Hilary's practice focuses on business bankruptcy and commercial litigation. She represents secured and unsecured creditors in bankruptcy cases and litigates a variety of commercial disputes for clients in state and federal courts.

Prior to joining Riddell Williams, Hilary was a Summer Associate with Riddell Williams. She also served as an extern to Judge Monica J. Benton during Judge Benton's term as a Magistrate Judge at the U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington; as an extern in the Seattle City Attorney's Office, Environmental Protection Section; and as a legal intern for two private practitioners. Prior to attending law school, Hilary worked as a legislative intern at the Seattle City Council and spent a year improving parks in underserved neighborhoods as an AmeriCorps volunteer. Additionally, Hilary served for three years as Communications Director at the Seattle Parks Foundation, a private nonprofit organization.

Representative Experience:

Secured Creditors Representation:

• Representation of secured creditor in multiple chapter 11 cases resulting in confirmation of consensual plans.
• Defense and successful settlement of lender liability claims in state court litigation.
• Representation of secured creditors in connection with section 363 sales of real property in chapter 7 bankruptcy cases.
• Numerous dispositions of personal property collateral pursuant to Article 9 of the UCC.
• Successful non-judicial foreclosure of deed of trust in commercial real property and related “wrongful-foreclosure” litigation in state court.
• Experience with commercial loan work-outs and forbearance agreements.

Unsecured Creditor Representation:

• Representation of large software licensor in connection with nearly 100 bankruptcy cases nationwide, many of which were pending in the Southern District of New York and the District of Delaware, developing significant experience with: claims preparation and filing, claims objections, assumption and rejection of executory contracts, administrative expense motions, section 363 asset sales, and plans of reorganization (pre-packaged, jointly proposed, contested, and competing plans) and the confirmation process.
• Representation of trade creditors, landlords, and judgment creditors in multiple bankruptcy cases.
• Favorable settlement of preference claim demands and suits against trade creditors in various industries.
• Special litigation counsel to a court-appointed receiver in suit to avoid fraudulent transfers and for defunct company’s director/officer’s breach of fiduciary duty.
• Representation of unsecured creditors in state court cases to avoid fraudulent transfers under state Uniform Fraudulent Transfers Act.
• Favorable resolution of lien priority state court litigation between major regional homebuilder and secured construction lender.
• Experienced in garnishments, supplemental proceedings, and other commercial debt-collection measures.

Representation of Other Parties with Respect to Insolvency Issues:

• Representation of buyers or potential buyers of distressed assets from debtors in receivership, bankruptcy, and outside of formal insolvency proceedings.
• Representation of chapter 11 debtor and chapter 11 Plan Administrator in connection with significant claim objection litigation.
• Dissolution/wind-up of multiple debtor businesses outside of bankruptcy.
• Commercial loan work-outs on behalf of debtors.

Various Commercial Litigation Experience:

• Aggressive litigation of personal injury, construction, and various business disputes, and favorable resolution of same through informal negotiation and mediation.