OVERVIEW

Paul Laurin

Partner

Los Angeles

2029 Century Park East
Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90067

F 310-284-3894

Paul Laurin concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, creditor’s rights and remedies, and bankruptcy law. He is experienced in representing Fortune 500 companies, leading media and entertainment companies, and individuals in the assertion and defense of their rights in state, federal and bankruptcy courts.

OVERVIEW
EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE
INSIGHTS & EVENTS

OVERVIEW

Administrator of the firm’s California Finance, Insolvency and Restructuring department, Paul advises on workouts, restructurings, assignments for the benefit of creditors as well as bankruptcy, state and federal court lawsuits, including receiverships, injunctions and pre-judgment remedies. He also prosecutes and defends complex federal and state court litigation and appeals pertaining to loan enforcement, commercial law, fraudulent business actions and transfers.

Over the course of his career, Paul has resolved matters with high stakes through litigation and settlement, including matters involving millions and even $1 billion at stake. He is dedicated to providing comprehensive legal counsel pertaining to the often thorny problems inherent in bankruptcy, creditor’s rights and complex litigation disputes. He represents creditors from the initial stages of evaluating pre-bankruptcy planning, handling bankruptcy proceedings and adversary litigation, through the Chapter 11 plan process. Paul’s decades of advocacy skill and understanding of the Bankruptcy Code help him to resolve complex insolvency disputes both in and out of court.

Practical by nature, Paul seeks to provide efficient analysis quickly, accurately and attentive to the pressures of the often fast-moving circumstances. His focus remains on working with each client in order to address and overcome the problems created by well-represented debtors and other adversaries.

Passionate about the law, Paul is appreciated for his thoughtful and reflective style as an attorney, and his advocacy and ability as a business adviser. He strives to serve as an effective communicator, and seeks to be fair and balanced while analyzing risk and navigating difficult, stressful financial situations — all while remaining calm and with the objective of reinforcing his client’s commercial goals.

Prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg, Paul had his own practice and worked with an international entertainment law firm in the 1990s.

Professional and Community Involvement

Former lecturer, UCLA Law School, 2022

LA Region Diversity Inclusion and Equity Ambassador, ProVisors Professional Network Group

Former member, Los Angeles County Bar Association Judicial Appointments Committee

Member, Financial Lawyers Conference

Member, American Bankruptcy Institute

Past president, UC Hastings College of the Law Board of Governors

Honors

Southern California Super Lawyers magazine, 2018-2019

Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent

EDUCATION

University of California, San Francisco Law, J.D.

University of California, Berkeley, B.A.

Bar Admissions

California

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

Languages

English
Practices

Asset Revitalization

Bankruptcy

Creditors’ Rights, Restructuring and Bankruptcy

Distressed M&A and Special Situations

Finance, Insolvency and Restructuring Litigation

Financial Institutions

Litigation

Native American Law and Policy

Receiverships

Special Servicers

Industries

Motorsports

EXPERIENCE

Representative Commercial Litigation and Trial Experience

Lead trial counsel for an internationally renowned fine artist in a bench trial before a federal court against a publisher, agent and gallery owner resulting in a favorable judgment, including a seven-figure punitive damages award that resulted in multiple bankruptcy filings and successfully prosecuted personal non-dischargebility claims.*
Lead trial counsel for a partner and co-owner of a sound engineering studio in a one-week jury trial that resulted in a winning verdict, including a six-figure punitive damages award by the jury.*
Lead trial counsel for a television producer/screenwriter in a dispute arising over the development of a film project in which tort claims were asserted and successfully defended in a one-week jury trial.*
Lead trial counsel for a cable network in the successful defense of claims of breach of production and distribution agreement and recovery of improper payments and distributions by the producer of lifestyle motorsports television programming.*
Lead counsel for an international direct response advertising agency in the successful prosecution of claims arising pursuant to personal guaranties of multi-million dollar media purchase obligations.
Lead trial counsel for a cellular phone billing software licensor in multiple arbitrations under service contract disputes resulting in the successful recovery of sums due under contract.*
Lead counsel in an arbitration for an independent television producer in a dispute with a joint venturer independent production studio regarding the slate of development projects resulting in a successful negotiated resolution.*
Lead counsel for a bank in a successful lawsuit and arbitration with a Beverly Hills landlord regarding a rental rate adjustment clause.*
Lead trial counsel in the successful defense of an informal class of more than 40 Ponzi scheme victims in dozens of fraudulent transfer lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in recoveries.*
Lead trial counsel for dozens of parties in federal and state actions for the recovery of fraudulent transfers under state and federal bankruptcy law.*

Representative Bankruptcy and Creditors Rights Experience

Lead bankruptcy counsel in multiple representations of major media companies as executory contract counter-parties in contested chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of professional sports franchises.*
Lead bankruptcy counsel for an entertainment programming streaming company in the bankruptcy of a cross-promotional partner in which it served as chairman of the Creditor’s Committee.
Lead bankruptcy counsel for a film development and production investor in a successful breach of fiduciary duty and fraud action in bankruptcy court, including a non-dischargeabilty action against the control persons.
Lead bankruptcy counsel for a media company and celebrity rights holder as executory contract counter-parties in the chapter 11 bankruptcy of an ecommerce platform provider.
Lead bankruptcy counsel for multiple affiliated cable and broadcast channels in the bankruptcy of three affiliated advertising planning and brokering companies action in which they served as a member of the Creditors Committee and subsequent avoidance.
Lead bankruptcy counsel for cable and broadcast channels in multiple chapter 11 proceedings in which cable affiliate operators filed for bankruptcy.
Lead bankruptcy counsel for a broadcast company in the chapter 11 bankruptcy of a brand licensee for a multisite restaurant business.*Lead bankruptcy counsel for a manufacturer of consumer products in post-judgment reorganization plan disputes and a contested confirmation with the judgment debtor found liable for bad faith trademark infringement.
Lead bankruptcy counsel for a personnel leasing company in disputes arising from theft of trade secrets and unfair business practices alleged against a former officer and employee who filed bankruptcy.
Lead bankruptcy counsel for an international bank as secured lender in the confirmation of the successful creditors’ plan of reorganization of an Oscar® award-winning film production company.*
Lead counsel for a secured lender and controlling shareholder in the successful sale of collateral assets of a medical services company through assignment for the benefit of creditors under California law.
Lead counsel in an action to recover balances owed to a cable network arising from breach of a multiyear time-buy commitment by a producer of television programming, resulting in the successful contested assignment for benefit of creditors.*
General receivership counsel for a court-appointed receiver of a 23-unit luxury condominium in Beverly Hills, California.
Lead counsel in numerous cases for unsecured creditors in obtaining writs of attachment and temporary protective orders against account debtors, contract counter-parties and guarantors in a variety of industries, including real estate, lending, manufacturing, media and entertainment.*