John P. Sieger

John P. Sieger is National Co-Head of the firm's Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights Practice.

Mr. Sieger has represented many debtors, lenders and syndicates, board of directors, equity holders and others in some of the largest and highest-profile reorganization and liquidation proceedings in the country, including the Chicago Tribune, Exide Technologies, Conseco, United Airlines, TLC Vision, Montgomery Ward, Thornburg Mortgage, Inc., Hartford Computer Group, Cadence Innovation and Archibald Candy bankruptcy proceedings. His practice on behalf of debtors has involved companies in the Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive supply, consulting, computer services, retailing, telecommunications, plastics, import/export, transportation, real estate development, manufacturing, Internet design and electronics retailing industries; it also includes the negotiation, preparation and presentation of plans of reorganization and liquidation. He often represents secured creditors in all sizes of reorganization cases, commonly negotiating and drafting debtor-in-possession financing and cash collateral agreements. His experience includes Section 363 bankruptcy sales and the analysis of going-forward risks and successor liability to both buyers and sellers of assets, including the steel manufacturing, automotive supply, cable and wire manufacturing, food service, snack food manufacturing, paper good manufacturing, Internet consulting, furniture, hardware, jewelry, candy and various other retailing industries.

Mr. Sieger has represented clients in hundreds of adversary proceedings, and has prosecuted and defended major fraudulent transfer and preferential transfer actions and argued before the United States Judicial Panel on multidistrict litigation and various appellate courts, including the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Mr. Sieger also focuses his practice on out-of-court workout methods, including Uniform Commercial Code foreclosure sales, assignments for the benefits of creditors, restructurings and bankruptcy-remote entities. His efforts to minimize risk and maximize long-term value for his clients also have involved the analysis and implementation of various securitization and realization techniques.

Mr. Sieger has been listed in the 2011 and 2012 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the 2008–2012 editions of Illinois Super Lawyers. Prior to joining Katten, Mr. Sieger was a partner in the Chicago office of Jenner & Block, where he was a member of a team that was awarded M&A Advisor's 2004 Deal of the Year Award and also the Chicago Turnaround Management Association's 2004 Transaction of the Year Award, both in connection with Archibald Candy Corporation. Mr. Sieger also was a member of a Katten team that was awarded the Chicago TMA’s 2007 Transaction of the Year, in connection with KL Industries, Inc. (JD Norman).

Mr. Sieger obtained his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1994. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1991 with a B.S. in finance (high honors). He is admitted to practice in Illinois (1997) and before numerous courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois and Trial Bar; U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois; U.S. District Court, District of Colorado; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin; U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin; and the Supreme Court of the United States.