Robert P. Charbonneau
Founding Partner
Brief info
Robert Paul Charbonneau is a founding member of the Firm. He concentrates his practice in troubled loan workouts, business restructuring and dispute resolution and insolvency matters. Bob has particularly broad experience representing statutory committees, including creditors’ committees, and funds purchasing distressed debt.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- Representation of BioNitrogen Holdings Corp. in a Chapter 11 protection matter
- Representation of an ad hoc committee of construction lien claimants in the Fontainebleau Las Vegas bankruptcy case. Successfully argued for priming liens in excess of $300 million over the priority of nearly $1 billion in existing bank debt before the Nevada Supreme Court and the two federal courts in Florida
- Representation of the creditors committee in Hear USA, a publicly traded hearing aid manufacturer and retailer
- Served as counsel to the statutory committee of Deposit Holders in the Levitt Homes bankruptcy case
- Lead Debtor’s counsel in the Pan American Hospital case, then the largest independent not for profit hospital in South Florida
- Lead Committee Counsel in both the Suncruz Casinos and ITG Vegas cases involving fleets of gambling vessels
- On-going representations across the country of a hedge fund in the enforcement of their debt instruments in various Chapter 11 proceedings
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
- Best Lawyers in America ® – Recognized in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency/Reorganization Law – (2010-2024)
- Best Lawyers in America ® – Recognized in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Litigation (2011-2024)
- Best Lawyers In America© – Listed in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency (2016-2023)
- Chambers & Partners USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers, Bankruptcy/Restructuring (2005-Present)
- Florida’s Super Lawyers – Bankruptcy: Business, Creditor Debtor Rights
- Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite
- South Florida Legal Guide, recognized as Top Lawyer
PUBLICATIONS
- The Case For Committee Surcharge Actions, 32-JUN American Bankruptcy Institute Journal 28 June, 2013
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Panelist, American Bankruptcy Institute 38th Annual Alexander Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar, 2014
- Panelist, Miami-Dade County Bench & Bar Conference, 2014
- Panelist, Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors conference, 2009
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
- Chair, Legislative Committee, Commercial Law League of America (CCLA), 2022
- Secretary, Bankruptcy Section Executive Council, Commercial Law League of America
- Chair, Florida Bar Business Law Section’s Bankruptcy & UCC Committee, 2013
- President, Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida, 2004-2005
- Chair, Broward County Bar Association, Commercial Law Section
- Co-chair Florida Bar Business Law Section’s Bankruptcy Judicial Liaison Committee
- Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
- Member, Commercial Law League of America
- Member, Dade County Bar Association
- Member, Cuban American Bar Association
- Member, International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation
EDUCATION
- J.D., Boston College Law School
- B.A., University of Florida
REPORTED DECISIONS & NOTABLE CASES
- In re Kapila, WL 8137152 (11th Cir. 2019)
- Strahlberg v. Covino, 283 So.3d 376 (Fla. 3d DCA 2019)
- In re PCH Communications, LLC, WL 3638196 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2017)
- In re Willis, 424 Fed. Appx. 880 (11th Cir. 2011)
- In re First Foliage, L.C., WL 2616618, (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2014)
- In re Fontainebleau Las Vegas Holdings, 289 P.3d 1199 (Nev. 2012)
- In re W.B. Care Center, LLC, 497 B.R. 604 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2013)
- In re Fontainebleau Las Vegas Holdings, 267 P.3d 786 (Nev. 2011)
- In re Willis, 424 F. App’x 880 (11th Cir. 2011)
- In re Fontainebleau Las Vegas Holdings, LLC, 434 B.R. 716 (S.D. Fla. 2010)
- In re Brandon Overseas, Inc., Adv. 09-01971-RBR, 2010 WL 2812944, (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2010)
- In re W.B. Care Center, LLC, 419 B.R. 62 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2009)
- In re Levitt & Sons, LLC, 384 B.R. 630 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2008)
- In re Pan Am. Hosp. Corp., 364 B.R. 839 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2007)
- In re Pan Am. Hosp. Corp., 364 B.R. 832 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2007)
- In re Pan Am. Hosp. Corp., 373 B.R. 773 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2007)
- In re Pan Am. Hosp. Corp., No. 04-11820-BKC-AJC, 2005 WL 2445907, (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2005)
- In re Pan Am. Hosp. Corp., 312 B.R. 706 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2004)
- In re Saunders, WL 23239155, (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2003)
- In re Intelligent Medical Imaging, Inc., 262 B.R. 142 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2001)
- Henry Lee Co. v. Tolz, 157 F.3d 1290 (11th Cir. 1998)
- In re Johnston Irrigation, Inc., 195 B.R. 508 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 1996)
- In re Shore, 193 B.R. 598 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 1996)
- In re Dale, 199 B.R. 1014 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 1995)
ADMITTED TO
- Florida Bar
- Tennessee Bar – application pending
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
- Supreme Court of the United States of America
PRIOR AFFILIATIONS
- Partner, Ehrenstein Charbonneau Calderin
- Partner, Kluger Peretz Kaplan & Berlin