William A. Starshak

Bill Starshak is a principal in the firm's Commercial Finance Group. His practice focuses on the representation of financial institutions in a variety of lending transactions, including cash-flow and asset based loans, unitranche structures, mezzanine financings and leveraged buy-out transactions. Mr. Starshak has extensive experience working on international finance transactions for both United States and foreign financial institutions and worked with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law to draft a legislative guide for countries to modernize their secured transactions laws. Additionally, he has represented private equity funds and corporate clients in financing transactions as well as in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions. 

Mr. Starshak is an annual panelist at the Commercial Finance Association’s International Asset Based Lending Conference and speaks often on cross-border lending issues throughout North America and Europe.

Mr. Starshak received his law degree, cum laude, from Northwestern University in 1999. In 1994, he received his B.A. in foreign affairs and history, with high distinction, from the University of Virginia. Mr. Starshak is a former Robert Bosch Fellow (1999-2000). He spent his fellowship year working as an attorney in Germany and is proficient in German. He practiced in Chicago and London prior to joining Goldberg Kohn. Mr. Starshak is admitted to practice in the state of Illinois.

Representative Matters

• Represented U.S. and Canadian administrative agents in connection with provision of a $265 million asset-based credit facility provided in connection with a material acquisition in North America.  Negotiated split lien intercreditor with senior secured noteholders.
• Represented U.S. and Canadian administrative agents in the provision of an $25 million asset-based credit facility which included the perfection of collateral in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Israel and Brazil.
• Represented administrative agent on a $115 million credit facility to support the leveraged buy-out of a software company.
• Represented senior cash-flow lender in connection with a $108 million leveraged buy-out of a national restaurant chain.
• Represented first out lender in provision of a $162 million unitranche credit facility to a portfolio company of a tier one private equity sponsor in the electronic commerce business.
• Represented lender in connection with the provision of a $106 million credit facility to a tier one private equity fund.
• Represented first out lender in connection with its position in a unitranche credit facility during a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.
• Represented secured mezzanine lender in connection with the restructuring of its debt and equity position in a portfolio company of a private equity sponsor.
• Represented client in a workout transaction that involved restructuring 14 separate credit facilities into two cross-collateralized credit facilities and the provision of debtor-in-possession financing in the subsequent Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.
• Represented distressed debt investor in connection with the conversion of second lien loans into equity securities of the debtor.
• Advised United States and European clients on complex cross-border asset-based lending structures in North America, Europe and Asia.