Peña Selected as Co-Chair of Meritas Financial Services and Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy Sections
Posted on January 2nd, 2013
January 2, 2013
Norris McLaughlin, P.A.
721 Route 202-206
P.O. Box 5933
Bridgewater, NJ 08807-5933
Contact: Edward C. Miller, Jr.
Chief Marketing Officer
(908) 722-0700 x4224
ecmillerjr@nmmlaw.com
Peña Selected as Co-Chair of Meritas Financial Services and Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy Sections
Bridgewater, NJ (January 2, 2013) – Melissa A. Peña, a Partner with Norris McLaughlin, P.A., has been selected to serve as Co-Chair of the Meritas’ Financial Services and Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy Sections.
“Meritas is fortunate to have someone as capable as Melissa to head their sections,” said Joel Jacobson, a colleague of Melissa’s and the immediate past chair of the sections. “I am confident that Melissa will be successful in advancing the role of the section and bringing enhanced value to Meritas.”
Meritas is an established global alliance of more than 170 independent, full-service law firms, worldwide, in over 60 countries. Firms become members through invitation and maintain membership by meeting standards of uniquely comprehensive Quality Assurance Program, ensuring that clients receive the same high quality legal work and service from every Meritas firm.
Peña concentrates her practice in the areas of bankruptcy, commercial litigation and mortgage foreclosures. Her practice covers all aspects of litigation and insolvency matters in both state and federal courts. She frequently represents secured lenders, creditors’ committees, debtors, trustees, landlords and other creditors in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings pending in New Jersey, New York, and Delaware. She also has extensive experience litigating cases involving UCC matters, actions to enforce promissory notes and guarantees, inter-creditor agreements, lien priority disputes, equipment leases, fradulent conveyance actions, preferences and various creditor enforcement matters.
Peña regularly represents lenders in commercial mortgage foreclosure proceedings. She handles all aspects of the litigation, including defending against counterclaims, negotiating forbearance agreements when appropriate, and representing the lender in any subsequent bankruptcy proceeding by litigating stay relief motions and representing the lender’s interest in the plan confirmation process.
Peña earned her J.D., cum laude, from The American University Washington College of Law in 2003 and her B.A., magna cum laude, in Political Science, from George Washington University in 2000. While in law school, Peña was the Recent Development Editor for the Administrative Law Review and a member of the Law and Government Society and participated in the Washington College of Law Civil Practice Clinic. She was an intern for Searles Solicitors in London, England during the summer of 2001.