Richard J. Cooper’s practice focuses on domestic and international restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, and leveraged finance (including project and acquisition finance).
Richard joined the firm in 1986 and became a partner in 1995.
Notable Experience
Restructuring
United States: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), Aleris, America West Airlines, Circle K, Color Tile, Continental Airlines, Foxwoods Casino, Fruit of the Loom, Insight Healthcare, Lehman Brothers, Milagro Holdings, Pan American Airways, Revco and Van Camp Seafood.
Latin America: Aeromexico, Alestra, Automotores Gildemeister, CCM, Cemex, Cydsa, Easa, Edenor, Emcali, Empresas ICA, Fibria (formerly Aracruz Celulose), Gruma, Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua, GVO, Independencia, Intelig, IUSA, Iusacell, Maxcom, Metrogas, Mexicana, Odebrecht Oil and Gas, OGX, Oi, Oro Negro, San Antonio Oil and Gas, Sanluis Autoparts, Tonon Bioenergia, Telecom Argentina, Termoelectrica de Barranquilla, Termoemcali, TGN, Transener and Vitro.
Europe: Codere.
Asia: Asia Pulp & Paper, NSM Steel, Zhuhai Highway and numerous Indonesian power projects.
Mergers and Acquisitions
A consortium of private equity firms in connection with the purchase of NTE Energy, various oil and gas assets of Chromo Energy and Petrohawk Energy.
DE Shaw in its investment in Ashmore Energy International.
EDF in the sale of its Brazilian utility Light Services.
Fintech Advisory in its acquisition of a majority stake in Telecom Argentina.
Carlyle Riverstone and Sempra Energy in the purchase and subsequent sale of various generating plants located in Texas.
Fintech Energy in the purchase of Emgasud, an Argentine energy company.
Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua in the sale of its Bolivian operations.
Project and Leveraged Finance
Deutsche Bank in the financing of various oil and gas and energy projects in Brazil and the project financing of a power project for Pampa Energy in Argentina.
The Government of Puerto Rico in connection with its enactment of its new Public Private Partnership law.
SELECTED ACTIVITIES
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Publications
- “Venezuela’s Restructuring: A Realistic Framework,” (co-author with Mark A. Walker), September 19, 2017
- “Turning Bust to Boom: P3 Initiatives Under PROMESA,” (co-author with Luke Barefoot, Adam Brenneman and Antonio Pietrantoni), Law360, July 19, 2017
- “Disarming Puerto Rico’s Pension Time Bomb,” (co-author with Luke Barefoot, Daniel Soltman and Antonio Pietrantoni), Law360, April 19, 2017
- “What Should Puerto Rico Offer Its Creditors?” (co-author with Luke Barefoot and Jessica McBride), Law360, March 15, 2017
- “Issues To Expect In A Title III Puerto Rico Restructuring,” (co-author with Luke Barefoot, Jessica McBride and Antonio Pietrantoni), Law360, March 8, 2017
- “Why Puerto Rico Will Likely Rely On PROMESA Title III,” (co-author with Luke Barefoot, Jessica McBride and Antonio Pietrantoni), Law360, March 1, 2017
- “The Brazilian Insolvency Regime: Some Modest Suggestions—Part 2,” (co-author with Francisco Cestero, Jesse Mosier and Dan Soltman), Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law (April/May 2016)
- “The Brazilian Insolvency Regime: Some Modest Suggestions—Part 1,” (co-author with Francisco Cestero, Jesse Mosier and Dan Soltman), Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law (February/March 2016)
- “A New World for LatAm Creditors: Insolvency Reform in Latin America,” Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law (June 2015)
- “Is Peru’s Insolvency System Ready for Foreign Creditors?” IFLR, January 6, 2015
- “Proceeding with Caution,” IFLR, July/August 2014
- “Six Restructuring Questions for LatAm Investors,” IFLR, May 2013
- “Inside Track: Cleary’s Richard Cooper on Vitro,” Latin Lawyer, April 17, 2013
- “Experts Looking at U.S.-Mexico Cross Border Insolvency Issues,” ABI, October 23, 2012
- “Expedited Restructurings in the U.S. and Select Latin American and Caribbean Jurisdictions,” Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law, vol. 7, no. 8, November/December 2011
- “Holdouts in Syndicated Loan Rescheduling,” in Global Financial Crisis: Navigating and Understanding the Legal and Regulatory Aspects (Globe Law and Business, 2009)
- “Brazil’s New Recuperação Judicial Proceedings—New Hope for Brazilian Companies in Search of Relief Under the Section 3(A)(10) Registration Exemption?” in International Business Transactions with Brazil (Juris Publishing, 2008)
- “The Durango Restructuring: A New Beginning in Mexican Restructurings?” Latin America Law & Business Report, October 31, 2005
- “Striking the Balance: Allocating Risk in a Long-Term Operation and Management Contract,” American Water Works Annual Conference, June 19, 2003
- “Asia Pulp and Paper: Lessons Learned,” INSOL World, First Quarter 2003
- “Cash Chameleon,” ProjectFinance, December 2001
- “Latin American Water: Opportunities and Challenges for Private Investment,” Latin American Law & Business Report, August 31, 2000
- “The New Wave: Private Sector Participation in International Water Projects,” Project Finance International, February 2000
- “How to Approach the Restructuring of Problem Project Financings with Multi-Sourced Lending Arrangements,” Project Finance International, May 19, 1999
- “Outsourcing Projects: Lessons From Venezuela,” Project Finance Yearbook 2000, March 1999
- “Construction in Latin America,” Special Supplement, April 1996
Events
-
October 24, 2017
IPD Latin America’s Venezuela’s Oil & Gas Industry: Sanctions, Restructuring and Recovery
-
October 12, 2017
-
October 09, 2017
-
September 26, 2017
Americas Society and Council of the Americas’ Restructuring Venezuela's Debt: What Lies Ahead?
-
September 12, 2017
Opportunity, Risk and Reward: What Next for Emerging Markets?
-
July 18, 2017
Reorg Research Limited’s Venezuela in Crisis Reorg Research Panel
-
June 07, 2017
CUNY Graduate School of Journalism’s Puerto Rican Bankruptcy Event
-
June 07, 2017
-
June 06, 2017
EMTA Special Seminar: Brazil: Recent Developments in Restructuring and Bankruptcy Reform
-
May 31, 2017
BAML 6th Annual Emerging Markets Corporate Credit Conference
-
May 25, 2017
-
May 18, 2017
-
February 28, 2017
8th Annual J.P. Morgan Global Emerging Markets Corporate Conference
-
December 02, 2016
-
August 09, 2016
-
October 29, 2015
-
February 23, 2015
J.P. Morgan's 6th Annual Global Emerging Markets Corporate Conference
-
December 11, 2014
-
December 04, 2014
-
June 20, 2014
-
May 07, 2014
-
March 27, 2014
-
March 12, 2014
-
March 05, 2014
-
February 24, 2014
J.P. Morgan's 5th Annual Emerging Markets Corporate Conference
-
November 21, 2013
-
June 13, 2013
-
May 08, 2013
Brazilian Bankruptcy, Restructuring and High Yield Symposium
-
November 07, 2012
-
October 18, 2012
Debtwire Bankruptcy, Restructuring and High Yield in Latin America Symposium
-
May 08, 2012
Debtwire's 3rd Annual Brazilian Bankruptcy and Distressed/High Yield Symposium
-
March 29, 2012
-
March 01, 2012
J.P. Morgan's 3rd Annual Emerging Markets Corporate Conference
-
November 30, 2011
-
June 13, 2011
-
November 04, 2010
mergermarket Latin American Restructuring and High Yield Symposium
-
October 01, 2010
-
April 22, 2010