Zachary (Zach) Fairlie
Partner
Overview
Zach Fairlie represents clients in complex corporate reorganizations and distressed asset sales in court-supervised processes and out-of-court restructurings – principally those involving balance sheet, environmental, labor, and mass tort litigation issues throughout a wide variety of industries, including agriculture, alternative investments, construction, energy, health care, hospitality, manufacturing, telecommunications, and transportation.
Zach also has extensive experience advising various fiduciaries, from indenture trustees to receivers, in all stages of restructurings and insolvency matters, including the prosecution and defense of complex financial services litigation claims, including fraudulent transfers, breach of fiduciary duty, and disregarding corporate form claims.
Credentials
Education
- University of Iowa College of Law (J.D.)
- University of Northern Iowa (B.A.)
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- Served as lead counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in vertically integrated ag operation with +$125 million in asserted claims.
- Served as lead counsel to court-appointed receiver of failed ethanol plant, resulting in sale of plant for +$40 million, and pursuit of insiders on claims over $400 million.
- Served as lead counsel to court-appointed receiver of failed swine operation, requiring emergency sale process.
- Served as lead counsel to publicly traded medical device company in bankruptcy resulting in the successful sale and continuation of operations.
- Served as counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in health care system with +$150 million in asserted claims.
- Served as counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in hospitality operation with +$150 million in asserted claims.
- Served as counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in telecommunications operation with $25 million in asserted claims.
- Served as counsel to defendants in fraudulent transfer action asserting $400 million in claims.
- Served as counsel to defendants in fraudulent transfer action asserting $25 million claims.
- Served as counsel to mezzanine lender in one of the largest diary bankruptcies, with +$400 million in asserted claims.
- Served as counsel to financial services companies in bankruptcy with +$250 million in asserted claims.
- Served as counsel to bond trustee with $300 million of defaulted bonds.
- Served as counsel to lender in receivership of hog processing plant.
Clerkship Experience
- Hon. Cynthia A. Norton, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri
- Hon. Linda R. Reade, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City, Volunteer
- M&A Advisor, 19th Annual Turnaround Awards, Distressed M&A Deal of the Year ($25MM to $50MM)
- M&A Advisor, 18th Annual Turnaround Awards, Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year (Under $100MM)
- M&A Advisor, 23rd Annual M&A Advisor Awards, Energy Deal of the Year (under $75MM)
- Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, 2023-2026
- Missouri Lawyers Media, Up & Coming Award, 2024
- Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Bankruptcy: Business, 2023-2024
- American Bankruptcy Institute, Medal of Excellence
- Ross T. Roberts Trial Academy, Graduate, Kansas City, Missouri
- National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges Conference NextGen Program, Committee Member, 2022-2025
- Commercial Receiver’s Association, Banking Outreach Committee Member, 2024-2025
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- “What to Include in a Receiver’s Report to Court,” Commercial Receivers Association Conference, August 2024
- “Interest Rate Pressure and Risk Of Defaults Dictates Review Of Collateral And Loan Documents,” The Show-Me Banker, February 2024
- “Notice Jeopardy,” Topeka Area Bankruptcy Council CLE, July 2016
- “Eat and Greet Educational Program,” U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri CLE, April 2016
- “The Intersection of Foreclosure and Bankruptcy,” Missouri Creditors Bar CLE, December 2015
- “Witness Examination Tips and Techniques: Direct and Cross Examination of Fact and Expert Witnesses,” Kansas City Bankruptcy Bar Association CLE, November 2015
- “Motions to Extend the Stay: Coming to a Casino – or a Chapter 13 – Somewhere Near You?” the NACTT Academy for Consumer Education, April 10 and 17, 2016
- “Economic Development Strategy: The Creative Capital Theory,” 14 MAJOR THEMES IN ECON. 1, 2012