Leah O'Farrell

Leah A. O’Farrell

Associate, Boston
617 226-3446
lofarrell@murphyking.com

About Leah A. O’Farrell

Dedicated to advising businesses through financial challenges, Leah facilitates their successful reorganization both in and out of court.  She is committed to strategic problem-solving and guiding her clients to an efficient and positive resolution.  Leah’s practice focuses on representing corporate debtors and creditors, including creditors’ committees, and she is dedicated to achieving optimal outcomes for her clients.

Prior or joining the firm as an Associate in July of 2022, Leah served as the term law clerk to the Honorable Melvin S. Hoffman and the Honorable Frank J. Bailey of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts, and the Honorable Diane Finkle of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island.  Through these clerkships, Leah gained invaluable insight into the inner workings of the courts, which Leah now uses to help guide her clients through the bankruptcy process.

Leah is also involved with the American Bar Association, serving as a co-chair and vice-chair to several Business Bankruptcy subcommittees.  In addition, she is an active member of the Emerging Leaders Committee for the American Bankruptcy Institute.  Leah has spoken at various conferences on a variety of issues, including ethical issues in Bankruptcy and Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors.

Representative Engagements
  • Counsel to major retailer in a Chapter 11 case in Delaware Bankruptcy Court.  Obtained use of cash collateral, approval of post-petition financing, and customary first-day relief in order to pursue reorganization.
  • Counsel to Chapter 11 Debtor of clinical stage life science company developing treatment for eye disease.  Obtained Court approval of a sale through a competitive auction for approximately $4,300,000.
  • Represented several single-asset real estate Debtors in Chapter 11 cases in the Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court.
  • Counsel to a supplier of fuel products against a distributor-customer of the client.  Assisted the client in an involuntary proceeding and filed a non-discharge case against the distributer-debtor’s principal.
  • Counsel to a creditor owed approximately $8,700,000 from a nutritional supplement company.  Filed an adversary proceeding against purported lenders seeking that the lenders’ claims be treated as equity rather than debt or, alternatively, that their claims be equitably subordinated to client’s claims.
  • Represented assignee for the benefit of creditors of specialty engineering company.  Successfully obtained dismissal of involuntary Chapter 7 following multi-day contested trial.
Professional Involvement
  • Member, Pro Bono Committee, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Massachusetts
  • Member, Boston Bar Association
  • Member, Business Bankruptcy Committee, American Bar Association
  • Member, Podcast and Webinar Sub-Committee, Business Bankruptcy Committee, American Bar Association
  • Member, NextGen Boston Committee, The Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation (Tina’s Wish)

Areas of Practice

Education

  • University of Maryland, College Park B.A.
  • Northeastern University School of Law J.D., Business Law Concentration

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts