Neil Bason is special counsel with the firm’s Bankruptcy & Reorganization Group, where his practice encompasses representation of secured and unsecured creditors, entities contemplating or initiating bankruptcy cases, creditors’ committees, large case trustees, and third parties whose interests need to be protected in bankruptcy cases or who seek to purchase assets out of bankruptcy.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Bason served as a law clerk to United States Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali in the Northern District of California and Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Ninth Circuit. During his tenure of nearly eight years, he worked on approximately 70 BAP decisions and numerous trial court dispositions.

Before clerking Mr. Bason was in private practice for a decade in Massachusetts and in the Bay Area. During that time he focused primarily on debtor-creditor disputes. Following law school, Mr. Bason was a law clerk to Chief Justice Paul J. Liacos of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.

Education

• J.D., Boston University School of Law (magna cum laude; Note Editor, Boston University Law Review), 1988
• B.A., Johns Hopkins University, 1984

Admitted

• California

Memberships

• State Bar of California
• American Bankruptcy Institute

Selected Publications

• "Directors' and Officers' Duties in Troubled Times," Howard Rice Private Client Services Newsletter (2009)
• "Bankruptcy Sales: A Recent Decision Illustrates Some Risks And Opportunities" Business Law News, a publication of the California State Bar (2009)
• "Risk Of Losing Your Initial Investment, And Risk Of "Clawbacks"—Having To Pay Back Any Distributions That You Received," Howard Rice Private Client Services Newsletter (2009)
• "Recent U.S. bankruptcy court decision Highlights In-House Counsel Vulnerability," Howard Rice Client Alert Newsletter (2008)
• "Recent Developments In Assets Sales," Law360 (2008)
• "Ninth Circuit Deletes Controversial Footnote Questioning Entz-White. [In re Future Media Productions, Inc.]," Insolvency Law Committee - Business Law Section of the State Bar of California Bankruptcy e-Bulletin (2008)
• Co-Author, "Ninth Circuit Rules That Oversecured Creditor Presumptively Entitled to Contractual Default Interest, And Cure Might Not Nullify Default Consequences. [In re Future Media Productions, Inc.]," Insolvency Law Committee - Business Law Section of the State Bar of California Bankruptcy e-Bulletin (2008)
• "California Bankruptcy-Only Exemptions Violate Supremacy Clause," Insolvency Law Committee - Business Law Section of the State Bar of California Bankruptcy e-Bulletin (2008)
• Co-Author, "Getting Tarred by Others’ Wrongdoing," California Lawyer (2008)
• Co-Author, “In-House Counsel Beware: Miller V. McDonald,” Bankruptcy Law360 (2008)
• “Financial Handbook for Bankruptcy Professionals,” Thomson West (Principal Contributor, 1996 edition & Supplements 1997-2001)

Selected Presentations

• “Directors' And Officers' Duties In The Zone Of Insolvency” Webinar Panelist (2009)
• "Recent Developments in Bankruptcy Sales," Bar Association of San Francisco (2008)
• "Clearing the Channel: Navigating The Sale Waters After Clear Channel,"
  Insolvency Law Committee Webinar (2008)
• "First Day Cash Collateral and Financing Motions: How The Judge Evaluates Them And Approaches Grey Areas," San Francisco Bank Attorneys' Association (2008)
• “Bankruptcy: An In-Depth Guide,” Pincus Professional Education (2008)
• “Bankruptcy Practice: A Practical Primer,” Pincus Professional Education (2007)