Ryan F. Kelley - Lawyer in Portland, ME

Ryan Kelley provides legal counsel to public and private companies regarding debt and equity financings, commercial transactions and bankruptcy and creditors rights matters.

Ryan represents both lenders and borrowers in construction, acquisition, new markets tax credits, term and working capital financing transactions. His transactional experience also includes commercial matters such as the representation of franchisors and franchisees with respect to franchise matters, of manufacturers with respect to dealer and distributorship arrangements and of buyers and sellers with respect to mergers and acquisitions.

In addition, Ryan advises clients on issues arising at all stages of distressed situations, insolvency and bankruptcy. He regularly represents secured creditors, trade creditors, landlords, sellers and acquirers of distressed assets and entities, and other interest holders in workouts and restructurings, liquidations and collection actions. Among other things, Ryan advises clients on the use of cash collateral, adequate protection of interests in collateral, relief from the automatic stay, claims allowance as well as the defense of fraudulent and preferential transfer actions. He has successfully handled both bankruptcy litigation, including appeals, and transactional matters, such as distressed asset sales.

Although Ryans clients represent a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, food and beverage, and franchising, Ryan has significant experience in the energy and financial services industries. For instance, Ryan represents a gas-fired generation developer with respect to the development and financing of new generation facilities in North Carolina and Connecticut, including aspects of corporate governance, equity investment, construction financing and the negotiation of financeable project-specific development documents. He also regularly represents public utilities and a large independent supplier of energy and materials handling services and public utilities in bankruptcy and creditors rights matters. In the financial services space, Ryan works with a diverse group of clients, including national banks, local community banks, mortgage loan servicers, and commercial credit card issuers, on matters ranging from structuring and documenting financial transactions and assessing and minimizing insolvency-related risks to devising bankruptcy exit strategies and defending against claims brought by customers and bankruptcy trustees.

Prior to joining Pierce Atwood, Ryan clerked for the Honorable John C. Cook, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and previously for the Honorable John S. Dalis, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Georgia. While a law school student, Ryan gained valuable experience working at the Securities and Exchange Commission and Sloane and Walsh, LLP. He also assisted nonprofit organizations with an array of transactional legal work through Boston College Law Schools Community Enterprise Clinic.