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, bankruptcy and collection matters, along with contract and acquisition opportunities, 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 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 bankruptcy 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.
Rated by Super Lawyers
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- 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.
- The Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors of: Patriot Converting, LLC, Tenth Judicial District, State of Minnesota, County of Sherburne, Case No. 71-CV-23-361 - Minnesota Assignment for Benefit of Creditors. Represented secured lender in sale of business.
- UGO (US), LLC v. UGO (US), LLC, Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. CV-2023-06-1878. Represented Debtor. Ohio Dissolution and appointment of State Court Receiver to manage voluntary liquidation and sale of assets.
- The Huntington National Bank v. Fourteen-Eight LLC, et al., Stark County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. 2022-CV-00830. Represented secured lender and advocated for appointment of State Court Receiver to sell retail outlets.
- 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
- Akron Art Museum, Board of Trustees
- American Bankruptcy Institute, Committee Contributing Member of Preference Payment Defense Analysis
- Turnaround Management Association
- Leadership Akron Class 39
- 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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