John Higgins leads the firm’s bankruptcy and restructuring practice. His practice focuses on corporate reorganization, restructuring, acquisitions, and litigation. He has extensive experience representing entities in their Chapter 11 cases and/or out of court restructurings, creditors' committees, Chapter 11 and 7 Trustees, institutional and corporate creditors and directors and officers. His practice also includes general civil litigation in both federal and state courts.
John is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the American and Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is also a Certified Mediator (Attorney-Mediator Institute, January 1996).
Honors & Recognitions
Chambers USA, Leading Lawyer in Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Texas)
Chambers USA, Bankruptcy Firm of the Year (Texas), 2019
Restructuring Deal of the Year - McDermott International, IFLR Americas Awards, 2021
Turnaround of the Year - PetroQuest Energy Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Turnaround Atlas Awards - Global M&A Network, 2019
The Legal 500, Recommended Lawyer in Corporate Restructuring/Bankruptcy
Lawdragon, Leading U.S. Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers
Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy & Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency & Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy
Best Lawyers in America, "Lawyer of the Year," Bankruptcy Law, 2013, 2015 and 2018
Who's Who Legal: Texas, Listed as one of the state's leading lawyers in Insolvency and Restructuring
Texas Super Lawyers, Bankruptcy - Top 100 Lawyers in Houston
Practice Areas
Credentials
Education
J.D., University of Houston Law Center
B.S., Louisiana State University
Admissions
United States District Court Southern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
New York
Texas
Experience
Debtor's Counsel
- MD America Energy, LLC.; SAExploration Holdings, Inc.; Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc.; Epic Companies, LLC; Alta Mesa Resources, Inc.; PetroQuest Energy, Inc.; Geokinetics Inc.; EMAS Chiyoda Subsea, Ltd.; Milagro Exploration, LLC; Stone Energy Corporation; UGHS Senior Living, Inc.; University General Health System, Inc.; Bigler, L.P.; Community Health Computing Corp.; Continental Airlines, Inc. (Continental I); Contour Energy Co.; Doctors Hospital LP; Easy Gardener Products Ltd.; Equalnet Communications Corp.; General Homes Corporation (I and II); Netversant Solutions, LLC; Philip Services Corporation; TransCom USA Management, Inc.; Texas Development Investors, Ltd.; Neighbors Legacy Holdings, Inc.
Secured Creditor, Bondholder and Creditor Representation
- Halcón Resources Corporation; iHeartMedia, Inc.; Jones Energy, Inc.; Cobalt International Energy, Inc.; Energy XXI; GenOn Energy, Inc.; LINN Energy, Inc.; ATP Oil & Gas Corporation; Gastar Exploration Inc.; Seadrill Limited; Ultra Petroleum Corp.; Vanguard Natural Resources, Inc. (I and II); Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations, LLC; Calpine Corporation; Chaparral Energy, Inc.; Dune Energy, Inc.; Enron Corporation; Freedom Pipeline, LLC; HGIM Holdings, LLC; Humble Surgical Hospital, LLC; Lyondell Chemical Company; Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation; Quicksilver Resources Inc.; Reichmann Petroleum Corp.; Samson Resources Corporation; Westmoreland Coal Company; All American Oil & Gas Incorporated; A&B Valve and Piping Systems, LLC; Castex Energy Partners, L.P.; Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc.; LINN Energy, Inc.; Alliance Energy Corporation; Crutcher-Tufts Resources, L.P.; Dunhill Resources, Inc.; Goldking Holdings, LLC; Star Resources, Inc.; TEC Resources LLC
Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors
- Bristow Group Inc.; Montco Offshore, Inc.; ATP Oil & Gas Corporation; Fayetteville-Floyd Gas Company, Inc.; Sabine Oil & Gas Corporation; Tekoil & Gas Corporation
Representation and Defense of Officers and Directors
- Energy XXI; Dune Energy, Inc.; Lyondell Chemical Company
§363 Asset Purchase and Sale
- Alpha Natural Resources; NanoMech, Inc.; Westmoreland Coal Company; Calpine Corporation; Crusader Energy Group Inc.; Dune Energy, Inc.; Encompass Services Corp.; Reichmann Petroleum Corp.; Freedom Pipeline, LLC; Enron Corporation; Transcoastal Marine Service, Inc.; TIC United Corp.; Reliant Building Products, Inc. and numerous other cases
Other Significant Representation
- GSO Capital Partners in Legacy Reserves Inc., et al. and Sanchez Energy Corporation, et al. bankruptcy cases
- Phillips Petroleum Company, Mission Resources, Inc., Torch Energy, Inc., Bridgeline Holdings, L.P., Contour Energy Co., and numerous other entities in the Enron Corp., et al. bankruptcy
- Bridgeline Holdings, L.P in the Entergy New Orleans, et al. bankruptcy cases
- Anadarko Petroleum Corporation; Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore, L.P.; Western Gas Resources, Inc.; and Concho Resources, Inc. in the Chapter 11 cases of SemCrude, L.P. and its affiliates
- CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Energy Transfer Partners, LP in several bankruptcy cases
Newsroom
News
Media Mentions
Publications
Speaking Engagements
Affiliations
American College of Bankruptcy, Fellow
Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
Houston Bar Association, Member
American Bar Association, Member
Federal Bar Association, Member
University of Houston Law Center Alumni Association, Member
Board of Directors, 1999-2001
American Bankruptcy Institute, Member
Commercial Law League of America, Member
Former adjunct professor of bankruptcy law, University of Houston Law Center
Turnaround Management Association (Houston chapter); President (2013)