Attorney Alicia Bendana | Bankruptcy & Commercial Litigation

Practice Focus

Litigation Practice, Bankruptcy and Restructuring, Fraudulent Transfer and Specialized Bankruptcy Litigation, Insurance Coverage

Alicia Bendana is special counsel in our Litigation Section, with a national practice focused on complex bankruptcy and commercial litigation. She represents trustees, debtors, creditors, creditors’ committees, receivers and liquidators in high-stakes matters involving officer and director liability, professional negligence, fraud, RICO, fraudulent transfers, and business dissolutions.

“Alicia is very responsive and really digs into the details. She takes things apart and asks probing questions.” —Bankruptcy/Restructuring Client, Chambers and Partners

A Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Alicia is also board certified in business bankruptcy law by both the American Board of Certification and by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. Her experience and insight have made her a trusted lead and co-lead counsel in some of the most challenging bankruptcy-related cases across multiple jurisdictions, including Texas and Delaware.

Alicia is nationally recognized for her legal acumen. As noted by Chambers and Partners, “Alicia combines strong subject matter expertise with practical intelligence,” she “takes things apart and asks probing questions,” is “highly focused and highly attentive,” and “clients commend her technical legal ability,’ ‘commercial vision’ and ‘out of the box thinking.’” She is also recognized among the 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers by Lawdragon and honored by The Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights, insolvency and reorganization law, and bankruptcy litigation.

In Louisiana, she has been named among the Top 50 Lawyers and Top 25 Women Lawyers by Super Lawyers. She is also featured as one of the “Top Women in Law” and “Best Lawyers in New Orleans” by New Orleans Magazine.

In addition to her practice, Alicia serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Trial Advocacy for Tulane University Law School, where she shares her courtroom knowledge with the next generation of litigators. A respected thought leader, Alicia has authored numerous articles for professional publications and presents at continuing legal education seminars nationwide.

Alicia is very active in professional and civic organizations locally, statewide, and nationally. She is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, where she served as Co-Chair of the Asset Sales Committee (2021-2023) and currently sits on both the Bankruptcy Litigation Committee and Commercial Fraud Committee. She is a board member of the American Board of Certification where she serves on the Marketing Committee. Alicia is also very involved with the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), having been the founding co-chair of IWIRC’s Louisiana Network (2011-2015) and a Director at Large on two separate occasions.

Alicia was co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Fraud Litigation Subcommittee from 2016 through 2018, having previously served as co-chair of the Fiduciary Duty Litigation Subcommittee (2016–2017). She is also a member of the Federal Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Section. She is part of the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Law Section and formerly served as part of the House of Delegates and the Committee on the Profession, the latter of which she co-chaired. Alicia also served as President of the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization’s Bankruptcy Law Advisory Commission from 2020-2021.

She has held several positions with the New Orleans Bar Association, including Bankruptcy Committee (Chair, 2018–2019, 2024); Business Litigation Committee (Chair, 2015–2017); and Women in the Profession Committee (Chair, 2014–2016). Alicia is also a member of the Judge Jerry A. Brown Louisiana Bankruptcy American Inn of Court.

In addition, Alicia is a Bankruptcy Section member of both the Texas Bar Association and the Houston Bar Association.

In the community, she served as Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Antenna (Press Street, Inc.), which is a multidisciplinary cultural nonprofit presenting exhibitions, public programs, publishing, and regranting located in New Orleans. Alicia is a past member and former president of the Homer A. Plessy Community School (Citizens’ Committee for Education, Inc.) board of directors. Additionally, she is a past member and former president of the board of directors for InspireNOLA Charter Schools, Inc. Alicia also served as Co-Chair of the Syracuse University Parents Council from 2020 to 2022.

Education

J.D. from Tulane University Law School, 1992
B.A. from Hollins College, 1986

Publications / Presentations

Publications

Article on State Law Racketeering Claims, A.A.J. Business Torts Section Newsletter, Vol. 19 No. 3 (Spring 2012)
Garnishment Chapter of Louisiana Civil Practice Forms (West Group) (2002-2008)
Bankruptcy Law in Louisiana, Chapter of Louisiana Legal Services and Pro-Bono Desk Manual (Gillis W. Long Poverty Law Center, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law) (2001)

Presentations

Presenter, “Attorney Ethics in the Spotlight: What Can We Learn From Ethical Issues Raised in Recent High-Profile Cases?,” ABI Annual Winter Leadership Meeting, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Dec. 2024)
Presenter, “Family Law Issues in Bankruptcy,” 2nd Annual Jerry Brown Symposium, Federal Bar Association – New Orleans Chapter, New Orleans, La. (Dec. 2023)
Presenter, “The Intersection Between Bankruptcy and Divorce,” 28th Annual Bankruptcy Law Conference, LSU Law Center CLE, Baton Rouge, La. (Nov. 2022)
Presenter, “Bankruptcy Law 2022 – Key Issues Lawyers Need to Know!,” Louisiana State Bar Association, Webcast (Apr. 2022)
Presenter, 28th Biennial Admiralty Law Institute of Tulane University, Tulane Continuing Legal Education, New Orleans, La. (Mar. 2020)
Presenter, “Presenting Evidence in Bankruptcy Court: Tips and Best Practices,” Federal Bar Association – New Orleans Chapter, New Orleans, La. (Oct. 2018)
Presenter, 2017 Anniversary and Annual Convention, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, New Orleans, La. (Sept. 2017)
Presenter, “Professionalism: How to Recognize, Understand and Respect Racial, Cultural, Gender, Socioeconomic and Generational Differences,” Procrastinator’s Program, New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, La. (Dec. 2016)
Presenter, “Buying and Selling Businesses,” New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, La. (Oct. 2016)
Presenter, “The Case for Expanding Louisiana’s Code of Professionalism – An Interactive Seminar,” Procrastinator’s Program, New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, La. (Dec. 2015)
Presenter, “Bankruptcy and Family Law Issues,” 19th Annual Family Law Seminar, LSU Law Center CLE, Baton Rouge, La. (Sept. 2015)
Presenter, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are,” New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, La. (Aug. 2015)
Presenter, Federal Practice Series, Federal Bar Association – New Orleans Chapter, New Orleans, La. (Mar. 2015)
Presenter, “Litigation Lessons for Lawyers: Voir Dire,” New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, La. (Sept. 2014)
Presenter, “Bankruptcy for Plaintiff’s Attorneys,” Procrastinator’s Program, New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, La. (Dec. 2013)
Presenter, AWA Annual Ethics & Professionalism CLE, Association for Women Attorneys, New Orleans, La. (Sept. 2013)
Presenter, “Bankruptcy Litigation 101,” National Business Institute Seminar, New Orleans, La. (June 2012)
Presenter, “Bankruptcy Tips for the Non-Bankruptcy Lawyer: Pitfalls to Avoid,” Federal Bar Association – New Orleans Chapter Seminar, New Orleans, La. (May 2012)
Presenter, “Family Law Issues in Bankruptcy Proceedings,” New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans, La. (Dec. 2011)
Presenter, “Professionalism: Representing the Difficult Client and Other Professionalism Issues,” 16th Annual Bankruptcy Law Conference CLE, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La. (Oct. 2010)
Presenter, “Bankruptcy Reform,” National Business Institute Seminar, New Orleans, La. (Dec. 2006)
Presenter, “Family Law Issues in Bankruptcy Proceedings,” Louisiana State Bar Association, Baton Rouge, La. (2006)
Presenter, “Bankruptcy in Louisiana,” Lorman Education Services Seminar, New Orleans, La. (July 2005, May 2004, and Aug. 2002)
Presenter, “Family Law Issues in Bankruptcy Proceedings,” Bankruptcy Law Seminar, Paul M. Hebert Law Center – Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La. (Nov. 2003)
Presenter, “Liens and Credit Issues,” presented at the National Business Institute Seminar, New Orleans, La. (Sept. 2000 and Aug. 1998)
Presenter, “Litigation in Bankruptcy Proceedings,” New Orleans Bar Association Seminar, New Orleans, La. (1995)

Representative Matters

Alicia’s prior experience includes the following matters:

Represented the Chapter 7 trustee of telecommunications service provider in commercial fraud litigation against one of the 50 largest corporations in the United States.
Represented the Chapter 7 trustee of an online wholesale distributor of food service equipment in breach of fiduciary duty litigation against the debtor’s former managers prior to filing suit.
Represented the litigation trustee of an oil and gas production company in breach of fiduciary duty litigation against the debtor’s former CEO.
Represented the litigation trustee and reorganized debtors in an action against the former manager of a renowned New Orleans nightclub for, inter alia, fraud and breaches of fiduciary duty.
Represented undocumented construction workers in fraud and racketeering litigation against a Fortune 500 company affiliate.
Represented the Chapter 7 trustee of an online wholesale distributor of food service equipment in auditing malpractice litigation.
Represented the creditors’ committee, and upon conversion, the Chapter 7 trustee of a restaurant chain in breach of fiduciary litigation against a debtor’s former managers.
Represented former shareholders and obtained an extraordinary recovery (400% of actual damages) against the managing shareholder, office manager, and independent external accountant relative to a breach of fiduciary duty, accounting malpractice, fraud, conspiracy and racketeering claims.
Represented two classes of former employees of two bankrupt casinos in separate bankruptcy proceedings in contested litigation involving WARN Act violation claims.
Represented petitioning LLC members and liquidators in various state court liquidation proceedings.
In a case of first impression, obtained a judgment in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals establishing a Chapter 7 trustees’ statutory fees as presumptively reasonable.
Represented ship and tanker companies as successful “stalking horse” bidders in the contested § 363 sale of a tanker in Chapter 11 proceedings.