Lillian Stenfeldt

Lillian Stenfeldt is a seasoned commercial attorney and trusted outside counsel to a variety of companies. With extensive experience in complex commercial disputes, she excels in helping clients achieve optimal results. Since 2005, Lillian has been a sought-after commercial arbitrator and mediator, bringing a wealth of strategic insight to efficient dispute resolution.

As a core bankruptcy practitioner, Lillian represents creditors, licensees and buyers of assets and intellectual property in major corporate bankruptcy cases nationwide. She advises on structuring business transactions and licenses to protect assets and minimize risk tied to potential insolvency. She has also guided international clients through successful corporate reorganizations and complex loan workouts. In her role as outside general counsel, she guides clients to the best attorney to address their wide-ranging issues.

Lillian also has extensive experience serving on boards of directors for profit and nonprofit organizations. Whether representing clients in large-scale projects or acting as a neutral arbitrator, she brings a practical and results driven approach to every engagement.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Serve as outside general counsel to manufacturing, technology, and nonprofit corporations.
• Represented a conglomerate of business enterprises in the U.S., Europe, and Australia in a $600 million non-bankruptcy cross-border workout.
• Assisted technology clients in the acquisition of intellectual property from bankruptcy estates and financially challenged companies ($2 – $200 million valuations).
• Represented landlords in preserving rights and claims in tenant bankruptcies.
• Protected key license agreements in major bankruptcy cases across the country for various technology and entertainment clients.
• Represented a major music entertainment company ($1 billion annual revenue) in its non-bankruptcy restructuring .
• Represented ad hoc group of over 100 supplemental plan beneficiaries in the PG&E bankruptcy.
• Defended a Fortune 100 company in an $8 million preference litigation.
• Represented a food company in analysis and resolution of disputed lien priority with a large agricultural enterprise.
• Represented a financial institution in recovering full repayment of $11 million debt from real estate collateral and guarantees of a major real estate developer.
• Represented foreign entities in cross-border transactions and bankruptcy reorganizations.
• Represented receivers of various real estate projects involving shopping centers, condominium complexes, and residential developments.

PUBLICATIONS /SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• “Between Transparency and Confidentiality: Walking the Disclosure Tightrope,” California International Arbitration Week, presented by California Arbitration, California Lawyers Association, San Francisco, CA (2026).
• “Insolvency Issues for Licensing Attorneys,” Practicing Law Institute (2005-2025).
• “Cutting Edge Retail Bankruptcy Exit Strategies: Are YOU Prepared for the Rapid Increase in Retail Bankruptcies?” The Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum, San Francisco, CA (2017).
• “A Comprehensive Training in Commercial Arbitration,” American Bar Association’s Annual two-day Arbitration Training Institute, Washington, D.C. (2014) and Philadelphia (2012).
• “From the Litigator’s Side: Selection of Arbitrators and Mediators,” American Arbitration Association, San Francisco, CA (2014).
• “Real Estate Receiverships,” Continuing Education of the Bar (2012).
• “What Every CEO and CFO Should Know About Insolvency,” Stanford Graduate School of Business (2001-2010).

AWARDS/RECOGNITION

• Highest possible peer and judicial rating, AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell in legal ability and ethics
• Best Lawyers®, Arbitration, Bankruptcy, and Creditor and Debtor Rights, Bankruptcy Litigation
• Top Attorney in Northern California, San Francisco Magazine, 2017-present
• Top Women Attorneys in Northern California, San Francisco Magazine, 2017-present
• Women Leaders in the Law, Law.com, The Recorder (ALM Media Properties, LLC), 2022
• Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters Corporation)

MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS

• International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR) — Board Member, Dispute Resolution Services; serves on CPR’s, Banking, Accounting and Financial Institution, Real Estate, Arbitration panels — arbitrator in complex commercial cases (2009-present)
• American Arbitration Association — arbitrator in complex commercial cases (2005-present)
• U.S. District Court Northern District of California, panel member on Early Neutral Evaluation and Mediation panels
• Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum — past director
• International Association of Insolvency Practitioners (INSOL)
• American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI)
• International Turnaround Management Association (TMA) — past director and Awards Committee chair and president of NorCal chapter
• Guide Dogs for the Blind — custodian of breeder
• California Real Estate Broker, licensed (#00882228) since 1985