Freeborn & Peters Adds Bankruptcy Chair

CHICAGO -- Freeborn & Peters LLP is pleased to announce the continued growth of its Bankruptcy, Reorganization and Creditors’ Rights Practice with the addition of Eugene (“Gene”) J. Geekie, Jr., as a senior member of the team and as Chair of the Bankruptcy Litigation Practice.

Mr. Geekie joins the firm from the Chicago office of Schiff Hardin LLP, where he served for more than 20 years.  His practice is primarily focused on representing secured and unsecured lenders in complex bankruptcies in the financial markets, food, energy and automotive industries, as well as creditors’ committees, bankruptcy trustees, and court-appointed receivers. He also has vast experience in complex commercial and bankruptcy litigation, including Ponzi scheme, fraudulent transfer and clawback litigation, and breach of fiduciary duty and lender liability litigation.

Mr. Geekie’s abilities have been recognized by his peers, having been named an “Illinois Super Lawyer” in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights, and a “Leading Lawyer” in the areas of Bankruptcy & Workout: Commercial and Creditors’ Rights/Commercial Collections, as well as the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell legal ability/ethical rating of (“A-V”).

“We are extremely pleased that Gene has chosen to join us at Freeborn & Peters,” said Richard S. Lauter, who serves as Chair of the firm’s Bankruptcy, Reorganization and Creditors' Rights Practice. “Gene’s significant experience bolsters our existing practice group. He is a highly respected restructuring practitioner and litigator who has proven to be a formidable force in the industry, and he will demonstrate great leadership as Chair of our Bankruptcy Litigation Practice.”

“I was drawn to Freeborn & Peters because of the strength of its culture, which emphasizes teamwork between and among its attorneys and clients. Importantly, the attorneys at Freeborn share a compelling vision that the realization of their clients’ objectives – now and in the future – should be at the heart of their work,” said Mr. Geekie. “I am eager to apply my experience in bankruptcy and litigation to serve clients across the board, but also to combine my contributions with the firm’s deep expertise in industries such as food, transportation and real estate.”

“Our firm is committed to providing a broad range of legal services to our clients. A high‑performing bankruptcy practice with superlative technical skills is a critical element of that strategy,” said Mike Moynihan, co-managing partner of Freeborn & Peters.

Mr. Geekie is a summa cum laude graduate of St. Louis University and a cum laude graduate of the St. Louis University School of Law, where he served as the editor of the Saint Louis University Law Journal. His professional memberships include the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Turnaround Management Institute, where he serves as a contributing editor of the Commercial Fraud Task Force. Mr. Geekie is a frequent author and speaker, and is, among other affiliations, a faculty member of the Norton Bankruptcy Litigation Institute and an editor of Norton Bankruptcy Law and Practice.

About Freeborn & Peters LLP:  Freeborn & Peters LLP is a full-service midwestern law firm with national and global capabilities headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Freeborn & Peters is always looking ahead and seeking to find better ways to serve its clients. It takes a proactive approach to ensure its clients are more informed, prepared and able to achieve greater success – not just now, but also in the future.

While the firm serves clients across a very broad range of sectors, it has also pioneered an interdisciplinary approach that serves the specific needs of targeted industries, including food, transportation, insurance and reinsurance, and real estate.

Freeborn & Peters is a firm that genuinely lives up to its core values of integrity, caring, effectiveness, teamwork, and commitment, and embodies them through high standards of client service and responsive action. Its lawyers build close and lasting relationships with clients and are driven to help them achieve their legal and business objectives.

For more information, please visit http://www.freebornpeters.com.