Christopher J. Azzara is a Shareholder, Member of the Executive Committee and Treasurer at Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky. He is the Chair of the Firm’s Banking, Creditors’ Rights and Insolvency Group and the Co-Chair of the Firm’s Real Estate Group.
Mr. Azzara has the significant honor of being one of five attorneys in Pennsylvania who are board certified as a creditors’ rights specialist by the American Board of Certification. This certification recognizes a very limited number of attorneys who have met or exceeded rigorous certification standards relating to their experience, integrity, and peer review, in addition to demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of banking, bankruptcy, and creditors’ rights law. Mr. Azzara’s certification and experience make him one of the region’s go-to lawyers when a creditor’s rights are affected or threatened.
As Chair of the Banking, Creditors’ Rights and Insolvency Group, Mr. Azzara is known for his outstanding command of the law and ability to work tirelessly for his clients. Mr. Azzara routinely advises large and mid-market financial institutions, business owners, developers, institutional lenders, and real estate investors in a wide range of corporate financing transactions, including the preparation and negotiation of loan documents, workouts, and foreclosures. He also has extensive experience representing secured and unsecured creditors, as well as trustees, landlords, and small businesses, in all aspects of Chapter 11 business bankruptcy cases and Chapter 7 and 13 individual bankruptcy cases.
As Co-Chair of the Real Estate Group, Mr. Azzara represents clients in all aspects of commercial real estate, including complex issues related to buying, selling and leasing real estate, negotiating and preparing transaction documents, commercial and residential developments, like-kind exchanges, contract disputes, foreclosures, landlord/tenant matters, construction lien law and lien enforcement matters, and title insurance and defense of title claims. As a licensed title agent for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company, Mr. Azzara oversees the Firm’s commercial and residential closing practices.
Mr. Azzara also represents various corporations in their corporate, construction, public sector, and litigation matters. His attention to detail is praised by his clients, as is his energy to learn the client’s business thoroughly to be the most effective advocate on their behalf.
A frequent writer and speaker to legal groups, Mr. Azzara is the author of the Mechanics’ Liens and Fraudulent Transfers Chapters of the treatise entitled Pennsylvania Commercial Litigation, which was published by American Lawyer Media’s The Legal Intelligencer. A native of Watertown, Connecticut, he now lives in the North Hills of Pittsburgh with his wife and children.
Successfully represented Fortune 500 company in collection matters involving the reclamation of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Representation of regional property developer in all aspects of property management and leasing issues with an eye towards reducing legal expenses and exposure to litigation.
Successfully represented national real estate investment company in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy relating to leases with a national franchised restaurant resulting in the recoupment of lease termination damages.
Successfully negotiated settlement on behalf of a bankruptcy trustee against a national financial services company relating to the treatment of debtors during the pendency of their bankruptcy cases resulting in substantial credits and reimbursements to the debtors.
Successfully represented national title insurance underwriter in the collection of unpaid insurance premiums in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy totaling over $600,000 dollars.
Represented interested party/landowner in the successful formulation and prosecution of a Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization to facilitate the continued operation of a large scale printing facility.
Successfully negotiated a resolution for a gas station lessee regarding lease disputes with its landlord who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy resulting in a renegotiated lease to enhance lessee's profitability.
Reorganized corporate structure of local distributorship to enhance profit margins and profitability.
Successfully negotiated a settlement for gas station lessee whose right of first refusal was wrongfully terminated resulting in lessee's multi-million dollar acquisition of the underlying gas station.
Represented property developer in the development of a planned community including acquisition, formation, zoning, financing, permitting, public offering and declaration matters.
Represented client in the review and cleanup of title issues and issuance of title policy for a large scale car dealership allowing the client to refinance its debt obligations and expand its operations.
Successfully represented various mid-market lenders in foreclosure actions.
Represented lenders in the drafting and negotiating of loan documents for various commercial transactions including real estate acquisitions, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, equipment, facility, and inventory financing, and various other commercial loans.
Successfully negotiated a favorable settlement on behalf of a national construction company in bond litigation over multi-million dollar public projects recouping hundreds of thousands of dollars for the client.
Represented various construction companies in the successful establishment and enforcement of liens against real estate resulting in reimbursement of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Represented national religious non-profit organization in its merger with its canonical entity and restructured its real estate portfolio to effectuate a large scale lease project with a regional health care provider.
