Specializing in insolvency and complex commercial matters since 1974
Elena Paras Ketchum, named by Super Lawyers as one of the top fifty Super Lawyers in Tampa Bay and one of the top women attorneys in the State of Florida, joined the firm in 2001 and became a shareholder in 2007. Ms. Ketchum is heavily involved in the firm’s transactional, commercial litigation, and insolvency practices.
On the transactional side, she has represented numerous buyers and sellers in connection with complex stock and asset sales and borrowers and guarantors in commercial loan transactions. Ms. Ketchum has been lead counsel in successful out-of-court workouts of loans totaling in the hundreds of millions of dollars and regularly represents clients in negotiating and documenting complicated transactions such as workout and loan modification agreements and agreements related to asset sales.
In the insolvency arena, Ms. Ketchum brings a solid knowledge of bankruptcy law and substantial courtroom experience to her cases. She is chiefly noted for her representation of debtors in possession in Chapter 11 cases – successfully reorganizing debtors involved in industries as diverse as manufacturing, retail, restaurant, healthcare, printing, grocery and construction. She has served as President and Chair of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association, serves as Chair of the District-Wide Steering Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, has lectured on bankruptcy topics, and has served as a guest instructor in advanced bankruptcy classes at the University of Florida College of Law and at the Stetson University College of Law. Ms. Ketchum also heads up the firm’s practice under Chapter 727 of the Florida Statutes dealing with “Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors” or “ABCs.” ABCs occasionally offer a quicker and less expensive alternative to Chapter 11 cases for business borrowers.
Finally, Ms. Ketchum defends borrowers in state court litigation, bringing with her the courtroom experience she gained as an Assistant State Attorney with the State Attorney’s Office for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County, where she was assigned to the Felony division.
| "She's extremely smart, she writes well, and she can shepherd Chapter 11 reorganizations as good as anyone" - Chambers USA (2017) |
In addition to being lead counsel in numerous out-of-court workouts for loans involving hundreds of millions of dollars, Elena Paras Ketchum has headed up or had significant involvement in the firm's representation of numerous matters, including:
Numerous other ABC cases, including GKK Hisland, Ltd., MSM Orange Avenue, Ltd, OFP Titusville, Ltd, PDG Titusville, LLC, South Orange, Ltd, WIN Estero, Ltd, WIN Ocoee, Ltd, and WIN Suncoast, Ltd., Wilmington Retail, Ltd., ENG Gadgets, Inc., Transition Sportswear, LLC, and representing Assignee in Security Compliance Associates, LLC, MUDD Construction, Inc. and HFS-USA, Inc. and eight related entities.
Elena Paras Ketchum, named by Super Lawyers as one of the top fifty Super Lawyers in Tampa Bay and one of the top women attorneys in the State of Florida, joined the firm in 2001 and became a shareholder in 2007. Ms. Ketchum is heavily involved in the firm’s transactional, commercial litigation, and insolvency practices.
On the transactional side, she has represented numerous buyers and sellers in connection with complex stock and asset sales and borrowers and guarantors in commercial loan transactions. Ms. Ketchum has been lead counsel in successful out-of-court workouts of loans totaling in the hundreds of millions of dollars and regularly represents clients in negotiating and documenting complicated transactions such as workout and loan modification agreements and agreements related to asset sales.
In the insolvency arena, Ms. Ketchum brings a solid knowledge of bankruptcy law and substantial courtroom experience to her cases. She is chiefly noted for her representation of debtors in possession in Chapter 11 cases – successfully reorganizing debtors involved in industries as diverse as manufacturing, retail, restaurant, healthcare, printing, grocery and construction. She has served as President and Chair of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association, serves as Chair of the District-Wide Steering Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, has lectured on bankruptcy topics, and has served as a guest instructor in advanced bankruptcy classes at the University of Florida College of Law and at the Stetson University College of Law. Ms. Ketchum also heads up the firm’s practice under Chapter 727 of the Florida Statutes dealing with “Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors” or “ABCs.” ABCs occasionally offer a quicker and less expensive alternative to Chapter 11 cases for business borrowers.
Finally, Ms. Ketchum defends borrowers in state court litigation, bringing with her the courtroom experience she gained as an Assistant State Attorney with the State Attorney’s Office for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County, where she was assigned to the Felony division.
| "She's extremely smart, she writes well, and she can shepherd Chapter 11 reorganizations as good as anyone" - Chambers USA (2017) |
In addition to being lead counsel in numerous out-of-court workouts for loans involving hundreds of millions of dollars, Elena Paras Ketchum has headed up or had significant involvement in the firm's representation of numerous matters, including:
Numerous other ABC cases, including GKK Hisland, Ltd., MSM Orange Avenue, Ltd, OFP Titusville, Ltd, PDG Titusville, LLC, South Orange, Ltd, WIN Estero, Ltd, WIN Ocoee, Ltd, and WIN Suncoast, Ltd., Wilmington Retail, Ltd., ENG Gadgets, Inc., Transition Sportswear, LLC, and representing Assignee in Security Compliance Associates, LLC, MUDD Construction, Inc. and HFS-USA, Inc. and eight related entities.