CLAY M. TAYLOR

Biography

Clay Taylor joined Kelly Hart & Hallman in 2005 and plays a vital role in the firm's Bankruptcy practice group.  Mr. Taylor works with Michael McConnell, former bankruptcy judge for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, to service the firm's clients with the need for representation in bankruptcy.  Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Taylor specialized in representing creditors with troubled asset portfolios.

Mr. Taylor has represented creditors, debtors and parties-in-interest across the spectrum in both restructuring and bankruptcy arenas.  Specifically, Mr. Taylor has represented over and under-secured lenders with collateral interests ranging from real property to equipment, as well as intangible property rights such as intellectual property.  Mr. Taylor also has represented unsecured creditors, trustees, Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 debtors, debtors in workout situations, creditors in workout situations, bond-holders and committees.  Mr. Taylor's representations have exposed him to a variety of industries and sectors from retail, manufacturing, banking, real estate and construction.  Moreover, Mr. Taylor has developed expertise on the issues related to creditor/debtor relations and has negotiated and documented sales of assets and organizations, litigated issues in state court regarding debtor/creditor relations, conducted real and personal property foreclosures and has represented clients with lender liability issues.

Mr. Taylor is extensively involved in the local bankruptcy practice groups and associations and is former president of the Dallas/Fort Worth Young Bankruptcy Lawyers Association and president-elect of the Tarrant County Bar Association's Bankruptcy section.  Mr. Taylor and his wife, Catherine, are the proud parents of Clayton, Caroline and Crawford.

Education & Honors

• Texas A & M University, B.B.A., Management, 1997
• Pepperdine University School of Law, J.D., 2001
• Texas Super Lawyers "Rising Star," 2008-2010
• Fort Worth, Texas magazine "Top Attorney," 2008

Admission & Affiliations

• Texas, 2001
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 2003
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, 2001
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, 2002
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, 2002
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, 2002 
• President Tarrant County Bankruptcy Bar Section
• Former President Dallas/Fort Worth Young Bankruptcy Lawyers Association
• John C. Ford Inn of Court
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Dallas Bankruptcy Bar Association
• Texas Bankruptcy Bar Section
• Tarrant County Bar Association
• President, Tarrant County Bar Association Bankruptcy Section
• Dallas County Bar Association
• Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association
• Dallas County Young Lawyers Association 

Significant Matters

• Led representation of the major secured creditor of a national franchisee of pizza restaurants.
• Handled nationwide representation of the two major credit card processing companies in over half of the large retail bankruptcy cases filed over the past 3 years.
• Led the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditor’s representation in a national western wear retail case filed in Dallas.
• Chapter 11 Trustee representation of a direct sales company which had over $300,000,000 in secured debt and successfully confirmed a liquidating Chapter 11 plan.
• Led representation of major publicly traded pipeline company in a national oil and gas transportation bankruptcy case filed in Delaware.
• Led representation of national rail freight carrier in one of the largest mining and smelting bankruptcies filed in recent memory.  Defended claims of over $50,000,000 in multiple claim objection hearings.
• Led representation of Debtor whose primary assets were intellectual property rights in the field of laser correction of far-sightedness.  The case involved multiple bankruptcies in multiple states.  The estate ultimately paid significant dividends to its creditors while allowing the Debtor’s owners to acquire the relevant IP interests.
• Led representation of party-in-interest in formulating and implementing a plan of reorganization that led to the client’s acquisition of over $9 million of assets (primarily real estate) out of a bankruptcy estate that has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy for over 2 and a half years.
• Lead attorney of a case appealed to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals after winning at both the trial level and on appeal to the district court.  The 5th Circuit affirmed in all respects.
• Successfully prosecuted a case in the Southern District of Texas involving a novel question of the proper interpretation of the Texas Constitution’s provisions on Home Equity Lending that was definitively decided in favor of the client.