Jason S. Brookner
Partner, Bankruptcy Practice Group Leader

I can’t help but become fully invested in our clients from day one, both professionally and emotionally, because there is a lot on the line.  If a problem is keeping a client awake at night, it is keeping me awake at night, too. Dedication to achieving the best possible resolution for our clients is the hallmark of my practice and philosophy.

Serving as Gray Reed's Bankruptcy Practice Group Leader, Jason Brookner focuses his practice on advising debtors, buyers, creditors, trustees, committees, lenders and other constituents in all aspects of distressed, insolvency and restructuring scenarios. Known for his practical and diligent approach to solving challenging problems, he has obtained successful outcomes in complex cases in many industries, ranging from oil and gas, manufacturing, distribution and healthcare to poultry and meat processing, metals trading and restaurants (including fast casual and quick-service).

Selected by peers and clients in Chambers & Partners USA as one of the leading bankruptcy/restructuring lawyers in Texas every year since 2005, Jason has built a strong reputation for being fair but firm with opponents, developing creative solutions to his clients’ problems and providing compassionate representation. Jason was also recently recognized for his important role in the Life Partners Holdings, Inc. case, which was named the 2017 "Turnaround of the Year" in the large company category by the Turnaround Management Association.

Representative Experience

Energy & Related Sectors

  • Cleveland Integrity Services, Counsel to the Debtors 
  • BJ Services, Co-Counsel to the Debtors
  • Whiting Petroleum, Co-Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors
  • Sanchez Energy Corp., Counsel to significant midstream provider
  • Gavilan Resources, Counsel to significant midstream provider
  • Ultra Petroleum Corp, Co-counsel to the Ad Hoc Equity Committee
  • Exco Resources, Co-counsel to LSP Investment Advisors, third largest secured creditor
  • Lockwood International, Counsel to the Debtors
  • Sherwin Almunia, Counsel to one of the largest unsecured creditors and member of the Creditors’ Committee
  • Mirant Corporation, Counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors
  • Buzzards Bench, Counsel to the Debtors

Retail

  • Neiman Marcus, Co-Counsel to the Prepetition ABL Agent
  • JC Penney, Co-Counsel to the Prepetition and DIP Agent
  • Tuesday Morning, Counsel to equity holder and plan funder

Restaurant/Food

  • Fresh Acquisitions, LLC (Furr’s Fresh Buffet®, Old Country Buffet®, Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse® and others), Counsel to Debtors
  • CiCi’s Holdings, Inc., Counsel to Debtors
  • Southern Foods Group (aka Dean Foods), Co-Counsel to the Prepetition and DIP Agent
  • Reddy Ice Holdings, Co-counsel to Centerbridge Partners, L.P
  • Romacorp, Inc. (Tony Roma’s), Counsel to Debtors
  • Vasari LLC (Dairy Queen franchisee), Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors
  • Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, Counsel to Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors

Media/Communications

  • Marshall Broadcasting Group, Co-Counsel to the Debtors
  • NextWave Personal Communications, Inc., Counsel to Debtors
  • Fibertower Network Services, Counsel to the Debtors

Transportation

  • PHI, Inc., Co-counsel to the Official Equity Committee
  • Fenton Motors of Dallas, et al. (automobile dealerships), Counsel to the Receiver
  • Baytown Navigation/Omega Navigation Enterprises, Co-counsel to Agent Bank under Senior Secured Credit Facility

Healthcare & Related Sectors

Technology & Digital Currency

  • Core Scientific, Special Counsel to the Offical Committee of Unsecured Creditors 
  • Compute North, Counsel to various creditors 
Thought Leadership / News
December 7, 2023 
 Speeches and Presentations
A.I. in the Bankruptcy Practice and the Ethics Involved

2023 Consumer and Business Bankruptcy Institute - State Bar of Georgia

November 16, 2023 
 Speeches and Presentations
A.I. in the Bankruptcy Practice and the Ethics Involved

42nd Annual Jay L. Westbrook Bankruptcy Conference

October 16, 2023 
 Thought Leadership

Thomson Reuters Practical Law

Honors
  • Recognized at The Turnaround Management Association's Turnaround and Transaction of the Year Awards for his role in the Life Partners Holdings, Inc. case, which was named the "Turnaround of the Year" in the large company category (2017)
  • Named in Lawdragon's 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers (2020, 2022 - 2023)
  • ​Selected by his peers for inclusion in Woodward/White, Inc.'s The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2013 - 2024) and Bankruptcy Litigation (2013 - 2024)
  • Recognized as a leading bankruptcy/restructuring lawyer in Texas by Chambers & Partners USA (2005 - 2023) 
  • Selected as a Best Lawyer in Dallas by D Magazine (2009, 2017 - 2022)
  • Named a "Super Lawyer" by Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters business) as published in Texas Monthly (2004, 2008 - 2023)
  • Profiled as one of “Texas’ Top Rated Lawyers” by ALM in Bankruptcy (2012)
  • Honored as one of Dallas Furniture Bank's "40 Under 40" for leadership and civic efforts (August 10, 2010)
Organizational Involvement
  • Dallas Bar Association
    • Past Chair, Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section (2007)
  • American Bankruptcy Institute
    • Board of Directors (April 2017 - present)
    • Texas & SW Regional Co-Chair, ABI Endowment (2016 - present)
    • Planning Advisory Board, ABI Southwest Conference (2016 - present)
    • Co-Chair, Technology & IP Committee (2013 - 2015)
    • Co-Chair, Commercial Fraud Committee (2010 - 2012)
    • Education Director, Commercial Fraud Committee (2008 - 2010)
Education
  • J.D., Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, 1994; Hofstra Property Law Journal, Articles Editor
  • B.A., The State University of New York at Binghamton (1991)
Judicial Clerkships
  • Honorable Charles N. Clevert, Jr., Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (1994 - 1996)
Bar Admissions
  • Texas (2001)
  • Wisconsin (1996)
  • New York (1995)
Court Admissions
  • United States District Court, New York
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • United States District Court, Texas
When I Feel Most At Home
  • Playing catcher and outfield in the DFW Adult Baseball Association
  • Cooking – cast iron, smoking and grilling
  • Outdoor adventure, trekking and hiking – Everest Base Camp, Kilimanjaro, Inca Trail, sea kayaking in the Galapagos, deep sea fishing and fishing in Alaska
  • Music – seeing live music, playing guitar and The Grateful Dead