Melina N.Bales

Melina Bales focuses her practice on complex business restructurings and reorganizations, including voluntary and involuntary complex chapter 11 proceedings, bankruptcy litigation, and out-of-court workouts. She also devotes a portion of her practice to secured creditor rights under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code. She has represented debtors, secured creditors, and creditor committees in chapter 11 proceedings in a range of industries, including collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), retail, health care, manufacturing, and automotive.

Prior to joining Jones Day, Melina worked with the team that represented Highland Capital Management and its related affiliates in the involuntary bankruptcy proceedings of its former portfolio affiliates, Acis Capital Management and Acis Capital GP. She also worked with the team that represented one of the nation's largest chains of nursing home facilities, Preferred Care and its 32 debtor affiliates, in their chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. In addition, she worked on the team that represented a secured lender client in evaluating its rights under Article 9, which resulted in running several commercial foreclosure transactions under New York law. Furthermore, she served as the managing associate on the litigation team that successfully represented XRI Investment Holdings in a multijurisdictional dispute ultimately litigated before the Delaware Court of Chancery and on the litigation team that represents ASICS America in a multimillion-dollar contractual dispute. Through her litigation experience, Melina is uniquely positioned to represent clients seeking permanent resolution of mass tort litigation.

Melina maintains an active pro bono practice that includes representing clients seeking asylum, and she is currently involved in the Firm's Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives.