L. Ed Creel

14755 Preston Road
Suite 600
Dallas, Texas 75254
Tel. (972) 788-1600
Cell (214) 808-1389
Fax (972) 239-0138
email redacted

Practice Areas

Business Reorganization / Bankruptcy Law

Education

Mr. Creel earned his B.A in Psychology from George Washington University in 1959, followed by his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University in 1963.

Court Admissions

Mr. Creel is admitted to practice law in the State of Texas and before the Federal Courts of the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas.

Experience

After becoming a partner in a Dallas general practice firm with which Mr. Creel began his practice of law in 1963, Mr. Creel formed, and was the Chairman of, the firm of Creel & Atwood, a boutique insolvency firm, from its formation in 1972 until 1996, when he became "of counsel" to the Dallas firm of Malouf, Lynch, Jackson, Kessler & Collins. In November, 1998, he formed another small firm, Creel, Sussman and Moore, and re-entered the aggressive practice of law. He has practiced law since 1963 and has specialized in insolvency matters since 1965. After serving his apprenticeship as a court-appointed receiver/trustee in numerous business and personal bankruptcy cases, he began, in the mid-1970's, to focus his efforts on representing debtors in negotiated business work-outs, both out-of-court, and where necessary, in court.  His practice today is concentrated upon counseling both troubled and successful businesses in areas primarily dealing with debt restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, business litigation and other business-related activities.

Mr. Creel practices internationally, appearing in courts and conference rooms throughout the United States and elsewhere. He has frequently lectured on insolvency related topics nationally and internationally and has authored bankruptcy and business related contributions to numerous bar, trade and educational publications. He has appeared, from time-to-time as an invited witness, testifying before both House and Senate committees considering insolvency-related legislation. He has also appeared in various Courts as an expert witness in insolvency matters.

Mr. Creel is a co-founder, director, past president, chairman and chairman-emeritus of the American Bankruptcy Institute; a co-founder, director, former president and Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. He has chaired bankruptcy and insolvency committees of the Dallas Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas and the Federal Bar Association. He was listed in Who's Who in American Colleges (1959), and, over the years, in Who's Who in America, in American Law and other similar references, including, for over ten years, and currently, The Best Lawyers in America, and was named as one of Texas Monthly's "Super Lawyers" in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Finally, Mr. Creel has represented debtors and other parties in significant, reported bankruptcy cases involving aggregate debts of $500,000 or less to more than $3,000,000,000.  His particular expertise is negotiating and then crafting creative financing and other business solutions to complex legal and operational problems.

Professional Memberships / Affiliations

• American Bankruptcy Institute: Co-Founder; President 1982-1987; Vice-chairman 1988-1996; Chairman, 1996-1998; Chairman-Emeritus, 1998 - 2001.
• American Bankruptcy Endowment: Director, from inception in 1985 - 2001.
• American College of Bankruptcy: Co-Founder, Director and Fellow (from inception in 1989-Present); President, 1996 - 1997.
• Texas State Bar: 1963- ; Chairman, State Bar Bankruptcy Committee 1979 - 1981, Executive Committee, Bankruptcy Section, from inception in 1985 - 2006.
• Member, Dallas Bar Association: 1963 - 2007; Chairman, Dallas Bar Bankruptcy Section 1972.
• Member, Federal Bar Association: 1974; Chairman, Bankruptcy Section, 1974.
• Member, Colorado State Bar Association, 1989 - 1998.
• Admitted Practitioner, Federal Courts of the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas.
• Invited Witness, U.S. House and Senate Committees re: bankruptcy legislation 1977, 1978, 1982,1983, 1984 and 1989.
• Director, Chairman, John C. Ford Debtor Assistance Program, 1994 - 1998.
• Master, John C. Ford (Bankruptcy) Inn of Court, from inception in 2000 - ; Executive Committee, from inception in 2000 - 2004.
• Director, The Capital Network, 1996 - 2002.
• Director, Metroplex Texas Longhorn Association, 1996 - 1999.
• Director, Good Time Gang Texas Longhorn Affiliate; President, 1998 - 1999.
• Director, International Texas Longhorn Association, 1998 - 2001.
• Director, Texas Longhorn Foundation, from inception in 2001 - 2004.
• Director, The Pines Camp, 1997 - 2000; President, 1999 - 2000.
• Director, M-B Valuation Services, Inc., 1989 - 2003.
• Texas Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.
• Certified Business Bankruptcy Specialist, State Bar of Texas: from inception - 2004.
• Elder, Pathway Community Church, 2005 - 2006.
• Director, The Library at Cedar Creek Lake, 2005-.
• Director, The Library at Cedar Creek Endowment Fund, 2006-.
• Counselor, SCORE, 2006 - 2008.
• First recipient of annual Broken Bench Award, State Bar of Texas Bankruptcy Section, 2006.
• Director, Habitat for Humanity, 2007 - 2008.

Papers and Publications

• "The Role of Price Discrimination in Determining the Passage of Illegal Brokerage," Southwestern Law Journal, 1962.
• "Remedies of a Creditor Who Has Failed to Timely File a Formal Proof of Claim," Referees' Journal, 1965.
• "Memorandum Expressing the Views of The Dallas Bar Association's Section of Bankruptcy and Commercial Law on the Proposed Bankruptcy Code," Congressional Record, 1976.
• "Sequestration," Texas Collections Manual, State Bar of Texas Publication, 1979.
• "The United States Bankruptcy Code: An Overview." State Bar of Texas Practice Manual, 1979.
• "The Trustee's Avoiding Powers Under the Bankruptcy Act and the New Code: A Comparative Analysis," St. Mary's Law Review, 1979; (Co-author).
• "Introduction to the New Bankruptcy Code," State Bar of Texas, 1979, 1980.
• "Representing Creditors Under the Bankruptcy Code," Various Institutional Seminars, 1980.
• "Handling Cases Under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code," State Bar of Texas Professional Development Videotapes, 1980 - 1981.
• "Comments and Suggestions Pertaining to the Recent Marathon Pipe Line Decision," Congressional Record, 1982.
• "Jurisdiction Under the New Bankruptcy Code - Marathon, the 'Emergency Rule' and Congressional Alternatives," Texas Advanced Business Bankruptcy Course, 1983.
• "An Overview of Bankruptcy - Practical Aspects", Honolulu Bar Association, 1984.
• "Representing Debtors in Oil and Gas Workouts," Norton Bankruptcy Law Adviser, 1984.
• "New Developments - Legislative, Administrative and Judicial", State Bar of Texas, Advanced Business Bankruptcy Course, 1985; (Co-author).
• "Representing Debtors in Out-of-Court Work-outs," National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, 1985.
• "New Developments - Legislative, Administrative and Judicial," - State Bar of Texas Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Course, 1985.
• "Divorce Aspects of Consumer Bankruptcy"; State Bar of Texas Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Court, 1986.
• "Chapter 11 and Agricultural Reorganization," Practicing Law Institute Agricultural Workouts Seminar, 1986.
• "Problems in Multi-Affiliated Bankruptcy Cases," State Bar of Texas Advanced Business Bankruptcy Course, 1986.
• "Multi-nation Bankruptcy-Bankruptcy Law of Egypt," American Bar Association International Loan Workouts and Bankruptcies, 1987.
• "New Developments in Bankruptcy," Fall Appraisal Forum, 1987.
• "New Amendments to the Bankruptcy Code, (an Overview) and Pending Legislation," State Bar of Texas Advanced Business Bankruptcy Course, 1987.
• "Tax and Other Bankruptcy Partnership Issues," Northeast Bankruptcy Law Institute, 1987.
• "Making the Best of Bankruptcy," Bank Lending Institute, 1987, 1988.
• "Chapter 11 - Impact on Secured Lending," Fall Appraisers Seminar, 1988.
• "Late Breaking News," State Bar of Texas Advanced Creditors Rights Course," 1988.
• "Liquidation and Bankruptcy," Real Estate Loan Workout Technical Conference, 1988.
• "Ethics Issues in Bankruptcy," Northwest Bankruptcy Institute, 1988.
• "Pre-Bankruptcy Planning," State Bar of Texas Advanced Business Bankruptcy Course, 1988.
• "Current Topics Regarding Ethical Considerations in Bankruptcy," State Bar of Texas Advanced Business Bankruptcy Course, 1989.
• "Reorganization of Real Property Partnerships," Norton Bankruptcy Law Institute, 1989.
• "Drafting Reorganization Plans," Federal Bar Association Bankruptcy Conference (Iowa), 1989.
• "Litigation Against the Resolution Trust Corporation," Practicing Law Institute, 1990.
• "Back to the Basics: A Novel Approach for Determining the Proper Discount Rate in Cramdown" Norton Publications, 1991; (Co-author).
• "The 'Bad Faith' Factor as a Basis for Chapter 7 Dismissal," Dallas Business Bankruptcy Section, 1991; (Co-author).
• "Debtors and the FDIC," State Bar of Texas, Advanced Business Bankruptcy Course, 1991; (Co-author).
• "What Should I Do? Assisting the Financing Distressed Debtor", Seventh Annual Farm, Ranch & Agri-Business Bankruptcy Institute, October, 1991; (Co-author).
• "The Continuing Vitality of the New Value Exception to the Absolute Priority Rule", Law Education Institute, 1993.
• "Chapter 11 Plan Provisions"; Northeast Bankruptcy Conference, 1995.
• "Seven Key Issues for Bankruptcy Commission Consideration - From the Perspective of Business Debtors"; American Bankruptcy Institute, CNN, April, 1995.
• "Are Consensual Workouts Really Shaped by Bankruptcy?"; American Bankruptcy Institute Symposium Series, American Institute of Accountants, January, 1996.
• "Suggested Amendments to Slovakian Bankruptcy Law," The Recovery Group, 1996.
• "Single Asset Debtors Are Real People Too"; American Bankruptcy Institute, December, 1996 (Co-author).
• "Bankruptcy Danger Symptoms and Cures"; John C. Ford Program, Dallas, Texas, April, 1997 (Co-authored with Dr. Ernest W. Walker).
• "Current Case Law"; Association of Insolvency Accountants, Las Colinas, Texas, April, 1997.
• "How to Avoid Bankruptcy Liquidation"; Capital Network, Austin, Texas, July, 1997.
• "A Workout Can Be Good for Business", Texas Lawyer, August 10, 1998.
• "Pleasures and Pitfall in Negotiating an Out-of-Court Workout", Farm, Ranch and Agri-Business Bankruptcy Institute, September 1999.
• "Pre-Bankruptcy Issues and Out of Court Workouts", December 1999, American Bankruptcy Institute, Winter Leadership Conference - LaQuinta, California.
• "Advantages and Disadvantages of Out-of-Court Work-Outs", February, 2001, Fort Worth Bar Association.
• "Memories of ABI's Beginnings - The First Five Years", American Bankruptcy Journal, September, 2005.

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