Bankruptcy 101: What Corporate Counsel Needs to Know

Scott Williams focuses his practice on bankruptcy, reorganization and creditors’ rights and commercial litigation. He represents creditors and debtors in complex bankruptcy matters and has substantial experience in handling complex commercial litigation cases. In addition, Scott’s experience extends to litigation and transactional work in a number of areas including automotive, energy, healthcare, and municipal finance sectors. Scott further has ongoing experience as a Future Claims Representative under the Bankruptcy Code and serves the Congoleum and Shook & Fletcher Asbestos Trusts.

Scott is active in the Bankruptcy Bar on both local and national levels. He was a contributing editor to Collier on Bankruptcy, and co-authored Bankruptcy Litigation Manual: What Civil Litigators Need to Know (American Bankruptcy Institute, In 2007, Scott became the first practicing attorney from Alabama  to serve on the Board of Directors of the American Bankruptcy Institute (“ABI”) and served as vice  president and a member of the Executive Committee. He also served as Co-Chair of the ABI Litigation Skills Symposium and is a frequent lecturer and author on bankruptcy and commercial law topics.

Prior to entering private practice, Scott served as Counsel to U.S. Senator Howell T. Heflin on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts and Administrative Practice (1988-1992). Scott played a significant role in drafting the United States Bankruptcy Code Amendments enacted in 1995, while serving as Counsel to Senator Heflin. Two provisions of the Bankruptcy Code that Scott played a key role in their enactment are §524(g) and §1114. Scott also served as a law clerk for the United States District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn.

Fred Clarke primarily practices in the areas of product liability, warranty and commercial litigation. He represents automotive manufacturers in warranty and Lemon Law matters, and in the defense of  alleged product defects. He also assists debtors and creditors in complex bankruptcy and restructuring matters.

Fred has obtained a number of summary judgments for clients in contract, warranty, and fraud disputes. He served as co-counsel in trial and arbitration. His trial victories include a defense verdict in a 2018 breach of contract dispute where Fred was lead counsel. And in 2019, Fred was co-counsel in a construction fraud trial where the jury returned a defense verdict for the client in less than an hour.