About William B. Freeman

For more than 30 years, William Freeman has acted as a trusted advisor in high-stakes bankruptcies, workouts and distressed capital markets transactions. Bill is among a handful of go-to attorneys for the most complex insolvency and restructuring matters on the West Coast and across the nation. Widely respected in the legal community, he represents lenders, borrowers and fiduciaries, with particular experience advising banks and other financial institutions.

High-stakes counsel for financial institutions, lenders and fiduciaries

Bill represents regional, national and international banks and financial institutions in some of their most high-profile and high-value matters. His work spans workouts, Chapter 11 proceedings, commercial litigation, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) issues and distressed-asset sales. Bill's effectiveness stems in part from his experience and contacts with special assets departments and in-house counsel at financial institutions, and other key players in the capital markets space.

In addition to lenders and financial institutions, Bill is frequently retained by court-appointed receivers, trustees, assignees for the benefit of creditors and other fiduciaries. Bill helps them satisfy their unique obligations while finding practical and strategic solutions to their legal issues. Corporate borrowers also rely on him in bankruptcies and restructurings.

Bill frequently represents parties buying, selling or investing in distressed assets, whether in or outside of bankruptcy proceedings. He is also a commercial litigator who represents parties to commercial disputes involving creditors' rights.

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"William brings practical and commercially focused advice to complex matters."

Chambers USA 2022
(California, Bankruptcy/Restructuring) survey response

Practice Focus

  • Advising financial institutions in bankruptcies, workouts and capital markets transactions
  • Representing fiduciaries, including court-appointed receivers, trustees and assignees for the benefit of creditors
  • Representing buyers and sellers in distressed-assets sales
  • Representing official and unofficial creditors' and bondholders’ committees
  • Leading practitioner on Article 9, Article 2 and other commercial components of the UCC
  • Commercial litigation involving finance and creditors' rights issues

News

Publications

Practices
Industries
Education
  • University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, JD
  • University of Michigan, BA
Bar Admissions
  • California
Community Involvements
  • Special Assets Management Association, Board of Directors
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Best Lawyers in America
    Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2016–2025
  • Chambers USA
    Bankruptcy/Restructuring, 2008–2024
  • Practical Law Company
    2011–2012
  • Super Lawyers
    Southern California, 2006–2019
  • The Legal 500 United States
    Recommended Attorney, 2022, 2024
  • Turnaround Atlas Awards
    Gaming & Hospitality Turnaround of the Year, 2012
Award Methodologies