Overview
Maris Kandestin focuses her practice on bankruptcy and restructuring matters, with an emphasis on complex debtor-side chapter 11 cases. In addition to representing companies in chapter 11, she represents equity holders, secured lenders and other creditors and parties in interest. Maris also represents foreign representatives in chapter 15 proceedings and advises clients in connection with out-of-court restructurings. She counsels clients from a variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, energy, aviation, pharmaceutical, real estate, software and technology, transportation (including ride share), gaming and retail hospitality, including hotels, restaurants and franchised businesses.
While in law school, Maris was the senior editor for the Penn State Law Review. Following law school, she clerked for the Honorable Gloria M. Burns of the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.
Results
- Represented Prime Trust, a leader in the cryptocurrency space, which held more than $3.8 billion in cryptocurrency and fiat currency at its peak, in connection with its chapter 11 cases
- Assisted an international corporation with more than $1 billion in funded debt in connection with its out-of-court restructuring
- Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in connection with chapter 11 cases involving Voyager Digital Holdings, Inc.
- Represented a municipality in connection with a chapter 11 case involving the owner of a new stadium facilities site of an NFL team owned by the debtor’s affiliate
- Represented the largest member of Brazos Electric Power Cooperative in connection with Brazos’s chapter 11 case, which was filed in the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri
- Represented and provided advice to a global leader in the fast casual franchised restaurant industry in connection with the chapter 11 cases of its former largest domestic franchisee
- Represented a statutory lienholder in connection with the chapter 11 cases of a large oil and gas operator
- Represented a pharmaceutical company—the first company to file for chapter 11 based in part on the proliferation of COVID-19—in connection with its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented a film studio in litigation with respect to the assets it purchased in the chapter 11 case of another film studio*
- Represented the debtor-in-possession (DIP) lender and plan sponsor in the chapter 11 cases of an international ride hailing business*
- Represented the owner and operator of natural gas- and coal-fired power generation stations in its chapter 11 case*
- Represented a large national provider of private ambulance services in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented the parent and DIP lender of an underground utility and damage prevention services company in its chapter 11 case*
- Represented a food manufacturer and distributor in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented an international energy construction conglomerate in a multijurisdictional combined reorganization and liquidation in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented a nutraceutical company in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented an international conglomerate of companies providing gathering, transportation, storage, distribution, marketing and other midstream services to independent producers and refiners of petroleum and nonpetrochemical refined products in their chapter 11 and chapter 15 cases*
- Represented a leading educational supply company in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented the owner of an 830 megawatt, natural gas-fired cogeneration plant in its chapter 11 case*
- Represented a medical transcription company in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented a mining and exploration company in its chapter 15 case*
- Represented a tubing and pipe manufacturer in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented the owner and operator of horse racetracks in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented a manufacturer of highly engineered metal components and subassemblies in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented a Chinese solar cell manufacturer in its chapter 15 case*
- Represented an operator of hotels in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented several different international retail chains in their respective chapter 11 cases*
- Represented a Mexican steel producer in connection with its chapter 15 case*
- Represented a large land developer in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented a manufacturer of semiconductor memory products in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented the owner and operator of a 50-acre destination theme park in its chapter 11 cases*
- Represented an auto parts manufacturer in its chapter 11 case*
- Represented a religious organization in connection with its chapter 11 case*
- Represented a cargo airline in connection with its chapter 11 cases*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott.
Recognitions
- Lawdragon 500 Leading US Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers, 2020 and 2022
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Woman of the Year, 2013
Community
- American Bar Association, member
- American Bankruptcy Institute, member
- Turnaround Management Association, member
- International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation, Delaware Chapter
- Membership Chair, 2019 to 2020
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Chapter, member, 2013 to 2022
- Chair of the Leukemia Ball, 2021
- Chair of the Board of Trustees, 2017 to 2021
- Man & Woman of the Year Campaign, leadership chair, 2014 to 2017
- Woman of the Year, 2013
Credentials
Education
The Dickinson School of Law at The Pennsylvania State University, JD, 2004
Harvard University, MA, 2001
Villanova University, BA, cum laude, 1998
Courts/Agencies
US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
US District Court for the District of Delaware
US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
US District Court for the District of New Jersey
Admissions
Delaware
New York
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Languages
English
French
German
Russian
