Biography
Debra A. Riley is a partner in the firm's San Diego office, concentrating in the area of bankruptcy, creditors' rights, work-outs, commercial litigation, and state and federal court receiverships. Debra has served as counsel for debtors-in-possession, creditors' committees, secured and unsecured creditors, institutional investors, landlords, and municipalities in complex chapter 11 proceedings throughout the country, including California, Delaware and New York. She also has been involved in the purchase and sale of hundreds of millions of dollars of distressed assets. She has handled all aspects of a bankruptcy case from pre-bankruptcy planning through plan confirmation, as well as post-confirmation matters. In this context, Debra has developed significant experience handling contested matters involving debtor-in-possession financing, asset sales, plan confirmation, claim objections, and the assumption and assignment of executory contracts, and unexpired leases and license agreements. Her experience covers a wide array of industries, including manufacturing, real estate, dietary supplements, subprime lending, technology, and healthcare.
Debra also represents companies in connection with out-of-court debt and bond restructurings, including CFD special tax bonds.
Debra serves as counsel for court-appointed permanent receivers in enforcement actions brought by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal agencies, including in actions alleging the operation of Ponzi-like investment schemes. Debra's clients are tasked with taking over the entities used to perpetrate the schemes, conducting necessary forensic accountings, documenting (for the benefit of the appointing court) how the schemes were carried out, and recovering available proceeds from these schemes, where possible, for distribution to defrauded investors.
In addition, Debra has significant commercial and real estate litigation experience, including defending preference and fraudulent conveyance actions, prosecuting judicial and non-judicial foreclosures and guaranty actions, prosecuting and defending breach of contract claims, and handling pre and post-judgment enforcement and collections matters.
Prior to joining Allen Matkins, Debra was a partner at McDermott Will & Emery in Chicago where she was involved in many nationally prominent bankruptcy cases and out-of-court workouts.
Before embarking on the practice of law, Debra was a certified public accountant in the State of Connecticut and maintained an audit and consulting practice with a predecessor to Ernst & Young.
Memberships
- American Bankruptcy Institute (advisory board member for various conferences (2007- current) and co-chair of Battleground West Conference 2007-2010)
- Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors
- California and San Diego Bankruptcy Forums
- California Women Lawyers
- Ernst & Young Alumni Group
- International Womens' Insolvency Restructuring Confederation
(board member San Diego Chapter 2008-2010)
- Turnaround Management Association
Accolades
- AV® Preeminent™ Martindale Hubbell Rating
- Selected for inclusion in Southern California Super Lawyers (2007)
Education
Debra graduated, summa cum laude, from Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut, with a B.S. in accounting and computer science. She received her M.B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut. Debra obtained her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.
Bar Admissions
- California
- Illinois
- Connecticut