1980

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Practice Areas

• Complex Business Bankruptcies
• Commercial Restructurings & Insolvency
• Out of Court Restructurings & Workouts
• Debtors & Creditors Rights Litigation
• Commercial Litigation

Awards & Affiliations

• Recognized by Georgia Super Lawyers in Bankruptcy: Business
• Included in Georgia Trend Magazine Legal Elite issue
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
• American Bankruptcy Institute, Member
• Turnaround Management Association, Member