Barbara Klabacha
Senior Attorney
Case Highlights
The clients had Boeing 737 and 747 aircraft that were
repossessed from a well-known debtor airline sitting in storage in
Goodyear. Applying the resourcefulness of restructuring attorneys,
we foreclosed and sold the aircraft to international buyers.
With legal bills from other firms aggregating hundreds or
thousands of dollars, an Arizona entrepreneur still couldn't get
control of the company he founded away from his ex-spouse. We took
a novel approach to an Arizona corporations statute and wrested
full ownership back with the client.
Get to know Barbara in her own words
"Many terms could describe me but "persistent" is the one that I
can accept. Persistence is not doggedness or inflexibility or
pestiness - it's commitment. I like to think that my persistence
with an issue, or even a matter overall, is a reflection of my
commitment to not let my client down. That doesn't mean tilting at
windmills or reinventing the wheel. Not every situation is a
win-win, and win or lose, the meter ticks. As a counselor, I have
to know not only when to fire the cannon but also when to fold 'em
in the client's best interests."
"My first career was as a commercial banker who dealt with a lot
of "distressed situations" (otherwise known as bad loans). An old
war story tells about a loan to the operator of a hot dog stand.
The bank felt quite comfortable with the loan because it had taken
a security interest in all of the assets of the business, including
accounts receivable, inventory and equipment. The scramble started
when the operator decided to call it quits before paying off the
loan. When the loan officer went to gather the collateral, all that
could be found were non-existent accounts receivable and smelly old
hot dogs in an unplugged cooler. By omission, that story describes
what being circumspect, practical and "hands-on" should really
mean."
"What I offer clients is experience figuring out what to do, as
well as what not to do. Then my persistence pushes me to get things
done."
Professional Experience
- Barbara is an experienced corporate bankruptcy and financial
transactions attorney with roots in commercial banking and
workouts
- All phases of corporate reorganization, bankruptcy and debt
restructuring and recovery
- Secured and unsecured lending, leasing and other financing
methods of business transactions, including sales, mergers,
acquisitions and roll-ups
- Member, Arizona Foster Care Review Board
- Real Estate Broker, licensed in Illinois
- Public Accountant certified in Illinois
- Member, Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority
Education
J.D., Northwestern University School of Law, 1987, Cum
Laude
Executive Editor: Northwestern Journal of International Law &
Business
M.B.A, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business,
1973
B.S., St. Mary's College (Notre Dame, Indiana), 1970, Cum Laude
Bar Admissions
- Court of Appeals Highest State Courts of Illinois, Kentucky and
Arizona
- Federal admissions in Seventh and Third Circuits Court of
Appeals
- United States District Courts of Northern Illinois, Western
Kentucky and Arizona