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Mark I. Duedall

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Mark I. Duedall concentrates his practice in bankruptcy and insolvency issues, with a particular emphasis on advising clients with consumer and household products, retail, food and beverage, mass tort, manufacturing, health care, and energy matters.

Professional Biography


Mr. Duedall resides in Baker Donelson's Atlanta office and is a member of the Corporate Restructuring and Bankruptcy Group. With nearly 30 years of representing acquirers, debtors, secured and mezzanine lenders, creditors' committees, receivers, independent directors, and other financial advisors, Mr. Duedall's clients rely on his extensive experience and knowledge in all bankruptcy and insolvency engagements and litigation matters.

Mr. Duedall currently serves as outside counsel to several food-related and consumer product businesses, including branded producers, contract manufacturers, and food distributors. His nationwide food and beverage practice includes more than 50 workouts, complex financings, acquisitions, and restructurings. Mr. Duedell has a deep understanding of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), and his writings in this complex area have been cited extensively. During his legal career, he has been involved in numerous PACA cases representing debtors, lenders, and suppliers.

Additionally, Mr. Duedall has experience handling corporate matters, such as acquisitions, dispositions, recapitalizations, and financial transactions. At his former Am Law 100 firm, Mr. Duedall was part of a team that won the "Special Situations M&A Deal of the Year" at the 2021 Turnaround Atlas Awards. He co-led an expedited 40-day Section 363 sale process in the client's Chapter 11 cases, which required 72-hour negotiation of debtor in possession financing and creation of solutions to address first-in-time issues.

  • Represented the largest unsecured creditor in a contested confirmation fight in the Southern District of New York, defeating plan confirmation after expedited discovery and trial.

  • Represented senior secured lenders in multiple distressed engagements resulting in payment in full after expedited sales processes.

  • Managed the distressed sale of a $300 million community bank headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida.

  • Represented an international textile manufacturer in its successful bankruptcy restructuring of more than $250 million in debt.

  • Led the complete recapitalization and out-of-court restructuring of a major fragrance/cosmetics manufacturer with debts in excess of $225 million.

  • Led multiple bankruptcy sales of individual brands of a publicly traded beauty and bath products manufacturer with sales in excess of $200 million.

  • Negotiated and structured the bankruptcy sale of a publicly traded plastics manufacturer for total consideration in excess of $140 million.

  • Managed the out-of-court restructuring of a major recreational boat manufacturer with debts in excess of $125 million.

  • Supervised the divestiture of six foreign and domestic subsidiaries by a distressed cosmetics and consumer products manufacturer for total consideration in excess of $120 million.

  • Represented the largest shareholder in a buyout and recapitalization for a major food distributor.

  • Led the acquisition of eight distressed apartment complexes for a publicly traded REIT.

  • Represented the official creditors' committee in the successful reorganization of a Tier 1 auto supplier.

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2016 – 2025)
  • Listed in Chambers USA as a leading Bankruptcy/Restructuring lawyer in Georgia (2006, 2010 – 2024)
  • Selected to Georgia Super Lawyers (2013 – 2019, 2023 – 2024)
  • Selected to Georgia Rising Stars (2005, 2010 – 2011)
  • Selected to Georgia Trend Magazine's "Georgia's Legal Elite" (2011 – 2012, 2017)
  • Member – American Bar Association (2000 – present)
    • Chair, Bankruptcy and Workouts Subcommittee (Tax Committee, Business Law Section) (2006 – present)
  • Member – Bench and Bar Committee of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia (2013 – 2015)
  • Member – American Bankruptcy Institute (2001 – present)
    • Executive Board, Investment Banking Subcommittee (2010 – 2012)
  • Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal Advisory Board (2003 – present)
  • "The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act: Suggestions for a Grade a Loan," Secured Lending CLE, Business Law Section, State Bar of Georgia (February 2024)
  • "Chapter 11 First-Day Motions: Continuing Ordinary Operations, Securing Financing, Paying Essential Creditors, and More," Strafford CLE webinar (May 2023)
  • Moderator – "Consumer Panel," 16thth Annual Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal Symposium (February 2019)

Education

  • Emory University School of Law, J.D., 1994, with distinction
  • Florida State University, B.S., 1991, magna cum laude

Admissions

  • Georgia, 1999
  • Delaware, 1995
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth District

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