Jennifer Harris
Partner | Los Angeles
Jennifer Harris

Jennifer Harris is a finance practitioner whose practice focuses on special situations and esoteric finance transactions. As part of Dechert’s cross-disciplinary Capital Solutions group, she advises asset managers, financial institutions, corporations, issuers and creditor groups on sophisticated financing, restructuring and liability management matters across the capital structure and at every stage of the investment.

Ms. Harris’s practice centers on distressed and structured financings, secured lending and debt restructuring transactions. Her experience includes advising on bespoke special situation lending solutions such as DIP and exit financings, FILOs, second-lien and mezzanine facilities, as well as complex intercreditor arrangements and liability management transactions designed to address challenged capital structures.

A trusted advisor in challenging and time-sensitive situations, Ms. Harris regularly represents lenders and creditor constituencies in both consensual and contested restructurings, including prepackaged and prearranged Chapter 11 cases and out-of-court deleveraging transactions.

Ms. Harris’s industry experience spans a wide range of sectors, including health care, aviation, telecommunications, retail, apparel, gaming, hospitality, broadcasting and shipping. Her breadth of experience across industries and market cycles enables her to deliver commercially grounded, legally precise advice in complex special situations and distressed finance transactions.

Key Matters

  • An ad hoc group of first lien noteholders and second lien convertible noteholders in connection with the Chapter 11 filing of Luminar Technologies and certain of its subsidiaries.
  • Holders of US$2.4 billion of convertible notes issued by Wolfspeed, a global leader in silicon carbide technology, in connection with its confirmed prepackaged Chapter 11 plan of reorganization involving approximately US$6.7 billion of prepetition debt, a restructuring support agreement, and US$275 million of new second lien convertible notes, resulting in noteholder majority equity ownership.
  • A direct lender in connection with a US$600 million FILO facility provided to a retail company.
  • A leading pharmaceutical commercialization provider in a fully consensual out-of-court restructuring that reduced funded debt by more than US$140 million and provided over US$10 million of incremental liquidity.
  • PIMCO, as a member of the lending syndicate, in connection with the partial financing of NScale, a developer of artificial-intelligence infrastructure.
  • A financial services firm in connection with a US$1.3 billion umbrella revolving credit facility to fund the acquisition of securities from a global financial institution.
  • Dave Carter & Associates, a leading multiline distributor of RV products, as DIP lender and stalking horse purchaser in a section 363 asset sale in connection with Norcold’s Chapter 11 case in the District of Delaware.

Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.

  • An ad hoc group of bondholders of Exela Technologies in connection with the restructuring of approximately US$1.3 billion of funded debt, including US$185 million of DIP financing and a comprehensive exit financing package.
  • Cutera, a global provider of aesthetic and dermatology solutions, in prepackaged Chapter 11 cases that reduced debt by nearly US$400 million and raised US$65 million of new capital through a rights offering and DIP and exit financings.
  • An ad hoc group of prepetition bondholders, as DIP lenders, in connection with the Chapter 11 cases of Biora Therapeutics, a biotechnology company.
  • Aimbridge Hospitality, the leading third-party hotel management company, in a comprehensive deleveraging transaction equitizing approximately US$1.1 billion of funded debt and providing US$100 million of new capital.
  • Hearthside Foods and its affiliated debtors in prearranged Chapter 11 cases restructuring more than US$3.0 billion of funded debt, eliminating approximately US$2.0 billion of obligations and raising new capital through an equity rights offering and asset-backed financing, followed by emergence and rebranding as Maker’s Pride.
  • A dental services organization in a liability management transaction with 100% lender participation, addressing $1 billion of indebtedness by extending maturities, securing interest rate relief, raising $175 million of new capital, and utilizing a first-of-its-kind Dutch auction implemented via a non-guarantor restricted subsidiary structure
  • Exactech, a leading orthopedic medical device manufacturer, in voluntary Chapter 11 cases involving a going-concern asset sale to secured lenders, US$160 million of DIP financing, and the resolution of significant prepetition liabilities.
  • Second lien lenders in connection with second lien credit facilities and related warrant issuances for K2 Pure Solutions, a sustainable water purification and disinfection products manufacturer.
  • FORMA Brands in connection with US$33 million of DIP financing and its subsequent sale through voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings.
  • An ad hoc group of debt holders in the Chapter 11 cases of ION Geophysical in connection with DIP financing.
  • A leading airline in connection with DIP financing, a roll-up of prepetition obligations, and exit financing.
  • An ad hoc bondholder group in connection with the multijurisdictional restructuring of a global telecommunications company.
  • The unsecured creditors’ committee in connection with DIP and exit Sharia-compliant financing.

Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.

Services
    • American University, M.A., International Politics
    • American University Washington College of Law, J.D.
    • California
    • District of Columbia

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