Shari L. Heyen has been practicing law with a focus on high profile, complex restructuring and financial workout matters for approximately 30 years. Heyen has developed a niche in the energy industry and has played key roles in the restructurings and resolution of post-confirmation matters for multibillion-dollar issues.

Heyen is a strong advocate of diversity and although the restructuring and bankruptcy practice is a male-dominated industry, Heyen has not let that stop her from excelling in the field. At Greenberg Traurig, Heyen is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Initiative. She has managed attorneys in the firm’s restructuring practice for approximately 13 years. In August 2017, she was named Co-Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Houston Office (comprising of nearly 100 employees), where she is known for her strong leadership and as a role model for Greenberg Traurig’ s collaborative culture. In August 2018, Heyen was named Co-Chair of the firm’s Global Restructuring and Bankruptcy practice – an internationally recognized practice with approximately 60 attorneys. Since 2015, she managed the firm’s Texas corporate reorganization practice, which primarily focuses on complex restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings in the energy industry.

She has consistently demonstrated professional competency resulting in repeated engagements in high-profile complex restructuring cases, both nationally and internationally. In one example of her leadership skills, she successfully managed a team of over 55 attorneys across the U.S. in connection with a multibillion-dollar complex oil and gas restructuring for a publicly-traded company. In another, she was part of an all-female pitch team that successfully won the engagement as committee counsel for the largest skilled nursing facility case in Texas – a first in most Texas markets.

In 2019, Heyen and her team won the Global M&A Network’s Turnaround Atlas Award for the “Chapter 11 Restructuring of the Year – Middle Markets,” as well as the “Turnaround of the Year,” and “U.S.A. Restructuring Law Firm of the Year” awards. The Turnaround Atlas awards recognize excellence within the worldwide restructuring and turnaround communities. Winning these awards equates to achieving the highest “Gold Standard of Performance” seal of endorsement in the local, regional and global markets, validating the team expertise and talents, as well as the organization’s competitive brand leadership position, according to the sponsoring Global M&A Network. Also in 2019, she received the Global M&A Award for Top USA Women Dealmakers.

Heyen is known as a thought leader in her industry. In addition to the honors she has received in her specific practice area, Heyen has been consistently named in a number of lists of top-notch attorneys as rated by their peers, including Super Lawyers (2004-2018) and The Best Lawyers in America (2010-2019).

With an eye on the future of the legal profession, Heyen is also involved in mentoring young associates and students throughout her career both inside and outside of Greenberg Traurig. Often, she is approached for advice by young associates on how to successfully navigate their legal careers. Heyen actively mentors rising stars at Greenberg Traurig.•