Education

J.D., University of Maryland School of Law, 1993

B.A., Johns Hopkins University, 1990

Certifications

Business Bankruptcy Specialist (American Board of Certification)

Mediator, Bankruptcy Mediation Program, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California

Bar Admissions

California

Delaware

New York

District of Columbia

Maryland

Virginia

Van Durrer leads Skadden’s corporate restructuring practice in the western United States and advises clients in restructuring matters around the Pacific Rim. Mr. Durrer regularly represents public and private companies, major secured creditors, official and unofficial committees of unsecured creditors, investors and asset-purchasers in troubled company M&A, financings and restructuring transactions, including out-of-court workouts and formal insolvency proceedings.

Mr. Durrer’s representative restructuring and insolvency engagements include: Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin Inc. (named as the Restructuring Deal of the Year (over $250mm to $500mm) for 2013 by The M&A Advisor); Blue Bird Body Company; Catalyst Paper Corporation (a restructuring that was named Deal of the Year in the Industrial Manufacturing/Distribution (over $250MM) category at the 5th Annual M&A Advisor’s Interna­tional M&A Awards); Indymac Bancorp, Inc. (Chapter 7 trustee); Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; Kmart Corporation; The McClatchy Company; Quiksilver, Inc. (named as Chapter 11 Reorganization of Year ($500MM to $1B) and Distressed M&A Deal of the Year ($500MM to $1B) for 2017 by The M&A Advisor, and as one of 2016’s Most Successful Restructurings by Turnarounds & Workouts); Spansion Inc.; and US Airways Group, Inc.

He also has advised participants in the financial restructurings of AmericanWest Bank (which received The Turnaround Management Association’s 2010 Transaction of the Year award in the midsize company category); Caesars Entertainment Operating Company (which was named Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (over $5B) for 2018 at the 12th Annual Turn­around Awards); Calpine Corporation; Clift Holdings LLC; Golfsmith USA, LLC; Joe’s Jeans; LBREP/L-Suncal Master I, LLC; Rdio, Inc.; Relativity Media; The Sports Authority, Inc.; Station Casinos, Inc.; Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (named Distressed M&A Deal of the Year (over $1B) at the 13th Annual Turnaround Awards); and The Wet Seal, LLC.

Selected industries in which Mr. Durrer has provided restructuring advice include financial services, gaming, entertainment, health care, hospitality, information technology, logistics, manufacturing, real estate, retail and telecommunications. Matters he has handled have been recognized in publications such as the Financial Times’ U.S. Innovative Lawyers report, and received the Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (Upper Middle Market) by M&A Advisor’s 6th Annual Turnaround Awards.

In recognition of his “significant contribution to the bankruptcy and restructuring industry,” The M&A Advisor’s honored Mr. Durrer with its 2022 Leadership Award and will induct him into its Hall of Fame.

Mr. Durrer consistently has been named as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He is included in Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers, IFLR1000, Lawdragon 500’s Leading Global Restructuring & Insolvency Lawyers Guide, Financier Worldwide’s Power Players series as a Distinguished Advisor of Bankruptcy & Insolvency 2021, The Best Lawyers in America, Law Business Research’s Who’s Who Legal: Insolvency & Restructuring and PLC’s Restructuring and Insolvency multijurisdictional guide, and appeared twice on Turnarounds & Workouts’ list of Outstanding Young Bankruptcy Lawyers.

Mr. Durrer has moderated panels and participated as a guest speaker for the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors, Turnaround Management Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum, Practising Law Institute and other organizations globally.