Bellavia Gentile and Associates announces the assembly of a Factory Bankruptcy Practice Group to represent dealers upon a bankruptcy filing - in New York - by Chrysler and/or General Motors. It is anticipated that the manufacturers will file in the Southern District of New York, which is in Manhattan, where we maintain offices.
Bellavia Gentile & Associates is one of the largest automobile dealership law firms in the country and maintains offices in Manhattan (Southern District of New York) where any bankruptcy is likely to be filed. The undersigned serves as Chairperson of the Litigation Section of the National Association of Dealer Counsel and as Chairperson of the Automotive Franchise Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.It is imperative that dealers be represented during any bankruptcy filing.
We strongly advise all dealers to retain individual counsel in the event their franchisor files for bankruptcy protection.
Every dealer’s position will be unique, and only dedicated counsel will be able to represent their particular concerns. A dealer’s retained counsel will be able to:
- File a Notice of Claim in Bankruptcy and provide defense if any claims are rejected;
- Represent dealers regarding their specific franchise agreements, contracts and manufacturer relationships, particularly if a claim for “rejection damages” requires the creation of a damages model;
- Provide guidance and support in negotiating any amounts owed or due;
- Appear in Bankruptcy Court in New York City to assert individual dealer claims.
Our Factory Bankruptcy Practice Group is an alliance of attorneys from this law firm and other New York firms specifically chosen for their experience with automotive franchise law, bankruptcy law and litigation. All three areas of specialization are key to the proper representation of dealers in the event of a bankruptcy filing. Group or collective representation is useful but does not address a dealer’s individual rights.
We are happy to discuss our credentials and to provide references from various clients and State and Local Dealer Associations. Please call our main office at (516) 873-3000 or contact us for more information.
