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Reno Fernandez

Associate

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Phone: (408) 295-1700
Fax: (408) 295-1531

2775 Park Ave,
Santa Clara, California 95050

Practice Areas

Mr. Fernandez is an associate at Binder & Malter LLP.

Reno is certified as a specialist in bankruptcy law by the State Bar of California Board of Specialization. Reno has U.S. Supreme Court experience (Bartenwerfer v. Buckley, 143 S.Ct. 665 (2023)) and a published Ninth Circuit opinion (Kupfer v. Salma (In re Kupfer), 852 F.3d 853 (9th Cir. 2016)). He is a former chair of the Insolvency Law Committee of the State Bar of California's Business Law Section and the Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco, among other activities. Reno earned his J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Reno's past clients ranged from enterprises with assets or amounts in controversy exceeding $200 million to small businesses, including technology companies, biotechnology companies, startups, hotels, Bitcoin-based companies, mortgage funds and hedge funds, national and regional banks, retail chains, medical clinics, residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFE), equipment lessors, farms, wineries, livestock auctioneers, restaurants, churches, nonprofits, real estate developers, office buildings, apartments, shopping centers and malls, and manufacturers.

Reno has handled unique and challenging distressed asset sales, including an operating marina, a large YMCA, modern apartment complexes, commercial land, intellectual property, equipment, receiverships and portfolios of loans secured by development property located in several states.

Reno has prosecuted and defended fraudulent transfer, preference and other avoidance actions as well as nondischargeability actions, relief-from-stay trials and other litigation.

Education
  • J.D., Golden Gate University School of Law
    Witkin Award in Community Property
    CALI Award for Excellence in Community Property
    CALI Award for Excellence in Special Problems in Contracts and Torts
    CALI Award for Excellence in Intermediate Legal Writing
    Dean's List
  • B.A. Philosophy, University of California at Berkeley
Bar Memberships
  • State Bar of California
  • USDC: Northern District Of California
  • USDC: Eastern District Of California
  • USDC: Central District Of California
  • USDC: Southern District Of California
  • Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals
Affiliations
  • Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum
    Board of Directors, Member 2011 - 2016
    Publicity Committee, Member 2014 - 2016
  • Super Lawyers Magazine
    Super Lawyer 2022 - 2023
    Rising Star 2012 - 2021
  • California Lawyers Association, Business Law Section
    Executive Committee, Member 2017 - 2018
    Co-Chair, Insolvency Law Committee 2016 - 2017
  • National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, Next Generation Program
    Member, Organizing Committee 2014 - 2015
  • Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF)
    Executive Committee, Business Law Section 2015 - 2016
    Chair, Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section 2012 - 2014
    Board of Directors, Ex Officio Member 2012 - 2013
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, Bar Rules Advisory Group
    Leader, Chapter 11 Plan
    Member, Payroll Form Revision Team 2014
  • BASF Barrister's Club
    Board of Directors, Secretary 2012 - 2013
    Board of Directors, Member 2011 - 2013
    Liaison to State Bar Conference of Delegates Committee 2012 - 2013
    Liaison to Criminal Law & Government Section 2011 - 2013
    Liaison to Construction Law Section 2011 - 2012
    Chair, Business, Commercial & Bankruptcy Section 2010 - 2011
  • BASF National Volunteer Week, Recognized for Outstanding Leadership 2015
  • San Francisco Magazine, Top Attorneys
    Northern California Rising Star 2015 - 2022
    Northern California's Outstanding Young Lawyers 2012 - 2014
  • BASF Consumer Debt Clinic
    Outstanding Volunteer Award 2009 & 2010
Publications/Speaking Engagements

Speaking Engagements

  • "Bankruptcy Appeals at All Levels," Bar Association of San Francisco, Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section, October 18, 2022.
  • "Ponzi Schemes: Expertly Defending the Innocent Investor,"  California Society of CPA's (CalCPA), Forensics and Investigations Section, Los Angeles, California,  February 27, 2018
  • "Bankruptcy 101: Fundamentals for Non-Bankruptcy Litigators,"  Alameda County Bar Association, November 8, 2017
  • "License to Steal? Assumption and Rejection of Intellectual Property License Agreements in Bankruptcy,"  Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of California, June 28, 2017
  • "Complex Case Analysis,"  California Bankruptcy Forum Annual Conference, May 20, 2017
  • "Creditors' Rights and Remedies,"  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), July 2016
  • "Should I Stay, or Should I Go? Commercial Leases and Bankruptcy,"  Real Property Section of the State Bar of California, 2016 Annual Summit, May 21, 2016.
  • "When a Nonprofit Corporation Is Insolvent: Considerations, Options and Procedures,"  Meeting of the Nonprofit Organizations Committee of the State Bar of California's Business Law Section, May 28, 2015
  • "Tax, Regulatory and Bankruptcy Issues in Arbitration,"  Bar Association of San Francisco, Arbitration Committee, September 19, 2014
  • "Chapter 11 in a Nutshell,"  California State Bar Annual Meeting, September 11, 2014
  • "Landlord-Tenant Law & Bankruptcy,"  Sterling Education Services, Inc., August 11, 2011
  • "Bankruptcy Resources for Financial Educators,"  Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Financial Education Network of San Francisco, May 27, 2010

Publications:

  • Editor for bankruptcy chapters of Retail Leasing and Real Property Ownership & Taxation,  California Education of the Bar (CEB), 2021-2023
  • "Enforcing Arbitration Agreements in Bankruptcy,"  California Lawyers Association Business Law News, Issue 1, 2018
  • "When a Nonprofit Corporation is Insolvent…"  State Bar of California   Business   Law News, Issue 2, 2016
  • Numerous articles for  Legal by the Bay, the Bar Association of San Francisco's blog (blog.sfbar.org), including "Lien Priorities Altered When One Creditor Breaches Fiduciary Duties to Another," January 21, 2015
  • "Enforcement of Non-Debtor Releases in International Insolvency Proceedings,"  State Bar of California   Business   Law News, Issue 2, 2014
  • Numerous articles for the Bar Association of San Francisco's  Bulletin, including  "The Business Judgment Rule in the Central District of California," March, 2014
  • "Discharging Trust- Related  Claims in Bankruptcy,"  Bar Association of San Francisco Continuing Legal Education Program Self Study Examinations, February, 2014
  • "'Hamilton v. Lanning' Redefines Consumer Bankruptcy Practice,"  The Recorder, Vol. 134, No. 112, July 5, 2010
  • Numerous articles for the  Bankruptcy e-Bulletin  of the  State Bar of California Business Law Section, Insolvency Law Committee, including  "Supreme Court Rules Section 526(a)(4)'s Limitation on Advice to Debtors is Constitutional," March 12, 2010
  • "Almond Growers Beat Secured Lenders in Priorities Fight,"  Non-Sequitur, Stanislaus County Bar Association Newsletter, December, 2006