Blank Rome added Buffey E. Klein as a partner in the finance, restructuring and bankruptcy group and the financial services industry team in the Dallas office. A Chambers-ranked bankruptcy and restructuring practitioner with more than 25 years of experience, Klein represents national and regional financial institutions, creditors, lenders and landlords in complex commercial bankruptcy, insolvency and commercial litigation matters. She joins Blank Rome from Husch Blackwell, where she most recently served as Dallas office managing partner.
“We are thrilled to welcome Buffey to our growing Dallas office and our national finance, restructuring and bankruptcy group,” Lawrence F. Flick II, vice chair and chair of the financial services industry team at Blank Rome, said. “Buffey’s arrival reflects our continued strategic investment in North Texas at a time when the Dallas market is seeing significant growth in financial services, lending and restructuring activity. She brings an impressive combination of restructuring and commercial litigation experience that will benefit our clients navigating distressed situations. Buffey’s strong relationships with national lenders and her proven ability to guide creditors through complex workouts and contested matters make her an outstanding addition to the team.”
Klein brings to Blank Rome a broad and highly regarded national restructuring and bankruptcy practice, representing creditors, lenders, debtors, trustees and other stakeholders in complex Chapter 11 cases, contested matters, and distressed-asset situations across multiple jurisdictions. Her practice encompasses commercial loan workouts, out-of-court restructurings, creditors’ rights, receiverships, asset sales and related commercial litigation with a strong finance-driven component. She regularly appears in courts in the Northern and Southern Districts of Texas and maintains a vibrant bankruptcy practice in Florida, while also managing large, multi-jurisdictional matters and coordinating strategy across state and federal courts on a national and international scale.
Klein has particular depth in several highly regulated sectors. She regularly represents clients in the healthcare industry, including senior housing operators, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities in bankruptcy proceedings, distressed situations and the structuring of acquisitions and sales of distressed assets. She also brings meaningful experience in the aviation and transportation sectors, having served as part of the team representing a major commercial airline in connection with aircraft and engine transactions and comprehensive long-term engine maintenance agreements, as well as advising clients on fixed-base operator facilities and related aviation transactions. In addition, Klein has a strong international focus, assisting companies confronting international trade disruptions, including tariff and anti-dumping liabilities, and developing out-of-court strategies to help clients navigate evolving cross-border exposure in the current trade environment.
“Buffey is one of the most accomplished creditor-side practitioners in the country, and her arrival is a significant addition to our team,” Heather Sonnenberg, partner and co-chair of the finance, restructuring and bankruptcy group, said. “As Dallas continues to serve as a key center for financial decision-making and distressed-asset activity, Buffey’s ability to lead complex, nationwide restructuring and workout matters from this market is a significant advantage for our clients. Her experience representing major lenders makes her an invaluable resource not only for clients based in or doing business in North Texas, but also for those operating across the country.”
Klein has also represented major commercial lenders in connection with complex financial institution litigation, including multimillion-dollar arbitration proceedings, contested receiverships, and emergency injunctive relief. Complementing her restructuring and litigation work, Klein brings experience in traditional bank financing and corporate transactions, enabling her to deliver pragmatic, business-oriented counsel on matters that intersect restructuring, finance and operational strategy.
“What drew me to Blank Rome is the depth and breadth of the platform and the collaborative culture, and I look forward to leveraging these resources to deliver even greater value to my clients,” Klein said. “The Dallas market is undergoing a significant transformation whereby financial institutions are establishing and expanding their presence here at a remarkable pace and I believe Blank Rome’s practice mix will allow me to grow my representation of financial institutions and other creditors in exactly the ways that market demands. I look forward to working alongside my new partners to deliver the highest level of service to our clients.”
Klein is recognized in Chambers USA for Bankruptcy/Restructuring and is listed in BL Rankings’ The Best Lawyers in America for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2024 – 2026). She is a fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation and serves on the board of IWIRC (International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation). She is actively involved in the Northwest Texas Legal Aid effort and is a patron of the Aging Mind Foundation. She supports numerous Dallas-area organizations, including Dallas CASA, Christ’s Haven for Children and the Humane Society of Dallas County. Her family has been rooted in the Dallas-Fort Worth manufacturing community for more than 50 years.
She earned her J.D. from South Texas College of Law and her M.S. and B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M University. Klein is admitted to practice in Texas and Florida.
