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Practices

Languages

  • English
  • Spanish

Biography

Jillian focuses her practice on representing clients in the financial services industry, with particular emphasis on distressed debt and special situations. She provides strategic, results‑driven counsel to community banks, institutional lenders, distressed debt investors, private equity funds and other financial stakeholders navigating complex insolvency, enforcement, and restructuring matters.  She regularly represents lenders and financial institutions in connection with distressed asset strategies, sales and acquisitions, enforcement actions, receiverships and foreclosure proceedings, and has substantial experience advising clients throughout all phases of troubled credits. She is known for her practical, business‑minded approach and her ability to deliver effective advocacy while remaining attentive to client objectives.

Additionally, Jillian is Co-Chair of the firm’s Regional and Community Banks Sub-Team.

Jillian's Relevant Experience

Bankruptcy & Restructuring

Jillian concentrates her bankruptcy practice on the representation of chapter 11 debtors, secured creditors and creditors’ committees in all facets of corporate restructurings, bankruptcy and financial distress.  She has significant experience litigating preference and fraudulent conveyance actions.

Jillian actively serves as bankruptcy counsel for:

  • National banking institutions
  • National auto financing lenders
  • National equipment lessors
  • National manufacturing organizations
  • Private equity funds
  • Commercial landlords and tenants
  • Utility companies
  • Local governments

Creditors Rights / Commercial Litigation

During her career, Jillian has had substantial success in the financial services industry where she handles a range of diverse matters including consumer and commercial foreclosures, contractual disputes, lender liability actions and receiverships.

Jillian has experience litigating actions brought under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Truth in Lending Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Real Estate Settlement Procedure Act.

Real Estate

Jillian started her legal career working in the real estate filed and has worked for one of the largest nation title insurers in the United States. Jillian frequently represents clients in the following areas:

  • Real estate sales transactions
  • Foreclosures
  • Quiet title actions
  • Lease negotiations and disputes
  • Mechanics’ lien matters

Other Info About Jillian

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Regional and Community Banks Team, Co-Chair

Litigation counsel for national residential mortgage servicer

Bankruptcy counsel for several national banking institutions

Bankruptcy counsel for national auto financing lenders

Litigation counsel for private equity funds

Education

Law School

Duquesne University School of Law, J.D.
International Law Society

Undergraduate School

University of Pittsburgh, B.A.

Clerkships

Jillian served as a clerk for the court(s) and judge(s) below:

The Honorable Shad Connelly, Erie County Court of Common Pleas, Pennsylvania

Bar Memberships

Jillian is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Pennsylvania

Courts

Jillian is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Award Selection Methodology

Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers®, 2016-2025

Impact Award, Turnaround Management Association, 2023

Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Rising Stars®, 2010-2015

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Allegheny County Bar Association, Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section, Member

American Bankruptcy Institute, Member

International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation, Member

Turn Around Management Association, Member

Firm Committees

Jillian serves or has served in the following leadership role(s) at FBT Gibbons:

Women’s Initiative Committee, Office Representative

Presentations

Jillian was invited to speak at the following events:

Presenter, “The Next Chapter of the Corona Virus Recession: Bankruptcies”, TMA-Pittsburgh, February 18, 2021.

Presenter, “Avoiding Common ‘Battle of the Forms’ Pitfalls”, National Tooling and Machining Association, July 21, 2021.

Major Publications

Jillian is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Journal of Corporate Renewal, October 2019
Featured

January 2019
“UCC Battle of the Forms: How to Minimize Contractual Disputes Using Sales Order Acknowledgements”, Iron & Steel Technology

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