Dentons announced today that Erik W. Chalut has joined its Corporate Practice as a partner in the firm’s Chicago office. Chalut focuses on the general representation of business entities. In particular, he represents companies in cross-border transactions and in corporate transactions involving distress, including in restructuring situations.
Chalut has a broad range of experience representing companies in connection with global and cross-border corporate transactions, including sales of assets, negotiation of cross-border joint venture agreements, and structuring of cross-border licensing agreements.
Chalut has also represented clients in distressed situations, including advising clients with respect to distressed mergers and acquisitions, negotiating asset purchase agreements, structuring out-of-court workouts and negotiating, drafting and implementing Chapter 11 plans of reorganization. He has also taken a lead role in negotiating and overseeing secured and unsecured credit facilities.
He joins Dentons from Loeb & Loeb. Prior to that he was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis.
“As we continue to grow our corporate practice in Chicago and other key markets to better serve clients, accomplished lawyers like Erik are critical to our goal,” said Mike McNamara, US managing partner of Dentons. “We were particularly drawn to Erik’s cross-border corporate work in transactions involving distress.”
Chalut has experience across a variety of industries including automotive, airline, media and entertainment, health care, real estate, private equity, gaming and manufacturing. Notably, Chalut represented United Airlines, Inc., Tropicana Casinos, and many large public and private companies in their Chapter 11 proceedings. In addition, Chalut advised a leading media and trade show operator in a time-sensitive sale of its assets pursuant to Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, over the objection of the creditors committee and after a contested hearing. He also advised a leading manufacturer of precision components primarily for the automotive industry in a comprehensive out-of-court restructuring, in which the holders of company issued debt exchanged their debt for shares of new common stock.
“We are extremely pleased that Erik has joined our growing corporate practice,” said Margaret Kavalaris, chair of the firm’s Corporate Practice. “His impressive experience will be a tremendous asset to our clients.”
Chalut is active in several organizations including the Turnaround Management Association (TMA). He is currently the breakfast committee co-chair for the Chicago chapter of the TMA. He holds a JD from the University of Michigan Law School, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University.
