Peter J.Roberts
Partner
Corporate
pjroberts@seyfarth.com
Pete provides strategic and comprehensive legal solutions for clients facing commercial insolvency issues, guiding them through bankruptcies, workouts, distressed asset sales, and related litigation.
More About Peter
Pete represents clients in all matters of commercial insolvency, including bankruptcies, workouts, receiverships, assignments for the benefit of creditors, UCC Article 9 sales, and related litigation. He develops workout strategies for debtors and creditors, formulates and executes plans of reorganization, navigates asset sales in distressed situations, and litigates cases in state and federal courts. He has extensive trial and appellate experience, including several appeals before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Throughout his career, Pete has worked with debtors, creditors’ committees, trustees, equity receivers, assignees for the benefit of creditors, prospective buyers of distressed assets, financial institutions, equipment lessors, landlords, and trade creditors. His clients come from a range of industries, including construction, health care, lending, manufacturing, real estate, retailing, wholesaling, collectibles, jewelry, furniture, trucking, and biotechnology.
Additionally, Pete has been recognized by Chambers and Partners USA (2022-2024), Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) (2005-2022), and Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) (2012-2025). He has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubble and has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company (2018).
Throughout his career, Pete has worked with debtors, creditors’ committees, trustees, equity receivers, assignees for the benefit of creditors, prospective buyers of distressed assets, financial institutions, equipment lessors, landlords, and trade creditors. His clients come from a range of industries, including construction, health care, lending, manufacturing, real estate, retailing, wholesaling, collectibles, jewelry, furniture, trucking, and biotechnology.
Additionally, Pete has been recognized by Chambers and Partners USA (2022-2024), Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) (2005-2022), and Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) (2012-2025). He has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubble and has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company (2018).
- JD, Duke University School of Law
- AB, Boston College
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- US Tax Court
- US District Court, District of Colorado
- US District Court, Central District of Illinois
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- US District Court, District of Massachusetts
- US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- US District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- US District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Related Services
- Secured affirmance of a large factoring company’s successful challenge to the payment of critical vendors in the bankruptcy of a major department store chain.
- Defended a publicly traded biotechnology company in an arbitration that resulted in a denial of claims totaling $20 million for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and deceptive business practices.
- Represented a national shoe retailer with over 100 locations, in its Chapter 11 case and related disputes with landlords and attorneys general over subsequent store closing sales.
- Represented a publicly traded jewelry retailer in an out-of-court workout of trade debt exceeding $40 million.
- Represented a national clothing retailer in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the going concern auction sale of its assets.
- Represented a publicly traded Chicago-based railroad parts manufacturer in the Chapter 11 auction sale of its assets and the subsequent wind down of its affairs.
- Represented an automotive supplier in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.
- Represented several unsecured creditors, including the City of Boston, in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of a major airline company.
- Represented the Chapter 7 trustee of a large Chicago homebuilder corporation.
- Represented an extended service contract administrator in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- Represented an investment firm in a bankruptcy case involving approximately $1.2 billion in claims.
- Represented several car dealers in the bankruptcy case of a vehicle service contract provider.
- Represented the assignee for the benefit of creditors of a large rotational molding company.
- Represented one of the revolving lenders collectively defending claims in excess of $750 million in a bankruptcy case.
- Represented the fee examiner appointed in the Chapter 9 bankruptcy case of the City of Detroit.
- Represented the Chapter 7 trustee of a futures and equity securities trader.
- Represented a fast-food restaurant company in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of a movie rental and retail company, and a real estate investment trust.
- Represented the equity holders of an Indiana racino in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case and related contested proceedings.
- Served as conflict counsel to subsidiaries of a major toy retailer in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.
- Successfully defended a hedge fund against attempted cash collateral use in the bankruptcy case of a Chicago-based lending platform.
- Successfully defended a national bank against a fraudulent transfer suit prosecuted by an insurance company.
- Represented the federal equity receiver of a company that manages railroad holdings, and two railroad companies.
- Ranked in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) (2012-2025)
- Recognized by Chambers USA (2022-2024)
- Recognized by Super Lawyers(Thomson Reuters) (2005-2022)
- AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review
- Listed in Illinois Leading Lawyers (Law Bulletin Media)
- American Bar Association
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Seventh Circuit Bar Association, Chair of Bankruptcy Law Committee
- The Lawyers Club of Chicago
- Turnaround Management Association
Pete provides strategic and comprehensive legal solutions for clients facing commercial insolvency issues, guiding them through bankruptcies, workouts, distressed asset sales, and related litigation.
More About Peter
Pete represents clients in all matters of commercial insolvency, including bankruptcies, workouts, receiverships, assignments for the benefit of creditors, UCC Article 9 sales, and related litigation. He develops workout strategies for debtors and creditors, formulates and executes plans of reorganization, navigates asset sales in distressed situations, and litigates cases in state and federal courts. He has extensive trial and appellate experience, including several appeals before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Throughout his career, Pete has worked with debtors, creditors’ committees, trustees, equity receivers, assignees for the benefit of creditors, prospective buyers of distressed assets, financial institutions, equipment lessors, landlords, and trade creditors. His clients come from a range of industries, including construction, health care, lending, manufacturing, real estate, retailing, wholesaling, collectibles, jewelry, furniture, trucking, and biotechnology.
Additionally, Pete has been recognized by Chambers and Partners USA (2022-2024), Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) (2005-2022), and Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) (2012-2025). He has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubble and has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company (2018).
Throughout his career, Pete has worked with debtors, creditors’ committees, trustees, equity receivers, assignees for the benefit of creditors, prospective buyers of distressed assets, financial institutions, equipment lessors, landlords, and trade creditors. His clients come from a range of industries, including construction, health care, lending, manufacturing, real estate, retailing, wholesaling, collectibles, jewelry, furniture, trucking, and biotechnology.
Additionally, Pete has been recognized by Chambers and Partners USA (2022-2024), Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) (2005-2022), and Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) (2012-2025). He has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubble and has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company (2018).
- JD, Duke University School of Law
- AB, Boston College
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- US Tax Court
- US District Court, District of Colorado
- US District Court, Central District of Illinois
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- US District Court, District of Massachusetts
- US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- US District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- US District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Related Services
- Secured affirmance of a large factoring company’s successful challenge to the payment of critical vendors in the bankruptcy of a major department store chain.
- Defended a publicly traded biotechnology company in an arbitration that resulted in a denial of claims totaling $20 million for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and deceptive business practices.
- Represented a national shoe retailer with over 100 locations, in its Chapter 11 case and related disputes with landlords and attorneys general over subsequent store closing sales.
- Represented a publicly traded jewelry retailer in an out-of-court workout of trade debt exceeding $40 million.
- Represented a national clothing retailer in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the going concern auction sale of its assets.
- Represented a publicly traded Chicago-based railroad parts manufacturer in the Chapter 11 auction sale of its assets and the subsequent wind down of its affairs.
- Represented an automotive supplier in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.
- Represented several unsecured creditors, including the City of Boston, in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case of a major airline company.
- Represented the Chapter 7 trustee of a large Chicago homebuilder corporation.
- Represented an extended service contract administrator in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- Represented an investment firm in a bankruptcy case involving approximately $1.2 billion in claims.
- Represented several car dealers in the bankruptcy case of a vehicle service contract provider.
- Represented the assignee for the benefit of creditors of a large rotational molding company.
- Represented one of the revolving lenders collectively defending claims in excess of $750 million in a bankruptcy case.
- Represented the fee examiner appointed in the Chapter 9 bankruptcy case of the City of Detroit.
- Represented the Chapter 7 trustee of a futures and equity securities trader.
- Represented a fast-food restaurant company in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of a movie rental and retail company, and a real estate investment trust.
- Represented the equity holders of an Indiana racino in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case and related contested proceedings.
- Served as conflict counsel to subsidiaries of a major toy retailer in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.
- Successfully defended a hedge fund against attempted cash collateral use in the bankruptcy case of a Chicago-based lending platform.
- Successfully defended a national bank against a fraudulent transfer suit prosecuted by an insurance company.
- Represented the federal equity receiver of a company that manages railroad holdings, and two railroad companies.
- Ranked in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) (2012-2025)
- Recognized by Chambers USA (2022-2024)
- Recognized by Super Lawyers(Thomson Reuters) (2005-2022)
- AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review
- Listed in Illinois Leading Lawyers (Law Bulletin Media)
- American Bar Association
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Seventh Circuit Bar Association, Chair of Bankruptcy Law Committee
- The Lawyers Club of Chicago
- Turnaround Management Association