Laurence M. Frazen
Laurence M. Frazen
Laurence M. Frazen
Biography
Laurence Frazen’s practice involves representation of debtors, creditors, creditors committees and other interested parties in bankruptcy proceedings locally and across the country. His significant experience includes representing secured lenders and purchasers of assets under §363 of the Bankruptcy Code, debtor-in-possession financing and the trading of distressed debt, commercial workouts and out-of-court restructurings as well as other proceedings, including many single-asset real estate cases.
Mr. Frazen has lectured on bankruptcy and reorganization topics for the American Bar Association, American Bankruptcy Institute, the Missouri Bar Association, the Kansas City and St. Louis Bar Associations, National Business Institute and other financial, professional and trade organizations.
Areas of Focus
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Data Centers & Digital Infrastructure
Civic Involvement & Honors
- The Best Lawyers in America©, Kansas City Lawyer of the Year - Litigation-Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2015-2021
- The Best Lawyers in America©, Litigation-Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2022- 2025
- Kansas City Business Journal, 'Best of the Bar', 2015
Professional Affiliations
- American College of Bankruptcy, Fellow
- American Bankruptcy Institute, member
- Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri, former chairman of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee
- Business Bankruptcy Law by the American Bankruptcy Board of Certification, board of directors and certified in 1993
- Management Committee (Section Leader)
Admissions
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Illinois, 1984
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Missouri, 1983
Education
Washington University, J.D., with honors, 1983
Tufts University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1980
Related Capabilities
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Restructuring & Insolvency/Special Situations
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Lenders & Other Creditors
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Debtors & Corporates
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Committees & Estate Representatives
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Financial Institutions
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Restaurants, Pubs & Clubs
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Finance
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Energy Transition
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Real Estate
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Funds Finance
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Agribusiness
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Food & Beverage
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Food & Agribusiness
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Data Centers & Digital Infrastructure
Experience
Debtor Representations:
- Atchison Casting, Inc.
- Compuspeak, Inc.
- Farmland Industries, Inc., largest Chapter 11 proceeding ever filed in the Western District of Missouri
- Food Barn Stores, Inc.
- Gateway Ethanol, LLC
- Houlihan's Restaurants, Inc.
- National Airlines, Inc.
- Trism, Inc.
- Valley Foods, Inc.
- Weld Wheel, LLC
Secured Lender Representation, including numerous single asset cases:
- Lister Petter, Inc.
- Apex Oil Inc.
- Worldwide Recycling
- Arizona Biltmore
- Brook Insurance Companies
- Crescent Oil, Inc.
- DBSI
- HMC/CAH Health Care
- Ideal Electric, Inc.
- Payless Cashways, Inc.
- Vanguard Airlines, Inc.
Representation of Debtor-In-Possession Lender:
- Arrow Speed Warehouse
- Asarco
- Interstate Bakeries, Inc.
- Baptist Foundation
Representation of purchasers of assets pursuant to §363 of Bankruptcy Code:
- Dean Foods Company
- CFM Insurance, Inc.
- E3 Biofuels
- Professional Veterinary Products, Inc.
- USF&G, Inc.
Representation of Lessors and other contract parties:
- A123 Systems, Inc.
- Grubb & Ellis
- MF Global
- Mid-America Waffle, Inc.
Resources
Publications
- Missouri CLE Bankruptcy Desk Book and "Chapter 8: The Automatic Stay in the Chapter 11 Case" in Advanced Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Practice published by John Wiley & Sons in April 1994
- Washington University, editor, Urban Law Annual
Speaking Engagements
- "34thAnnual Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute," October 2014
Related Insights
Aug 21, 2025
Aug 17, 2023
Apr 04, 2023
Aug 18, 2022
Aug 19, 2021
Mar 26, 2021
Aug 20, 2020
Aug 15, 2019
Aug 15, 2018