Professional Experience
Liz Orelup represents lenders, borrowers, buyers, sellers and other parties in commercial lending and leasing transactions, other commercial transactions, and in distressed credit matters and bankruptcy. Ms. Orelup has comprehensive experience in representing secured and unsecured lenders and borrowers in acquisition financing transactions and other commercial loan transactions, workouts, and bankruptcy cases. Ms. Orelup works closely with manufacturing companies and their financing affiliates in providing financing to customers, suppliers, and distributors; in developing loan documentation and procedures for national financing programs; and in advising lenders and borrowers with respect to covenant compliance matters. Liz also provides strategic advice and negotiates and documents early termination of financing leases and amendments, consents, default waivers and other covenant compliance matters. Liz advises a broad array of businesses on UCC secured transactions (Article 9) issues that impact their interests.
Recent experience includes:
- Representing a consumer debt collection company in its $33 million secured senior revolving credit and term loan facility and its $17 million senior subordinated notes, in connection with the acquisition of the company by private equity and management investors.
- Representing a specialized flexible packaging company in its $91 million senior secured revolving credit and term loan facility and $32 million mezzanine financing, in connection with the acquisition of the company by private equity and management investors.
- Representing a public company manufacturer of HVAC equipment for the automotive industry in a successful and oversubscribed syndication of its unsecured $80 million multicurrency credit facility.
- Representing a private equity portfolio company in the manufacturing sector in the refinancing of its secured revolving credit facility, including IRB letter of credit enhancement.
- Representing a Phoenix-based information technology company in the refinancing of its secured revolving credit and term loan facility.
- Representing financing subsidiary of Fortune 100 company in the management of its portfolio of leveraged and direct finance lease investments and other tax-oriented and third party financings. Recent transactions with the company include the negotiation, documentation and closing of sales, lease assignments, ground lease terminations and other dispositions of equity interest in nearly 20 retail stores following the bankruptcy of two lessees and the early buyout (EBO) of 50+ commercial properties in 16 states.
- Representing Fortune 500 manufacturing company in the drafting and implementation of standard loan and collateral documents for use with its dealers and other customers, as well as advising the credit management team with respect to compliance and default issues.
- Representing a public company manufacturer of consumer products in the bankruptcy of a single-source supplier, successfully negotiating an exit from the contract without disruption of production.
- Representing an insurance company in its $10,000,000 mezzanine loan for the construction and financing of a hotel and convention center in the Midwest.
- Representing, with others on the Quarles & Brady Bankruptcy Team, provider of home health services to elderly and disabled patients in the negotiation of a $5,500,000 debtor in possession financing facility.
- Local counsel to numerous lenders, corporations and borrowers with respect to Wisconsin transactions.
Education and Honors
- University of Iowa College of Law (J.D., 1980)
Order of the Coif, Iowa Law Review.
- Lawrence University (B.A., 1975)
Bar Admissions
Wisconsin,
1980
Professional Recognition
Listed in
The Best Lawyers in America® (2007-present: Corporate Law).
Martindale-Hubbell AV® Peer Review Rated.
Selected for inclusion in the 2007 & 2008
Wisconsin Super Lawyers® lists (Banking).
Honored in 2008 as one of 20 statewide Leaders in the Law by the
Wisconsin Law Journal for her contributions to the Law as an accomplished transactional attorney and as a mentor and advocate in fostered the career successes of other women, both in the legal world and in other professions, through her long-term involvement in a number of organizations dedicated to promoting the advancement of women's issues and gender diversity.
Professional and Civic Activities
Ms. Orelup serves as the representative of the Business Law Section of the Wisconsin Bar Association on the Association Advisory Board to the ABA’s Working Group on Legal Opinions (WGLO). Liz is also a member of the Firm’s Legal Opinions Committee.
Ms. Orelup is a member of the board of directors of Milwaukee Women inc, a regional organization that promote initiatives to advance women in leadership at the executive and board levels of public companies. She also serves on the United Way Women’s Initiative.
Liz was a director of the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee from 1990 to 1999 and served as its board president. She is a long-time member and former officer of Professional Dimensions, an organization promoting women’s professional development through networking, leadership, diversity and community involvement. She is a former director and officer of Sojourner Truth House, a nonprofit organization providing shelter, safety, support, education and advocacy against domestic violence.
Ms. Orelup served as vice chancellor and chancellor to the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee from 1994 through 2006.
Ms. Orelup is a member of the leadership team for Quarles & Brady’s Corporate Practice Group and is a member of the Firm’s Diversity Committee. She was a co-chair of the Firm’s Women Attorneys Retreat in May 2007 and of the Firm’s Diverse Attorney’s Retreat in August 2008. Liz is active as a mentor to associates, both in the Firm’s formal mentoring programs and informally, and is a proud winner of a 2008 Star Mentor Award for her contributions as a mentor.
She is a member of the Milwaukee and American Bar Associations and the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Quarles & Brady Diversity Committee representative.