Royal, Jeremy A.

Melissa A. Guseynov is an associate with Weltman & Moskowitz, LLP. Her practice concentrates on corporate and financial restructuring, insolvency, bankruptcy litigation, secured transactions and financings, general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and debtors’ and creditors’ rights. Ms. Guseynov represents debtors, creditors, asset acquirers, financial institutions, landlords/lessors, contract counterparties, trustees and official and ad hoc creditors’ committees in large-asset bankruptcies, out-of-court workouts and adversary proceedings in numerous industries, including retail, manufacturing, telecommunications, financial services, heavy industry, real estate and hospitality. She is a member of the firm’s Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Group.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Guseynov was an associate at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. While employed at Fried Frank, Ms. Guseynov gained a broad range of experience in a variety of bankruptcy and restructuring-related matters. Her practice involved all aspects of in-court and out-of-court restructurings, including representations of financially distressed businesses, official creditors' committees, equity committees and secured creditors. In addition, Ms. Guseynov was nominated to serve as a Fried Frank extern at the Legal Aid Society, Community Development Project in East Harlem, handling a variety of corporate and transactional matters relating to small businesses, non-profit organizations and low-income housing development fund corporations. She also handled a variety of pro bono projects for inMotion, Immigration Equality, Bet Tzedek Legal Services and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.

Ms. Guseynov received her J.D., cum laude, from Hofstra University School of Law in 2007, where she was a Notes and Comments Editor on the Hofstra Law Review and on the Dean’s List.

Ms. Guseynov received her B.A. in Political Science and Communications/Media Studies, summa cum laude, from Fordham University in 2003, where she was on the Dean’s List all four years. While at Fordham, Ms. Guseynov was elected to admission in Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society and was also a member of the Varsity Swim Team.

Ms. Guseynov is admitted to practice in New York and before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Representative Matters Include:

Representations of Financially Distressed Businesses

• Represented a large commercial real estate investment and development company in the out-of-court restructuring of its loan portfolio.
• Represented a leading U.S. and European manufacturer of aluminum, steel, vinyl, and fiberglass fabricated products in successfully restructuring its debt outside of bankruptcy.
• Represented a leading roadside assistance company in effectuating a global settlement with major creditors outside of bankruptcy.
• Represented the owner of a large Manhattan residential property in preparing to file a chapter 11 case.
• Represented a telecommunications company in connection with efforts to negotiate with major creditors and prepare for a chapter 11 filing.

Secured Creditor Representations

• Represented a controlling group of secured bondholders in connection with efforts to maximize their recoveries in the restructuring of financial services firm.

Committee Representations

• Represented the official committee of equity security holders in the chapter 11 case of a leading energy generation company.
• Represented the official committee of unsecured creditors in the chapter 11 case of a lumber and pulp manufacturer.
• Represented the official committee of unsecured creditors in the chapter 11 case of a major Nevada gaming and entertainment company.

Seller Representations

• Represented the seller in a $5 million asset sale of a music publishing company.

Lender Representations

• Represented the lender in a $1.3 million financing transaction