Sommer L. Ross

Representative Matters

• Represented underwriters of an insurance company in the chapter 11 case filed by the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, the first catholic diocese in New Jersey to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

• Represented Republic Indemnity Insurance Company, a workers' compensation insurance company, in the chapter 11 case filed by LTL Management, Inc.

• Representing Restaurants Acquisition I, LLC d/b/a Blacked-eyed Pea restaurant in its chapter 11 reorganization.

• Represented Claims Recovery Group LLC, as assignee of Hormel Foods Corporation, in the AgFeed Industries Inc. bankruptcy cases and helped them collect on account of the assigned $2.8 million Hormel claim against the hog producer.

• Representing secured lenders as the debtor-in-possession lenders in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings of the Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.

• Representing a government authority as an unsecured creditor, owed $20 million, in the bankruptcy proceedings of a hybrid automaker.

• Represented R&D Circuits, a portfolio company of Guardian Capital Partners, in the acquisition of Altanova Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of ATE circuit boards.

• In re Spansion (co-counsel to debtors)
• In re Comfort Co. (counsel to debtors)
• In re Archway Cookies (counsel to debtors)
• In re Centaur (co-counsel to first lien agent)
• In re Tropicana, Inc. (co-counsel to steering committee of senior secured lenders)
• In re Orleans Homebuilders (counsel to creditors' committee)
• In re Pope & Talbot, Inc. (co-counsel to the Chapter 15 Foreign Representative)

Admissions

• Delaware
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education

• Rutgers Law School, J.D., 2004
  Rutgers Law Journal
• University of Delaware, B.A., 1999

Experience

• Duane Morris LLP
  - Partner, 2015-present
  - Special Counsel, 2014
  - Associate, 2004-2013
• Congressional Office of Congressman Michael N. Castle
  - Deputy Press Secretary and Community Outreach Coordinator, January 2001-August 2001
• Campaign Office of Congressman Michael N. Castle
  - Campaign Director, July 2000-December 2000
• Congressional Office of Congressman Michael N. Castle
  - Staff Assistant, August 1999-July 2000

Professional Activities

• New Jersey Bankruptcy Court Lawyers Advisory Committee
• Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
• Member, International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
  - Delaware Chapter
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Delaware State Bar Association
• Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association

Honors and Awards

• Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2024

• Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2024
• Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2011-2017
• Selected as one of the top thirty nominees nationwide to attend the 2011 National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges Next Generation Program for up-and-coming bankruptcy attorneys
• Represented Sleep Innovations Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of specialty sleep products, a recipient of the 2010 Turnaround of the Year Award in the Large Company category from the Turnaround Management Association.

No aspect of these rankings has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information on methodologies is available via these links.

Selected Publications

• Co-author, "High Court Greenlights Chrysler Sale Over Objection of Absolute Priority Rule," The Legal Intelligencer, June 19, 2009
• Co-author, "Insurer-to-Insured Payment Not Antecedent Debt, Pa. High Court Rules," The Legal Intelligencer, March 20, 2009
• Co-author, "Decision Issued Over Bankruptcy Court's Power to Impose Sanctions," The Legal Intelligencer, November 7, 2008
• Co-author, "Court Imposes $650,000 in Sanctions on Lender, Servicer and Counsel," The Legal Intelligencer, June 6, 2008
• Co-author, "Secured Creditors That Credit Bid Are Liable For Fees And Costs," The Legal Intelligencer, March 2008
• Co-author, "Cause Of Action Exists For Aiding And Abetting Breach Of Fiduciary Duty In Pennsylvania," The Legal Intelligencer, July 2007
• Co-author, "Section 503(b)(9) Claimants Wait in Line for Payment," The Legal Intelligencer, February 2, 2007
• Co-author, "Creditors and Standing to Object to Chapter 11 Petitions," The Legal Intelligencer, December 1, 2006
• Co-author, "When Is a School Bus Not Just a Motor Vehicle?," The Legal Intelligencer, May 26, 2006
• Co-author, "Sovereign Immunity Does Not Bar Preference Claim Against State Agency," The Legal Intelligencer, April 2006
• Co-author, "Claim Traders Beware: When Equitable Subordination Applies," The Legal Intelligencer, January 6, 2006
• Co-author, "Judgment Creditors Beware: Failure To Dissolve Your Prepetition Liens May Violate The Automatic Stay," The Legal Intelligencer, September 2005
• Co-author, "In Re Yukos Oil Company: No Last Minute Forum Shopping Allowed," The Legal Intelligencer, July 2005
• Co-author, "A Pre-Petition Automatic Stay Waiver May Be Enforceable Under Certain Circumstances," The Legal Intelligencer, March 2005
• Co-author, "The UFTA's Four Year Statute Of Limitations Doesn't Necessarily Preclude A Remedy," The Legal Intelligencer, October 2004

Selected Publications

• Co-author, "High Court Greenlights Chrysler Sale Over Objection of Absolute Priority Rule," The Legal Intelligencer, June 19, 2009
• Co-author, "Insurer-to-Insured Payment Not Antecedent Debt, Pa. High Court Rules," The Legal Intelligencer, March 20, 2009
• Co-author, "Decision Issued Over Bankruptcy Court's Power to Impose Sanctions," The Legal Intelligencer, November 7, 2008
• Co-author, "Court Imposes $650,000 in Sanctions on Lender, Servicer and Counsel," The Legal Intelligencer, June 6, 2008
• Co-author, "Secured Creditors That Credit Bid Are Liable For Fees And Costs," The Legal Intelligencer, March 2008
• Co-author, "Cause Of Action Exists For Aiding And Abetting Breach Of Fiduciary Duty In Pennsylvania," The Legal Intelligencer, July 2007
• Co-author, "Section 503(b)(9) Claimants Wait in Line for Payment," The Legal Intelligencer, February 2, 2007
• Co-author, "Creditors and Standing to Object to Chapter 11 Petitions," The Legal Intelligencer, December 1, 2006
• Co-author, "When Is a School Bus Not Just a Motor Vehicle?," The Legal Intelligencer, May 26, 2006
• Co-author, "Sovereign Immunity Does Not Bar Preference Claim Against State Agency," The Legal Intelligencer, April 2006
• Co-author, "Claim Traders Beware: When Equitable Subordination Applies," The Legal Intelligencer, January 6, 2006
• Co-author, "Judgment Creditors Beware: Failure To Dissolve Your Prepetition Liens May Violate The Automatic Stay," The Legal Intelligencer, September 2005
• Co-author, "In Re Yukos Oil Company: No Last Minute Forum Shopping Allowed," The Legal Intelligencer, July 2005
• Co-author, "A Pre-Petition Automatic Stay Waiver May Be Enforceable Under Certain Circumstances," The Legal Intelligencer, March 2005
• Co-author, "The UFTA's Four Year Statute Of Limitations Doesn't Necessarily Preclude A Remedy," The Legal Intelligencer, October 2004

Selected Speaking Engagements

• Speaker, "Insurance Protection and Claims in Bankruptcy," Tenth Annual IWIRC at the Shore, Atlantic City, New Jersey, March 4, 2022
• Moderator, Duane Morris LLP Annual Fall Finance and Restructuring Seminar, Webinar, October 20, 2021