Richard Mason

Richard J. Mason represents significant business interests in transactions and litigation, with a strong concentration in the areas of business insolvency and debtor-creditor relations. He has extensive experience representing a range of clients in business matters throughout the United States and overseas.

Richard is an adjunct professor at Chicago Kent College of Law, where he has taught Bankruptcy Law each year since 1983. He has been named to Best Lawyers in America, Illinois Superlawyers and Leading Lawyers Network and currently serves as co-chair of the Insolvency Section of the International Bar Association and chair of the Education Committee of the American College of Bankruptcy.

He is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs sponsored by organizations such as the American Bar Association, International Bar Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, Commercial Law League of America, Practicing Law Institute, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, and state and local bar associations. Richard has been admitted to and appeared in various federal courts in 20 states.

EXPERIENCE :

• Representation of foreign entity purchasing businesses from restructuring debtor.
• Representation of a state agency sued by a bankrupt estate for breach of contract and defamation.
• Representation of the principal commodity trading partner of Chapter 11 debtor with several billion dollars in debts.
• Representation of an unsecured creditor’s committee of airline reorganizing in Chapter 11.
• Representation of a principal partner of a Midwestern real estate venture restructuring debts exceeding $3 billion.
• Representation of an unsecured creditors committee of Midwestern metal stamping manufacturer restructuring under Chapter 11.
• Representation of a trustee in bankruptcy of Midwestern publicly held limited partnerships with hotels undergoing Chapter 11 reorganization.
• Representation of a producer of the operations of a leather belt manufacturer reorganizing under Chapter 11.
• Representation of a foreign bank seizing the bankruptcy estate of a locomotive manufacturer for improper liquidation of its collateral.

Education :

• The University of Chicago, MBA, 1980
• University of Notre Dame Law School, JD, 1977
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BA, with High Honors, 1973

Admissions :

• Illinois
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)

Affiliations :

• Co-chair, Insolvency Section, International Bar Association, 2016-present
• Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy and the American Bar Foundation; Chair of Education Committee, 2015-present
• Member, Insolvency and Restructuring Section, 1990-2016, Co-Chair, 2017; Senior Chair of Programs, International Bar Association, 2015-2017
• Member, Former Section Counsel, Commercial, Banking, and Bankruptcy Law, Illinois State Bar Association 1984-1987
• Member, Board of Directors, Illinois Farm Legal Assistance Foundation, 1986-1988