With over 700 appearances in the local bankruptcy court and 35 years of experience practicing business law emphasizing debtor and creditor relationships throughout Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland, Alex represents clients in all aspects of business distress, commercial litigation, asset sales in bankruptcy, financial restructuring, creditors’ rights litigation, loan restructuring, and workout agreements. As a regular part of his practice, Alex also represents chapter 7 trustees in bankruptcy giving him a unique perspective on those matters.
Alex has a thorough understanding of the value, scope, and boundaries of legal judgment applied in the business world. Even more important is his understanding of the crossroads between the two worlds and his ability to discern his clients’ objectives and the most efficient means to achieve them.
Results-oriented, responsive, and always accessible, Alex builds relationships with his clients based on mutual respect and trust. He focuses his knowledge and experience to quickly and efficiently identify critical issues, seeking the most realistic and attainable solutions.
As a component of his business practice, Alex also represents applicants for industrial security clearances before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals concerning Statements of Reasons issued against individuals seeking to suspend or revoke their security clearance.
Alex has received an AV Rating, the highest rating given by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™, for his legal ability and general ethical standards. He has also been listed in the Best Lawyers in America® for 2014-2020. Alex was also selected for inclusion in the Virginia Super Lawyers and Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers listing for the past eight years. Since 2010, Chambers USA lists him as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” in Bankruptcy and Restructuring. He was also named a “recommended lawyer” in Corporate Restructuring by The Legal 500 United States, and in 2019, was named among the state’s “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business magazine.
Alex has served in all officer capacities and has been a member of the board of directors of the Northern Virginia Bankruptcy Bar Association for over 20 years.
Alexander M. Laughlin, Shareholder
- J.D., Gonzaga University School of Law, 1985
- B.S., James Madison University, 1981
- Virginia
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- Maryland Court of Appeals
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Columbia
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. Tax Court
- Supreme Court of Virginia
- Litigation
- Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights
- Security Clearance Litigation
- Active in advising corporations and individuals on their business needs and opportunities, represents individuals, financial institutions, insurance companies, and others in distressed financial situations.
- Completed the sale and purchase of assets from bankruptcy estates, emphasizing the representation of purchasers of distressed assets.
- Representative liquidating trustee in $14 million judgment against airline based in the People’s Republic of China resulting in settlement and full payment to all creditors.
- Acted as counsel to a chapter 11 trustee in recovery of an extensive real estate portfolio acquired by a chapter 11 debtor as a result of massive loan fraud.
- Represented a large government contractor in a chapter 11 bankruptcy on issues related to assumption of executory government contracts.
- Litigated Statements of Reasons issued by the Defense Security Service (DSS) under Department of Defense (DOD) Directive 5200-R, “Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information.”
- Experienced with appeals to the Appeal Board of the Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA) concerning adverse findings as to whether to issue a security clearance under Directive 5200-R.
- Unbundling as a Means of Financing Bankruptcy Fees and Working Without a “Wet” Signature ( October 1, 2017 )
- Harness Your Strong Arm Powers: A Five-Point Checklist for Bringing Claims Under § 544 ( June 30, 2015 )
- AV Preeminent® Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™
- 2014-2023, The Best Lawyers in America® – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization
- 2021, Arlington magazine's Top Attorneys -- Bankruptcy/Creditors' Rights
- 2018 - 2019-2022, Virginia Super Lawyers – Bankruptcy: Business
- 2018 - 2022, D.C. Super Lawyers – Bankruptcy: Business
- 2017 - 2018, Top Lawyers, Washingtonian magazine
- 2017, 2021-2022, Northern Virginia magazine Best of NoVA - Top Lawyers in Bankruptcy
- 2007, 2009-2017, Virginia Super Lawyers – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights
- 2008, 2010-2017, D.C. Super Lawyers – Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights
- 2010-2022, Listed by Chambers USA as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” in Bankruptcy/Restructuring
- 2015, 2019-2021, Virginia Business magazine’s “Legal Elite” — Bankruptcy/Creditors’ Rights
- 2014, Named by The Legal 500 US a “recommended lawyer” in Corporate Restructuring
- March 2020: The Strong Arm of the Chapter 7 Trustee: Avoidance and Recovery Actions
- June 2017: Agent 99, Don’t Let Your Finances Bankrupt Your Security Clearance
- September 2016: “With All Due Respect…”: Contemptuous Behavior–Contempt and Enforcement Proceedings in Bankruptcy, The Northern Virginia Bankruptcy Bar Association
- May 21, 2015: The Trustee’s Strong-Arm Powers under Bankruptcy Code § 544: 7 Tips for Prosecuting and Defending Avoidance Actions, Northern Virginia Bankruptcy Bar Association
- January 2015: Defeat Out of the Jaws of Victory: What Bankruptcy Will Do to That Perfect Case , Virginia CLE, VBA
- September 20, 2012: The Bankrupt Secret Agent: Financial Considerations and Bankruptcy in Determining Eligibility for Security Clearances, The Northern Virginia Bankruptcy Bar Association
- April 17, 2012: Virginia Foreclosures and Workouts, National Business Institute Seminar
- May 7, 2010: Government Contracts, Bankruptcy Bar Association 14th Annual Spring Break Weekend
- June 10, 2009: Foreclosure Basics, Virginia CLE Seminar
- December 4-6, 2008: Bankruptcy Taxation Educational Session: I’ll Have the Roast Beef and a Side of Real Estate Tax Exemptions for My Confirmed Plan – The U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision in Florida Department of Revenue v. Piccadilly Cafeterias, Inc., ABI Winter Leadership Conference
- October 29, 2008: Foreclosures for the General Practitioner CLE, Fairfax Bar Association
- July 10, 2008: Supreme Court Decides State of Florida v. Piccadilly Cafeterias, Inc., West Legalworks, Thomson Reuters Webinar
- November 7, 2007: Foreclosure Procedures Under Virginia Law, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors’ Risk Reduction Graduate Elective Course
- April 6, 2005: 18 Issues in Virginia Foreclosure Actions, Virginia Law Foundation’s Continuing Legal Education
- June 24, 2003: 24 Issues in Virginia Foreclosure Actions, Virginia Law Foundation’s Continuing Legal Education
Professional Experience
- Attorney-Advisor to Special Trial Judge Daniel J. Dinan, U.S. Tax Court, 1986
Professional Organizations
- American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI)
- Northern Virginia Bankruptcy Bar Association (NVBBA)
- Vice President, 2012, 2017
- Secretary. 2006-2009, 2012-2017
- President, 2003-2004
- Board of Directors, 1999-Present
