Wendy M. Simkulak [ Associate ]
Duane Morris LLP
30 South 17th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
USA
Phone: 215.979.1547
Fax: 215.689.4951
Email:
WMSimkulak@duanemorris.com
Wendy M. Simkulak practices in the area of business reorganization, bankruptcy law, commercial finance law and secured transactions. She represents financial institutions, insurance companies, trade creditors, lessors, liquidating trustees and debtors in debt restructuring and in all aspects of a bankruptcy case. Ms. Simkulak has served as counsel to insurance companies providing prepetition and/or postpetition insurance coverage to debtors in complex chapter 11 cases. She has also represented an insurer in the chapter 15 case of a Bermuda-based reinsurance company. Ms. Simkulak has advised mortgagees and assignees of non-residential leases in large chapter 11 cases. Ms. Simkulak assisted in the representation of the liquidating trustee in the case of In re Trico Steel Company, LLC in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and was the coordinating associate in the firm's representation of the liquidating trustee in the case of In re Durango Georgia Paper Company in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Georgia.
Ms. Simkulak is a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association Professional Guidance Committee. She also serves as a representative to the Duane Morris Associates' Committee and Duane Morris Recruitment and Retention Committee.
Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, Ms. Simkulak is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. Ms. Simkulak also is a summa cum laude graduate of Muhlenberg College.
Areas Of Practice
- Reorganization and Finance Law
- International
- Insurance and Reinsurance
- Commercial Finance
- Finance
- Financing and Financial Restructuring Transactions
- Business Bankruptcy
- Creditors' Rights Advisory Services
Representative Matters
- Counsel to prepetition and/or postpetition insurers in In re Allied Holdings, Inc., In re Delphi Corporation, In re Delta Air Lines, Inc., In re Foamex, Inc., In re Hatteras Reinsurance Ltd. (chapter 15), In re Interstate Bakeries Corporation, and In re Solutia, Inc.
- Counsel to financial institutions in In re Adelphia Communications Corp.
- Counsel to unsecured creditors in In re Enron Corp. and In re Allserve Systems Corp.
- Counsel to liquidating trustees in In re Trico Steel Company, LLC and In re Durango Georgia Paper Company.
- Counsel to debtor in In re Bricolage Capital, LLC.
- Counsel to mortgagees and assignees of leases in In re Federal Mogul, Inc. and In re Heilig-Meyers, Inc.
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Philadelphia Bar Association
- International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Turnaround Management Association
Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- Supreme Court of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Education
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D., 2002
- University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, M.P.I.A., 2002
- Muhlenberg College, B.A., summa cum laude, 1998
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
Associate, 2002-present - U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Washington, D.C.
- Economist, 1998
Selected Publications
- Co-author, Third Circuit materials, "American College of Bankruptcy: 2007 Circuit Review and Best Practices Reports," LexisNexis, 2007
- Co-author, "Examining Fraudulent Conveyances and Successor Liability," The Legal Intelligencer, February 11, 2005
- Co-author, "Section 510(b) Does Not Apply After Notes Issued," The Legal Intelligencer, April 9, 2004
- Co-author, "Right of First Refusal is Recorgnized in LLC Dispute," The Legal Intelligencer, January 30, 2004
- Co-author, "Indemnifying Financial Adviser for Negligence Claim 'Reasonable'," The Legal Intelligencer, February 28, 2003
- Co-author, "Claim Sounding In Breach of Contract May Not Be An Unsecured Claim," The Legal Intelligencer, November 7, 2003
Selected Speaking Engagements
- "The U.S. Bankruptcy Code," International Insolvency Conference, Barcelona, Spain, April 12, 2008
- "Structuring Security Arrangements and Managing Risks in an Insured's Bankruptcy Case," July 25, 2007
- "Bankruptcy and Related State Actions," October 6, 2006