Shelly Derousse

Experience

1. Equity Partner and Leader of Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Practice Group

   Smith Gambrell Russell

   Apr 2023 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   Shelly has extensive experience in the areas of bankruptcy, restructuring, litigation and asset sales. She is known among banks and other financial institutions as a leading attorney for lenders in bankruptcy cases, out-of-court workouts of borrowers’ loans, and assignments for the benefit of creditors. Shelly also has represented as lead counsel official creditors’ committees throughout the country. Additionally, she regularly represents companies and high earning individuals in their bankruptcies or workout negotiations with their lenders and other creditors. Shelly offers clients years of practical experience and knowledge of how to best solve very complex debtor-creditor issues. She has worked on every side of bankruptcies and workouts, including the representation of debtors, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, lessors, lessees, guarantors, trustees and creditors’ committees. She has represented clients ranging from large publicly traded companies in mega-bankruptcy cases to smaller privately held middle market companies in chapter 11 filings or large international banks to small community banks. Shelly is a very successful and accomplished commercial litigator and trial attorney. As lead attorney, she has litigated to judgment many trials and hearings on issues including mismanagement and fraud, fraudulent transfers, relief from the automatic stay, use of cash collateral, commercial contract disputes, assessment of lease value, and breach of fiduciary duty.Shelly is the ex-offcio President of the Women\'s Bar Foundation of Illinois. She previously served as President for four years and served on the Executive Board for many years. In 2010, Shelly was named as one of the most Influential Women in Business by the Business Ledger and the National Association of Women Business Owners of Chicago.

Education

• DePaul University College of Law

  J.D., Law

  1998 — 2001

Skills

• Bankruptcy
• Commercial Litigation
• Courts
• Appeals
• Arbitration
• Dispute Resolution
• Civil Litigation
• Litigation
• Breach of Contract
• Creditors' Rights
• Corporate Law
• Legal Issues
• Legal Research
• Legal Writing
• Mediation
• Restructuring
• Trial Practice
• Trials