Ian Roberts

Ian advises clients across the full spectrum of complex restructuring and distressed situations and delivers pragmatic advice to maximize value both in and out of court. Representing debtors, purchasers, lenders, investment funds, institutional investors, family offices, and governmental entities, Ian brings a wealth of knowledge from private and in-house practice to highly leveraged special situations, distressed acquisitions, cross-border restructurings, and insolvency-related corporate governance matters. He has particularly deep experience in the energy and technology sectors.

Ian previously served as in-house counsel for a global technology company, where he focused on international turnaround initiatives, and was a partner at an international law firm in its global restructuring, insolvency, and capital solutions group. His extensive experience informs his practical, business-oriented approach to restructuring and distressed situations.

Following law school, Ian served as a law clerk to the Honorable Hayden Head of the United States District  Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Select experience prior to joining Hunton:

Restructuring

• Represented a global digital media and broadcasting company, as debtors' counsel, in chapter 11 cases in the Southern District of New York, including a $350 million sale to a consortium of pre-petition lenders.
• Advised a leading US oil and gas services provider, as company counsel, in a liability management transaction and out-of-court balance sheet restructuring.
• Represented a private E&P company, as debtors' counsel, in chapter 11 cases involving interests in over 8,000 wells across Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado.
• Advised a global petrochemical company in chapter 11 cases relating to the construction of a $1.25 billion integrated polymers facility.
• Represented a manufacturing company in its chapter 11 bankruptcy case in the Northern District of California to address complex asbestos and environmental liabilities and related disputes.
• Represented an ad hoc group of market participants in litigation related to ERCOT's $1.8 billion claim in connection with a cooperative's chapter 11 cases in the Southern District of Texas, and related appellate matters before the Fifth Circuit.
• Represented an ad hoc group of counterparties holding approximately 2,000 MWh in long-term power purchase agreements in a major California utility's chapter 11 cases in the Northern District of California.

Distressed Acquisitions

• Represented NRG Energy, Inc. in multiple distressed acquisitions and dispositions, including acquisitions of power generation assets in excess of $3 billion, acquisitions of retail power contracts, and dispositions of subsidiaries with more than $2 billion of funded debt.
• Represented Hitachi Energy in the acquisition of a remaining minority interest in a joint venture owned by a distressed battery storage service provider.
• Represented a national dairy cooperative in its purchase of dairy processing facilities and related assets in a competitive section 363 sale process in the Southern District of Texas.
• Represented a private equity sponsor in its purchase of assets from a plant nutrient company's receivership estate in Delaware state court.
• Represented a bidder in the chapter 11 cases of an educational technology provider in the Southern District of Texas.

Finance and Project Structuring

• Represented Citibank, N.A. as agent on a $1.75 billion DIP facility in the chapter 11 cases of an international oil and gas services company in the Southern District of Texas.
• Advised litigation funders on matters relating to litigation funding agreements, judgment preservation insurance, and related transactions.
• Advised multinational energy firms and investment funds in structuring LNG and other long term project investments.

Litigation

• Represented former officers and directors in adversary proceedings in the Southern District of Texas in connection with a de-SPAC merger and related fiduciary duty claims.
• Represented a public company and former officers and directors in adversary proceedings in Southern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court concerning historic capitalization transactions and related claims.
• Represented a security monitoring company in Delaware Chancery Court against noteholders regarding disputed liability management exercises and related exchange offers.
• Represented an ad hoc group of PPA counterparties in appellate litigation before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Represented former officers of a gaming company in adversary proceedings in the District of Delaware Bankruptcy Court concerning a dividend recapitalization transaction and related claims.

• Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
• Member, John C. Ford Inn of Court, American Inns of Court, 2013-2023
• Member, Turnaround Management Association, Dallas Ft. Worth Chapter

• Pro Bono Counsel to Sports Jiu-Jitsu International Federation
• Member, Board of Directors, Mental Health America of Greater Dallas, 2011-2013