Curtis Plaza is a Partner in the Firm’s Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Group.

For over 20 years, Curtis has represented businesses, financial institutions, and indenture trustees in commercial restructurings and bankruptcy cases throughout the United States. Clients appreciate the representation and assistance Curtis provides in assessing implications of a new bankruptcy or insolvency matter, implementing legal and business solutions in response, and obtaining the best result or recovery possible.

Curtis helps lead a team of skilled attorneys with extensive experience representing corporate trust groups in default and bankruptcy matters. In that capacity, clients have trusted Curtis to lead successful representations in some of the largest and most sophisticated restructuring cases throughout the country, with recent representations of positions totaling over $3 billion in investments.

Curtis has represented commercial clients, banking institutions, investors, asset purchasers, real estate interests, insurers, bonding agents, manufacturers, retailers, distribution and logistics clients, construction companies, corporate service providers, restaurants, food suppliers, educational institutions, government entities, entertainment sponsors, healthcare centers, and pharmaceutical companies in restructurings or liquidations in a gamut of business sectors, including hospital/Healthcare, pharmaceutical and intellectual property, manufacturing, automotive and trucking, global shipping, airline, transportation, environmental remediation, gaming, retail, clothing, grocery, vending, food services, real estate development, communications, and energy cases. Curtis has also represented institutional clients in the pursuit and defense of claims in national class action matters.

Within our firm, Riker Danzig’s partners trust Curtis with leadership roles including as a member of the firm’s Management Committee and as Chair of the firm’s Summer Associate Program, which oversees the development of Riker Danzig’s talented new lawyers.

From the beginning of his career as a legal clinic coordinator, Curtis has made a commitment to legal work for the community. He continues that work in regular representation of pro bono clients and by serving as Co-Chair of the Firm’s Pro Bono Group, promoting and organizing the significant amount of work performed by its attorneys for the public good.

Distressed Assets

Loan Workout

New Jersey

New York

United States District Court, District of New Jersey

United States District Court, Southern District of New York

United States District Court, Eastern District of New York

United States District Court, Northern District of New York

Fordham University School of Law, J.D., 1999

University of Notre Dame, B.A., cum laude, 1995

• In re Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V., (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 2020) – currently representing indenture trustee for $400 million of Debtors’ 7% Senior Notes and member of Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in Chapter 11 reorganization of flag airline of Mexico.
• In re Tailored Brands, Inc., (Bankr. S.D. Tex. 2020) – currently representing indenture trustee for $178 million of Debtors’ 7% Senior Notes in bankruptcy reorganization of Tailored Brands and its related debtors, including Men’s Warehouse, Jos. A. Bank, and Moores Clothes for Men, which had collectively operated approximately 1,400 men’s clothing stores in the U.S. and Canada.
• In re Frontier Communications Corporation, (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 2020) – currently representing indenture trustee for $1.6 billion of secured 8.5% Second Lien Notes in bankruptcy reorganization of national telecommunications provider.
• In re Murray Energy Co., (Bankr. S.D. Ohio 2020) – currently representing indenture trustee for $498 million 12% Senior Secured Notes and member of Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in reorganization of largest underground mining company in the U.S.
• In re 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del. 2020) – currently representing commercial real estate investor with interest in Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of nationwide operator of health and fitness clubs.
• In re Cenveo, Inc., (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 2018) – represented indenture trustee for $50 million of Debtors’ secured 4% FILO Notes in Chapter 11 restructuring of commercial printing and direct mail agent.
• In re Capmark Financial Group (f/k/a GMAC Commercial Mortgage), (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented indenture trustee for $250 million in commercial debentures as member of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in bankruptcy reorganization of nation’s largest commercial real estate lender.
• In re Las Vegas Monorail, (Bankr. D. Nev.) – represented indenture trustee for $48 million project revenue/municipal bonds in Chapter 11 reorganization of iconic Las Vegas transportation system.
• In re Northampton Generating Co., (Bankr. W.D.N.C.) – represented indenture trustee for $27 million municipal bonds in Chapter 11 restructuring of electric generation facility.
• In re Majestic Star Casinos, (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented indenture trustee for $63 million notes as member of Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in reorganization of national casino enterprise.
• In re Spheris, Inc., (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented indenture trustee for $125 million notes as member of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in Chapter 11 reorganization of medical records transcription company.
• In re Accuride Corp., (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented indenture trustee for $275 million notes as member of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in Chapter 11 reorganization of trucking part systems manufacturer.
• In re EnCap Golf Holdings, (Bankr. D.N.J. and U.S. Dist. Ct. for S.D.N.Y.) – represented indenture trustee in bankruptcy proceeding of environmental remediation project manager and in related District Court litigation successfully obtaining release of $42 million in reserve funds to pay defaulted bonds.
• In re Collins & Aikman Corporation, (Bankr. E.D. Mich.) – represented indenture trustee for $500 million commercial notes as member of Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in bankruptcy and liquidation of automotive parts manufacturer and key supplier to General Motors.
• In re Atlantic City Housing and Urban Renewal Authority, (Bankr. D.N.J.) – represented secured creditor indenture trustee for defaulted municipal bonds in Chapter 7 liquidation of Section 8 urban housing development in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
• In re Consumers Packaging Inc., (Sup. Ct. of Ontario, Canada) represented indenture trustee for $75 million notes in obtaining recoveries in Canadian Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”) bankruptcy proceeding of manufacturer of glass containers.
• In re Insilco Technologies, Inc., (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented indenture trustee as member of Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in reorganization of manufacturer and supplier of telecommunications components.
• In re Oakwood Homes Corp., (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented securitization trustee for asset-backed securities in bankruptcy proceeding of national mortgage services provider.
• In re Holt Hauling & Murphy Marine Services, (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented indenture trustee in secured municipal bond issuance related to waterfront warehousing and stevedoring services operation.
• In re Grand Court Lifestyles, Inc., (Bankr. D.N.J.) – represented indenture trustee and member of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in bankruptcy reorganization of real estate development enterprise.
• In re Budget Rent-a-Car, (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented indenture trustee and member of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in restructuring of national car rental business.
• In re Hanjin Shipping Co., (Bankr. D.N.J.) – represented national supermarket chain in the Chapter 15 proceeding and international insolvency of Korean shipping line.
• In re Nirvana, Inc. (Bankr. N.D.N.Y.) – represented stalking horse bidder in bankruptcy 363 sale of water bottling company.
• In re W.R. Grace, (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented one of the nation’s largest commercial property owners in litigation of asbestos property damage and abatement claims brought against materials manufacturer.
• In re Hostess Brands, LLC, (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.) – represented national supermarket chain in successful resolution of multi-million dollar litigation of contract claims with debtors.
• In re IT Group, Inc., (Bankr. D. Del.) – represented national equipment and truck rental company in defense of multi-million dollar preference avoidance action.
• In re Bayonne Medical Center, (Bankr. D.N.J.) – represented indenture trustee for $47 million in secured municipal bonds in bankruptcy reorganization of hospital.
• In re K-V Pharmaceutical, (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.) – represented bank agent in negotiations and preparation of $100 million bankruptcy exit financing.
• In re Rising Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (Bankr. D.N.J.) – represented pharmaceutical company in successful recovery of intellectual property rights in debtor’s Chapter 11 reorganization.
• In re Ceragenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (Bankr. D. Colo.) – represented international pharmaceutical company in successful litigation against debtor supplier pertaining to ownership and licensing of intellectual property rights related to 510(k) medical device.
• In re Passaic Healthcare Services, Inc. (Bankr. D.N.J.) – represented medical equipment supplier in Chapter 11 restructuring of medical supply company.
• In re Imaging Center of Oradell, (Bankr. D.N.J.) – represented investors in Chapter 7 bankruptcy case and related health care regulatory issues of medical imaging center.
• New Jersey Realty Concepts v. Mavroudis, et al., (Sup. Ct. N.J.) – represented investors of medical arts facility in successful action to remove management of facility and to appoint a Special Fiscal Agent and Receiver for medical arts center.
• In re General Receivership of Advoserv of New Jersey, Inc., (Sup. Ct. N.J.) – represented state entity in receivership of adult disability centers and transfer of patient care.
• In re FieldTurf Artificial Turf Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, (D.N.J.) – currently representing school systems and municipal entities in nationwide class action litigation against artificial turf manufacturer.

Since 2021, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business included Curtis in its publications in the field of Bankruptcy.

Curtis has received several recognitions in peer-reviewed listings for his work, including in Best Lawyers in America® in the Bankruptcy and Reorganization Law and Bankruptcy Litigation fields since 2015, and the Thomson Reuters list of “Super Lawyers®” for Bankruptcy Law since 2013.

See Awards and Honors Methodology.

No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Annotated Trust Indenture Act, Contributing Author, Committee on Trust Indentures and Indenture Trustees of the American Bar Association Section of Business Law.