Over the last 30 years, James Tecce has gained extensive experience representing both creditors and debtors in some of the nation’s largest and most complex chapter 11 cases. He has litigated a wide range of contested matters in Bankruptcy Courts, such as DIP financing, exclusivity, and confirmation contests, and has represented clients like General Motors LLC; Peabody Energy Corp.; Toys Labuan (Holding) Limited; Intelsat Jackson Holdings S.A. and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. He also has prosecuted and defended against appeals from Bankruptcy Court decisions before the United States District Courts and the United States Circuit Courts of Appeals.
James also has significant experience in complex commercial litigation in both federal and state courts involving, among other things, financial institutions, lending arrangements, and shareholder disputes.
James has been ranked among leading Bankruptcy Restructuring lawyers in Chambers USA; Best Lawyers in America in U.S. News and World Report, and a Litigation Star in Benchmark Litigation.
- In re Just Energy Group, Inc.
Special Counsel to Debtor - In re Nordic Aviation Capital, Designated Activity Company
Special Counsel to Debtor - Belk, Inc.
Special Counsel to Belk, Inc. - Intelsat S.A., et al.
Special Counsel to Intelsat Jackson Holdings S.A. - J.C. Penney Company, Inc., et al.
Special Counsel to JCP Real Estate Holdings, LLC, J.C. Penney Purchasing Corp., J.C Penney Properties LLC - Aviana Holdings, S.A.
Special Counsel to Avianca Holdings, S.A. - Frontera Generation LLC
Special Counsel to Frontera Generation LLC - Alta Mesa Holdings, Inc., et al.
Special Counsel to Kingfisher Midstream LLC - Toys “R” Us, Inc., et al.
Counsel to Toys Labuan (Holding) Limited - Motors Liquidation Company, f/k/a General Motors Corporation, et al.
Counsel to General Motors LLC - Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. et al.
Special counsel to Debtor - China Fishery Group Limited (Cayman), et al.
Special counsel to Chapter 11 Trustee for CFG Peru Investments Pte., Ltd. (Singapore) - Peabody Energy Corp., et al.
Special Counsel to Peabody Energy Corporation and its affiliated debtors in their Missouri chapter 11 cases - Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.,
Special Litigation Counsel to Reorganized Debtors ANR Inc. and its affiliates - China Fishery Group Limited (Cayman), et al.
Special Litigation Counsel to William A. Brandt, Jr., Chapter 11 Trustee for CFG Peru Investments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore) - DPH Holdings Corp. et al
Counsel to Solus Alternative Asset Management LP, Angelo Gordon & Co., L.P. and certain funds holding general unsecured claims against Old Delphi Automotive - UTGR, Inc. d/b/a Twin River, et al.
Counsel to shareholders SOLA Ltd, Ultra Master Ltd and Wingspan Master Fund, L.P. - RadioShack Corp., et al.
Counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors - Nortel Networks Inc., et al.
Counsel to Solus Alternative Asset Management LP and Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc. - Fisker Automotive Holdings, Inc., et al.
Counsel to Hybrid Tech Holdings, LLC - Dynegy Holdings LLC, et al.
Counsel to Court-Appointed Examiner - Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., et al.
Special Counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors - Velo Holdings Inc., et al.
Special Counsel to Debtors in Possession - Boston Generating, LLC, et al.
Counsel to US Power Generating Company, USPG Power Services, Inc.; Astoria Generating Company, LP; K Road Power; and Individual Directors and Officers - SNTL Corp., et al.
Counsel to the Litigation Trust for the Trust Beneficiaries of SNTL Corp. and Certain Affiliates - American Home Mortgage Corp., et al.
Special litigation and conflicts counsel to Debtors in Possession - Thornburg Mortgage Inc. (k/n/a TMST Inc. et al.)
Counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors - Buffets Holding, Inc., et al.
Special litigation counsel to Buffets Holdings, Inc. and its affiliated debtors in their Delaware chapter 11 cases
Some highlights of James' bankruptcy litigation and restructuring experience include:
- Adelphia Communications Corp., et al.
Represented administrative agent to secured lenders - Cybergenics Corp.
Represented lenders in appeal to United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from successful dismissal of fraudulent transfer action relating to leveraged buyout transaction - Dairy Mart Convenience Stores, Inc., et al.
Represented debtors in possession, including successfully defending appeals of favorable Bankruptcy Court decisions to the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit - Dictaphone Corp.
Represented debtors in possession - Enron Corp., et al.
Represented Enron Corp. estates in more than 30 fraudulent transfer and preference actions - Fruit of the Loom, Inc., et al.
Represented debtors in possession - Lernout & Hauspie Speech Prods., N.V.
Represented debtors in possession - Maxxim Medical Group, Inc., et al.
Represented Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors - Mirant Corp., et al.
Represented largest unsecured creditor of Mirant Americas, Inc. - RCN Corp., et al.
Represented Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors - Safety Kleen Corp., et al.
Represented Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors - Tower Automotive, Inc., et al.
Represented administrative agent to secured lenders
James' other creditors' rights engagements include representations in Bridge Information Systems, Inc., et al. (unsecured creditor); Kellstrom Industries, Inc., et al. (party to stock purchase agreement); Liberate Technologies, Inc., et al. (ad hoc committee of equity security holders in Delaware bankruptcy cases); Royal World Cruises, Inc./Olympia World Cruises, Inc. (agent to secured lenders); and Silicon Graphics, Inc., et al. (debenture holders).
- University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business
(B.S., Economics, 1992) - Dickinson School of Law
(J.D., 1995)- Dickinson Law Review
- Woolsack Honor Society
- Villanova University School of Law
(LL.M., Taxation, 1998)
- The State Bar of New York
- United States Circuit Courts of Appeals:
- Second Circuit
- Third Circuit
- Fifth Circuit
- Sixth Circuit
- United States District Courts:
- Eastern District of New York
- Southern District of New York
- Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, New York, 2000-2007
- Law Clerk to the Hon. Anthony J. Scirica:
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1997-1998
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1997-1998
- Law Clerk to the Hon. John R. Padova:
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1995-1997
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2023-2025
- Ranked by Legal 500 USA, Finance: Restructuring (including bankruptcy), “Recommended Lawyers”, 2023 and 2024
- Ranked in Chambers USA in New York – Bankruptcy/Restructuring, 2018-2024 and quoted as “client-focused,” “thoughtful,” having “extensive experience” and “a great understanding of the bankruptcy process,” and a lawyer who can “effectively and efficiently advise his clients” while adding "He is a terrific lawyer with a good feel for litigation."
- Named a United States “Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation, 2022-2024
- Recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a “National Practice Area Star,” 2024
- Selected as a LawDragon 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyer, esp. Litigation, 2022-2024
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, U.S. News and World Report, Best Lawyers®, 2018-2022
- Named a “Recommended Lawyer” by Legal 500 USA in the practice area Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy) 2016-2017