Geoffrey A. Heaton

Special Counsel

  • Geoffrey A. Heaton
  • Phone: +1 415 957 3122

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    Spear Tower
    One Market Plaza, Suite 2200
    San Francisco, CA 94105-1127
    USA

Geoff Heaton practices in the area of business reorganization and financial restructuring, concentrating on representation of secured creditors, chapter 11 and chapter 7 trustees, creditors' committees and unsecured creditors. Mr. Heaton has many years of experience in all facets of chapter 11 practice, including contested plan confirmation proceedings, asset sales, cash collateral disputes, claim objections, adversary proceedings, motions for relief from stay, motions to excuse turnover by a custodian and bankruptcy appellate practice.

 Mr. Heaton has represented senior secured lenders in chapter 11 cases throughout California and Nevada involving various types of commercial property collateral, including shopping centers, office buildings and storage facilities. Mr. Heaton also represents chapter 7 trustees in cases throughout the Northern District of California. 

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Heaton served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable James R. Grube, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California.

 Mr. Heaton is a member of the State Bar of California, the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the California Receivers Forum. Mr. Heaton is a 1999 graduate of Wake Forest University (J.D. and M.B.A.) and a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Representative Matters

  • Represented creditors' committee in chapter 11 case of publicly traded Silicon Valley audio/video hardware manufacturer

  • Represented chapter 11 trustee in bankruptcy case of San Jose-based graphics chip designer and manufacturer

  • Counsel to liquidating trustee in chapter 11 case of bitcoin mining hardware manufacturer

  • Represented pipeline construction company and secured creditor in chapter 9 case of City of Stockton, California

  • Represented creditors' committee in chapter 11 case of Nevada casino

  • Served as special counsel to debtor-in-possession in chapter 11 case of national law firm

  • Counsel to creditors' committee in chapter 11 case of investment firm that operated a Ponzi scheme

  • Counsel to chapter 7 trustee in bankruptcy case of publicly traded biopharmaceutical company

  • Represented chapter 7 trustee in bankruptcy case of medical diagnostic and monitoring device developer

  • Represented creditors' committee in chapter 11 case of precision optics company

  • Counsel to chapter 7 trustee in bankruptcy case of home electronics manufacturer

  • Counsel to chapter 7 trustee in bankruptcy case of Napa winery

Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Education

  • Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., 1999
  • Wake Forest University, Babcock Graduate School of Management, M.B.A., 1999
  • University of Pittsburgh, B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1995

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP

    - Special Counsel, 2008-current
    - Associate, 2006-2008
  • Buchalter Nemer, PC
    - Associate, Financial Restructuring and Insolvency Practice Group, 2001-2006
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California
    - Judicial Law Clerk, Honorable James R. Grube, 1999-2001

Professional Activities

  • Bar Association of San Francisco
    - Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section
  • California Receivers Forum

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, "Chapter 7 Trustee Practice 101," The Bar Association of San Francisco presentation sponsored by the Business, Commercial and Bankruptcy Section of the Barristers Club, San Francisco, California, November 8, 2007