Sean W. Gilligan

Partner

You can bank on Sean Gilligan’s expertise.   He brings a solid background in corporate finance and operation issues to advise lenders, investors and middle market companies throughout the United States — experience that has assisted many insurance companies, banks, debt funds, mezzanine lenders and middle market companies navigate through troubled times and emerge with a solid financial footing and better appreciation for financial and operational risks.

Background & Experience

Experience

Some points of interest about Sean?

  • He specializes in corporate bankruptcy and workouts, secured and mezzanine lending, and general corporate work for clients throughout the United States.  His expertise is not limited to any one asset class, but covers commercial and industrial, real estate, asset based and intellectual property based facilities.
  • Sean advises lenders up and down the capital stack in the structuring, negotiation and drafting of credit facilities and multi-party loan documents.
  • His work for clients has led to roles in Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases throughout the United States.  He frequently represents overseas vendors and landlords in many of the well known bankruptcy cases currently pending throughout the United States.
  • Sean’s experience also includes representing privately owned middle market companies, and assisting them with corporate, labor and employment, environmental and real estate matters.

Before joining the firm, Sean was a partner at Pepe & Hazard, LLP, initially in the firm’s Hartford office and later as the first Connecticut partner in the new Boston office.  When he first started he cut his teeth representing many of the national and super regional banks, and national insurance companies, during the credit contraction that started in the late 1980s and lasted through the mid 1990s.  It was this base upon which Sean has grown a successful practice representing clients early in the credit origination process, and later, if troubles arise, during work-outs, restructurings and recapitalizations of capital structures.

When Sean is not representing advising clients he relaxes on the water, fly fishing for stripers, blue fish and false albacore throughout Cape Cod and the Islands.  When the weather turns cold you’ll find him skiing or in his home woodworking shop.

Boards and Committees

Current

Publications Committee at Gesmer Updegrove LLP, member

Previous

ImprovBoston Board of Directors, member

Real Estate Finance Association Board of Directors, member

Real Estate Finance Association Education Committee, Chairman

Association for Corporate Growth Annual Conference Committee, member

Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Board of Directors, member

Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section of Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Committee, Chairman

American Bar Association House of Delegates, member

Education/Training

  • George Washington University Law School JD, 1987
  • Union College BA, 1984  Economics and Political Science

Contact Sean W. Gilligan

Memberships

  • Association of Corporate Finance Attorneys
  • American Arbitration Association’s National Panel of Neutrals and Mediator
  • Turnaround Management Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Connecticut Bar Association
  • Real Estate Finance Association
    Education Committee
  • Boston Bar Association
  • Massachusetts Bar Association

Admissions

  • Massachusetts
  • Connecticut
Awards & Accolades
2023 New England Super Lawyers

The Super Lawyers selection process includes independent research of professional accomplishments, peer nominations and peer evaluations

2022 New England Super Lawyers
2021 New England Super Lawyers
2020 New England Super Lawyers
2019 New England Super Lawyers
Awards & Accolades
2023 New England Super Lawyers

The Super Lawyers selection process includes independent research of professional accomplishments, peer nominations and peer evaluations

2022 New England Super Lawyers
2021 New England Super Lawyers
2020 New England Super Lawyers
2019 New England Super Lawyers