James O.Johnston (Jim)

Jim Johnston represents debtors, creditors, and shareholders in high-stakes corporate reorganizations, with a focus on litigation-heavy chapter 11 cases and consensual out-of-court workouts across the United States.

Since joining Jones Day in May 2012, Jim has led engagements on behalf of the reorganized Tribune Company; an indenture trustee for a $1 billion bond issue of American Airlines; the Paragon Offshore Litigation Trust; and a major creditor of the City of Stockton, the largest California city to seek protection under chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also has worked on restructuring engagements involving the Affinion Group, Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, CHC Group, the City of Detroit, Delphi Corporation, Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Garrett Motion, iHeart Communications, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, the Republic of Argentina, Pacific Gas & Electric, and reorganized Tropicana Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

Jim is a pioneer in the municipal restructuring field. Prior to joining Jones Day, he was a lead attorney representing Orange County California in its landmark chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy case, and he represented the City of Desert Hot Springs, the first California city to reorganize under chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code. He also has extensive airline experience, having represented indenture trustees and creditors in the chapter 11 cases involving Aeromexico, American, Delta, Northwest, and United Airlines. Other significant representations included matters relating to Adelphia Communications; Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison; Calpine Corporation; Hawaiian TelCom; Kenetech Windpower; the City of Klamath Falls (Oregon); Komag; RBX Corporation; SmarTalk TeleServices; Solidus Networks; SemGroup Energy Partners; SpectraSite Holdings; and Weststar Cinemas.