Chris Niekamp
Office Partner-in-Charge | Akron
Areas of Practice
Assistant | Nancie Stephenson : [email protected]
About Chris:
I engage in a diverse Commercial and Corporate Law practice. I represent banks, businesses, debtors and creditors in all phases of commercial litigation, restructuring, bankruptcy and collection matters, along with contract form and mergers and acquisition opportunities, new ventures, product and brand development.
I have experience handling large and small Chapter 11 cases on behalf of Secured Lenders, Debtors, the Creditors’ Committee and the Trustee. I have acted as a Receiver, Liquidation Agent and Promoted Receivership, and other restructuring options throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. I have represented numerous large and small companies in issues ranging from start-up through dissolution, employment law issues, collection, real estate litigation, real estate acquisition, commercial lease documentation, mergers and acquisitions, and shareholder disputes. I have experience handling commercial and residential foreclosures and has negotiated and prepared documents for corporate mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, wind down, forbearance agreements, condominium documents, commercial leases, non-profit 501 (c)(3) documents, employment agreements, shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, and close corporation agreements.
In addition to restructuring and corporate law experience, I have a niche practice in Entertainment Law. I am a member of IR Global’s international professional network, which allows me to better serve my clients in cases with a national or international nexus by drawing on expertise from jurisdictions around the world.
- Joined Buckingham as a Partner in 2021
- Former Managing Partner at Niekamp, Weisensell, Mutersbaugh & Mastrantonio, LLP
- Blue Jay Communications, Inc., U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Case No. 21-31915 (Blue Jay Communications, Inc. et al v. Ibex Funding Group, LLC et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Adv. Proc. Case No. 22-03055). Represented The Huntington National Bank as secured Creditor in the Sub-Chapter V Chapter 11 Bankruptcy case and advocated for and successfully sought appointment as Sub-Chapter V Trustee to operate the Business after post confirmation default of Chapter 11 Plan.
- Cases Serving as a Receiver or Liquidation Agent:
- Knox v. New Ro Holdings, LLC, Summit County Court of Common Pleas; Case No. CV 2007-10-7000. Appointed Receiver in November, 2008 over 18 residential units to manage and market the Properties for sale.
- In Re: Day Ketterer, Ltd., Summit County Court of Common Pleas; Case No. CV 2019-09-3692. Appointed as the Liquidation Agent to conduct the winding up of one of Ohio’s oldest law firms—Day Ketterer, Ltd. The windup took several years to complete and it involved settlement of complicated claims and significant account resolution and sale of assets and a claims process which provided a significant return to unsecured claimants.
- Cases promoting the appointment of Receiverships:
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- Huntington Nat’l Bank v Reserve 1730 (Office Building), Case No. CV 2009-12-2905 (Summit)
- Huntington Bank v Hill Chateau Apartments, Case No. CV-2009-8848 (Summit)
- Fifth Third Bank v Burns Interior Supply (Drywall Supply), Case No. CV 2011-07-3975 (Summit)
- Huntington Bank v Chapman Industrial Construction, Case No. 2012CF100893 (Tuscarawas)
- Huntington Bank v Manor Development (Retail Plaza), Case No. CV-2014-03-1178 (Summit)
- Huntington Nat’l Bank v James W. Green (Office/Retail), Case No. GD 14-010422 (Allegheny, PA)
- Huntington Nat’l Bank v Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire Dept (Fire Station), Case No. 2014CV00451 (Jefferson)
- Huntington Bank v Redco Realty (Office Building), Case No. 15-CV-0422 (Belmont)
- Huntington Bank v Grace Community Church (Church), Case No. 2016-CV-00775 (Stark)
- Bayview Loan Servicing v Nevenka Svilar (Office Building), Case No. CV-2017-01-0216 (Summit)
- Huntington Bank v FR Pine Corners (Flex Office Buildings), Case No. 17-CF-002037 (Lake)
- Huntington Bank v Crisis Intervention & Recovery Center (Medical), Case No. 2019-CV-00364 (Stark)
- Four Corners Community Bank v Flapjack3 Holdings (IHOP Restaurant), Case No. 2019CV00173 (Montgomery)
- Huntington Bank v 7630 LLC (Office/Warehouse), Case No. 20-935318 (Cuyahoga)
- Westfield Bank v Oxford Capital Ent III (Medical Office Building), Case No. 2020-CF-010049 (Tuscarawas)
- Huntington Bank v Canyon Advisors (Rubber Manufacturer), Case No. CV-2024-04-1516 (Summit)
- Notable cases from 2014–2024 where attorney Christopher J. Niekamp had an active role involving a receivership:
- Fifth Third Bank, N.A. v. Traxium, LLC, et al., Case No. CV-2020-10-2749 (Summit County C.P.). In this commercial foreclosure action, a receiver was appointed for the defendant company. Appeared as counsel for the receiver (John T. Hillyer).
- UGO (US), LLC v. UGO (US), LLC, Case No. CV-2023-06-1878 (Summit County C.P.). This was a corporate dissolution case in which a state-court receiver was appointed to oversee the liquidation and sale of assets. Represented the debtor/company (defendant) and advocated for the receiver’s appointment to manage the wind-up of the business.
- The Huntington National Bank v. Fourteen-Eight LLC, et al., Case No. 2022-CV-00830 (Stark County C.P.). In this matter, Huntington Bank sought to collect on a defaulted loan and have a receiver appointed to take control of the borrower’s retail store assets. Served as plaintiff’s counsel (representing Huntington, the secured lender) and successfully moved for the appointment of a receiver to sell the defendant’s retail outlets.
- David Kohut v. Tara Christopher, et al., Case No. 2021 CV 00015 (Portage County C.P.). This case arose from an estate and property dispute. The plaintiff (Kohut) requested appointment of a receiver to oversee and sell certain real property that was co-owned or part of an estate. Acted as plaintiff’s counsel for Kohut, (with co-counsel Wade T. Doerr).
- The Huntington National Bank v. Zymler Chiropractic Office, Inc., et al., Case No. CV-16-868979 (Cuyahoga County C.P., approx. 2016–2018). This was a foreclosure action involving commercial property. A receiver was appointed during the case to handle the property, and later a motion was filed regarding the receivership. Served as attorney for the plaintiff (Huntington Bank) in this action, which included receivership proceedings.
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law (J.D., 1990)
- University of Western Ontario School of Law (Exchange program)
- Miami University (B.S., Business Administration, 1987)
Admissions
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- Selected for inclusion in Ohio’s Super Lawyers® (2016-2023), as voted on by peers
- Akron Area YMCA, Board of Trustees
- American Bankruptcy Institute, Committee Contributing Member of Preference Payment Defense Analysis
- Turnaround Management Association
- Leadership Akron Class 39
- Akron Art Museum, Board of Trustees
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Former member Unsecured Trade Creditor
- Akron Community Foundation, Akron Civic Theater, Former Secretary
- Kohl Family Downtown Akron YMCA, President, Board of Advisors (2020-2021)
Associations
- American Bar Association
- Corporate Law Section
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Corporation Law Committee
- Real Estate Law Committee
- Akron Bar Association
- Real Property & Law Committee
- Bankruptcy & Commercial Law Section
- Business & Corporate Law Section, Former Chair (1994)
- Treasurer (2019-2021)
- "The State of AI: Faster, Fairer Resolutions?", IR Global, The Visionaries (p. 40-41), March 2024
- Bankruptcy Chapter 11 Subchapter V Debt Eligibility Limit to Decrease to $2.7 million on June 21, 2024 (March 15, 2024)
- Are E-Signatures Sufficient to Obtain a Cognovit Judgment? (October 18, 2023)
- Next chapter: Options beyond bankruptcy for struggling businesses, Smart Business (September 2023)
- Exploring a Hybrid Future: Adapting Business models to succeed in the new normal, IR Global (April 14, 2022)
- Rights of Minority Shareholders in a Closely-Held Corporation (March 8, 2021)
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