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Hennigan, Bennett & Dorman LLP ("HBD")
is dedicated to delivering  innovative and practical legal solutions
to a wide range of commercial disputes of extraordinary size and
complexity. We are a firm of approximately forty-five highly-credentialed
and experienced lawyers who effectively resolve the most difficult
business problems by integrating unparalleled skill in complex commercial
litigation, bankruptcy and reorganization matters, and intellectual
property disputes. The firm and its principals have achieved extraordinary
success for their clients in these three practices areas. We are
exceedingly entrepreneurial and frequently unconventional. We employ
"outside the box" strategies to end commercial disputes
quickly and advantageously for our clients.
That said, at HBD we try cases. We like to try cases and most of
our cases settle for high valuations because our opponents know
both that we like to try cases and that we win the vast majority
of those cases that we try. All of our lawyers well understand that
we do not sell hours, we sell results.
GENERALISTS WHO ARE SPECIALISTS
We believe we have a different and far more informed evaluative
perspective than our peers. We share the view that in the world
of increasing specialization, the most effective lawyers master
their legal specialty, but are "generalists," with wide-ranging
experience in handling many different types of cases, and from practicing
law in a number of different employment contexts. The partners in
our firm have practiced in small and large firms alike, have been
federal prosecutors, and have practiced as in-house counsel. We
have seen nearly every type of commercial dispute from nearly every
vantage point. That unique, informed perspective led us to create
a fundamentally different law firm.
INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO LEGAL PROBLEMS
Our firm employs an interdisciplinary, team approach to solving
complex business and legal problems. Our lawyers, although principally
assigned to one of the three practice groups, frequently participate
in matters originating in other practice groups that require the
unique skill sets of another group. Moreover, our team approach
invariably involves early and substantive participation by our own
professional staff of highly-credentialed financial analysts and
forensic accountants.
 Our practice areas, particularly the reorganization and litigation
practices, are closely integrated with one another and often combine
resources and skills to resolve complex business problems. The collaborative
capabilities and efficiencies of our practices were first highlighted
in our representation of Orange County, California. HBD served as
lead reorganization counsel in connection with the largest municipal
bankruptcy in the history of the United States, involving the successful
restructuring of more than $10 billion in indebtedness and other
claims. We were also lead litigation counsel in 15 resulting lawsuits
filed against Merrill Lynch, numerous other broker dealers, structured
note issuers, and accounting and legal professionals retained by
the County prior to the bankruptcy. Ultimately, HBD's advocacy enabled
the County to recover more than $871 million in litigation cases
involving securities, bankruptcy, commercial fraud, municipal government,
and professional malpractice law.
The synergies between our business reorganization and litigation practices
have also been demonstrated in various representations arising out
of the now-infamous collapse of Enron Corporation, including:
- Osprey Notes. HBD acted as counsel to the Ad
Hoc Committee of Osprey Noteholders. The proceeds of the approximately
$2.4 billion in Osprey Notes were invested in the Enron sponsored
Whitewing Associates’ special purchase entities. The Osprey
Notes are secured by equity interests in assets claimed by Enron
and its Creditors’ Committee. A settlement of the claims
represented by the Osprey Notes was recently presented to the
bankruptcy court.
- Rabobank v. Royal Bank of Canada. HBD’s
business reorganization and litigation groups prosecuted fraud
and other claims on behalf of Rabobank against Royal Bank of Canada
(“RBC”) arising from RBC’s and its employees’
involvement in questionable transactions with Enron Coproration
and SPEs sponsored by Enron and Enron employees. This matter was
settled in February 2004 on confidential terms.
- Enron Power Marketing, Inc. v. AES Corp., et al.
HBD represents AES Corporation, Central Illinois Light Company
and Constellation New Energy, Inc. in an adversary action brought
by Enron Power Marketing, Inc. (“EPMI”) for more than
$40 million in termination payments EPMI claims it is owed under
two master agreements governing purchases and sales of energy.
- AUSA Life Insurance Co. v. Citigroup, et al.; Transamerica
Financial Life Insurance Co. v. Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.,
et al. HBD is pursuing two actions in Iowa state court
against a number of Enron’s relationship banks on behalf
of twelve institutional investors advised by AEGON USA Investment
Management, LLC for more than $260 million in net principal losses
arising out of their purchases of Osprey Notes, Enron Credit Linked
Notes, Enron Notes, and preferred securities.
- Principal Global Investors, LLC v. Citigroup, et al.;
Principal Global Investors, LLC v. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.,
et al. HBD is pursuing two actions in Iowa state court
against a number of Enron’s relationship banks on behalf
of Principal Global Investors, LLC and eight institutional investors
whose funds it managed for more than $202 million in net principal
losses arising from their purchases of Osprey Notes, Enron Credit
Linked Notes, Senior Secured Notes and Certificates issued by
Marlin Water Trust I and II, and Enron Notes.
- OCM Opportunities Fund III, L.P. v. Citigroup, Inc.,
et al. HBD is pursuing claims in California state court
against a number of Enron’s relationship banks on behalf
of OCM Opportunities Fund III, L.P. for more than $73 million
in net principal losses arising from their purchases of Osprey
Notes, Enron Credit Linked Notes, Enron Notes, and Yosemite securities.
- Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC v. Citigroup,
Inc. HBD is pursuing claims in California state court
against a number of Enron’s relationship banks on behalf
of investment funds managed by Pacific Investment Management Co.
LLC for more than $86 million in net principal losses arising
from their purchases of Osprey Notes.
- Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company v. Credit Suisse
First Boston, et al. HBD is pursuing claims in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of Texas on behalf
of investment funds or owners of investment accounts whose investment
manager is either American General Investment Management LLC or
AIG Global Investment Corporation for more than $130 million in
net principal losses arising from their purchases of Osprey Notes.
- Sempra Corporation. Counsel to Sempra Corporation
and its subsidiaries in connection with Enron Corporation’s
chapter 11 cases.
- AES Corporation. Counsel to AES Corporation
and its subsidiaries in connection with Enron Corporation’s
chapter 11 cases.
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