Franck D. Chantayan

Franck D. Chantayan has a unique perspective on the concerns facing businesses as a result of spending more than a decade working in various corporate settings, as well as being a business owner. As a Corporate and Bankruptcy lawyer, his combination of transactional and litigation legal experience has enabled him to work with a variety of clients including major manufacturers, creditors, lenders, and landlords in complex bankruptcy and corporate matters throughout a broad range of industries.

As an Of Counsel lawyer with Salazar Law, Franck is a perfect match for the firm’s mold-breaking style. He has a history of successfully delivering creative legal and business solutions based on proven and practical strategies.

Franck has handled a wide variety of business matters for publicly and privately held companies. His corporate practice focuses on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, secured and unsecured financing transactions, and venture capital transactions, as well as contract negotiations and drafting. Among his impressive body of work, he negotiated and structured the sale of more than $30 million in accounts receivables for one of his clients. He has also provided advice on various company litigation matters.

On the bankruptcy side, Franck is highly experienced in handling matters involving creditors’ rights, distressed asset acquisitions, and secured and unsecured financing transactions. Additionally, he represents clients in all manner of evidentiary and non-evidentiary litigation matters in bankruptcy court including preference and fraudulent transfer actions.

Franck also provides counsel to clients in connection with corporate matters and opportunities, including negotiating, drafting, and reviewing various agreements.

Prior to joining Salazar Law, Franck worked in Big Law, having practiced at Greenberg Traurig, Carlton Fields and Broad and Cassel. He has also served as outside general counsel for several of his clients, including a premier wholesaler and distributor of specialty/natural foods, providing advice on issues such as licensing, distribution, sweepstakes, and leasing matters.

Franck is a graduate of St. John’s University School of Law in Jamaica, NY, and was an Associate Managing Editor of the St. John's Journal of Legal Commentary. He received a B.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Georgia in Athens, GA, where he served as President of the Undergraduate Speech Communication Association. He was also one of only three out of thirteen thousand students to be elected as a representative to the University’s Council.

Significant Representations

• Represented secured creditor in several contested matters related to $38 million claim in hotel/condo project bankruptcy case in Palm Beach.
• Negotiated and drafted transactional documents for sale of popular nightclub and restaurants.
• Represented various purchasers in distressed asset acquisitions, including bidder in $20.5 million bid for shopping center, prepared acquisition documents, negotiated purchase terms and assisted with due diligence.
• Arranged dismissal of bankruptcy case of life insurance investment company and restructured $138 million secured debt on behalf of lender.
• Counseled lender with $38 million secured debt in contested bankruptcy case of condominium developer resulting in repayment of debt through plan process.
• Advised secured lender in bankruptcy case of internet company, negotiated post-petition financing and repayment of debt in full.
• Enforced technology licensing rights of foreign aircraft manufacturer / licensor in Chapter 11 bankruptcy of major U.S. aircraft manufacturer / licensee.
• Represented several purchasers in distressed M&A transactions, including leading menswear manufacture as purchaser in $88.5 million bankruptcy sale of pants manufacturer; managed due diligence, advised board of directors, and prepared transaction documents.

Areas of Concentration

• Corporate Law
• Negotiating / Drafting Contracts and Leases
• Purchase and Sale Agreements
• Bankruptcy Law
• Restructuring
• Litigation Management

Professional and Community Involvement

• Florida Bar Association
• New York Bar Association
• Southern District of Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association
• Palm Beach County Bar Association

Articles, Publications & Lectures

• Choice of Law Under Revised Article 5 of the Uniform Commercial Code - § 5-116, 14 JOHN’S J. LEGAL COMMENT. 199 (1999).
• An Examination of American and German Corporate Law Norms, 16 ST. JOHN’S J. LEGAL COMMENT. 431 (2002).

Education

• J.D., St. John’s University School of Law, 2000
• B.A., University of Georgia, 1988

Admitted to Practice

• Florida
• New York

Languages

• Armenian
• French
• Spanish (conversational)