Going through the bankruptcy process is never easy, and having an empathetic and patient advisor can make all the difference. I build trust with my clients quickly, because I take the time to walk them through every aspect of our strategy to resolve the case and help them understand why each step is essential to achieving the best possible outcome.
Amber Carson guides debtors, creditors, official committees and other parties through every phase of commercial bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters before courts in Texas and across the country. She has helped clients achieve positive outcomes in difficult cases spanning many industries, from oil and gas, healthcare and retail to restaurants, construction and manufacturing. Amber also handles bankruptcy-related litigation involving a number of complex issues, including fraudulent transfers, preference actions, contract disputes and many more.
Amber has built a large network of connections through her leadership roles in several industry and community organizations, including the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Bankruptcy Law Section for the State Bar of Texas, and the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation. She is committed to multiple organizations’ diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on a local, state, and national level, and serves on Gray Reed’s DEI Committee.
Before joining Gray Reed, Amber served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Harlin D. Hale, Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas. She gained valuable experience while analyzing challenging legal issues and viewing hundreds of hearings in bankruptcy cases and adversary proceedings.
Representative Experience
- Tehum Care Services, Inc. d/b/a Corizon Health (prison healthcare provider): Counsel to the Debtor
- BUCA Texas Restaurants, L.P., et al. (owner, operator, and franchisor of Buca di Beppo restaurants across the US and the Philippines): Counsel to the Debtors
- Eye Care Leaders Portfolio Holdings, LLC, et al. (provider of software for ophthalmologist and optometry practices across the US): Counsel to the Debtors
- Fresh Acquisitions, LLC, et al. (operator of Furr’s Fresh Buffet®, Old Country Buffet®, Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse® and other restaurants with approx. 70 locations across 27 states): Counsel to the Debtors
- CiCi’s Holdings, Inc., et al. (owner, operator, and franchisor of restaurants with approx. 318 locations across 26 states): Counsel to the Debtors
- BJ Services, LLC, et al. (a leading provider of hydraulic fracturing and cementing services to upstream oil and gas companies): Co-Counsel to the Debtors, Counsel to the Wind-Down Trustee
- J.C. Penney Co., Inc., et al. (department store chain with operations in the US and Puerto Rico): Co-Counsel to the Prepetition and DIP Agent
- Southern Foods Group, LLC, et al. (the largest processor and direct-to-store distributor of dairy and dairy case products in the United States): Co-Counsel to the Prepetition and DIP Agent
- Buzzards Bench, LLC, et al. (owner and operator of natural gas wells and processing plant): Counsel to the Debtors
- Blitz Energy Services, LLC (provider of oil and gas midstream construction services): Counsel to the Receiver
- Fenton Motors of Dallas, et al. (automobile dealership owner): Counsel to the Receiver
- PHI Inc., et al. (commercial helicopter operator): Co-counsel to the Official Equity Committee
- Rockies Region 2006 Limited Partnership, et al. (owner of oil and gas limited partnerships): Counsel to the Debtors
- Darcy LaPier (individual): Special Counsel to the Trustee
- Lockwood Holdings, Inc., et al. (international supplier of pipe, valves, fittings, and flanges to the oil and gas industry): Counsel to the Debtors
- Preferred Care Inc., et al. (operator of skilled nursing facilities): Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors
- Vasari LLC (Dairy Queen franchisee): Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors
Honors
- Presented the American Inns of Court's Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Professional Service at the Supreme Court of the United States (2024)
- Named to the American Bar Association's "On the Rise - Top 40 Young Lawyers Award" (2023)
- Inaugural recipient of the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Award given by the Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (2023)
- Named a Best Lawyer Under 40 by D Magazine (2020, 2023 – 2024)
- Named a Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters company) as published in Texas Monthly and Texas Super Lawyers magazines (2019 – 2024)
- Up-and-Coming 100: Texas Rising Stars Top List (2023 – 2024)
- Up-and-Coming 50: Women Texas Rising Stars Top List (2023 – 2024)
- Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" in the field of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2021 – 2025)
- Named to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s “40 Under 40” (2022)
- Selected to participate in the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges Next Generation program (2022)
- Recipient of the Romina L. Mulloy-Bossio Achievement Award given by the Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (2021)
- Recipient of a Presidential Citation given by the Dallas Bar Association for her work on the Bankruptcy Project Series (2021)
Organizational Involvement Professional Activities, Memberships & Affiliations
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Board of Directors (2024 – 2027)
- DEI Committee, Education Director (2024 – present)
- Young & New Members Committee, member
- Business Reorganization and Emerging Industries and Technology Committee, member
- State Bar of Texas
- Pro Bono Workgroup, Bankruptcy Law Section Liaison
- Bankruptcy Law Section
- Chair-Elect (2024 – 2025)
- Young Lawyers Committee, Chair (2018 – 2020)
- Director of the SMU Law School Pro Bono Project
- International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation-DFW Chapter, 2026 Chair-Elect
- DFW Association of Young Bankruptcy Lawyers
- American Inns of Court
- National New Lawyers Task Force, Chair (2018 – 2019)
- The Hon. John C. Ford American Inn of Court, Barrister
- Dallas Bar Association Bankruptcy & Commercial Law Section, Member
- Academy of American and International Law, Faculty Member
Community Activities, Memberships & Affiliations
- Red River Region of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Board of Trustees
- Human Rights Initiative of North Texas, Pro Bono Attorney
- LegalLine, Volunteer Attorney
- Texas Legal Answers, Volunteer Attorney
When I Feel Most At Home
- Watercolor painting
- Trying out new types of wine and new restaurants in DFW
- Traveling to new places, both in and outside of the United States
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