Kenneth J. Ottaviano

Kenneth J. Ottaviano is Co-Head of Chicago's Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights Practice and a member of Katten's Board of Directors. He concentrates his national practice in corporate bankruptcies, out-of-court workouts/restructurings, and creditors' rights. He regularly represents a wide variety of financing sources in complex distressed matters throughout the United States, often including several types of debt and/or equity components. He is well-versed in asset based and cash-flow principles, subordinated and second-lien debt, equity classes and rights, inter-creditor agreements, and agency and participation arrangements. He specializes in distressed health care transactions; however he has experience in numerous industry segments including automotive, retail, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, commercial finance, media and entertainment, hospitality, real estate, construction, energy, vending and franchising.

In addition to representing various types of financing sources, Mr. Ottaviano represents indenture trustees, bankruptcy trustees, examiners, special servicers, borrowers, and debtors-in-possession. He also represents clients in a wide variety of debtor/creditor matters including lender liability actions, bankruptcy avoidance and preference actions, local and multi-jurisdictional "in-court" and "out-of-court" assignments for the benefit of creditors, federal and state court receivership actions, Uniform Commercial Code sales, and foreclosure proceedings.

Mr. Ottaviano is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Turnaround Management Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute. He is also actively involved in various alumni and charity organizations, and recently served as a member of the Lake Forest College Alumni Board of Directors.

Mr. Ottaviano has been admitted pro hac vice in numerous jurisdictions throughout the United States. He is admitted to practice law in Illinois and before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (including Trial Bar) and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.