Allen J. Guon

Member

Recent News:

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Allen has more than 20 years of experience managing complex commercial insolvency matters including Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases, federal and state equity receiverships, assignments for the benefit of creditors, UCC Article 9 sales, out of court workouts, and related litigation. He focuses his practice on the representation of Chapter 11 debtors, Chapter 11 and 7 trustees, and Chapter 11 plan trustees. He has extensive experience representing federal and state court-appointed equity receivers in both civil enforcement actions filed by the Federal Trade Commission, the Illinois Attorney General, and actions brought by private parties. In addition to his debtor, trustee, receivership, and assignee representations, Allen regularly advises prospective buyers of distressed assets, financial institutions, equipment lessors, landlords, and trade creditors in insolvency-related matters. He has successfully represented marquee clients from a broad spectrum of industries, including metals, health care, lending, manufacturing, real estate, retailing, furniture, and trucking.

Allen is a former chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Bankruptcy and Reorganization Committee and the current chair of its Receivership Legislation Subcommittee. He is a former member of the Bankruptcy Court Liaison Committee for the Northern District of Illinois. Allen is an active member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Turnaround Management Association. He is also the former treasurer and a current member of the Board of Directors of Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE), a national financial literacy program for young adults taught by bankruptcy and financial professionals that focuses on the responsible use of credit and student loans.

Experience

News

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2024 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 29, 2024

The Cozen O’Connor attorneys who have been recognized by their peers in Illinois as Super Lawyers are Jack Carriglio, Janet Davis, Jeremy Glenn, Allen Guon, Peter Roberts, Brian Shaw, Joe Tilson, and Anna Wermuth. Amy Doig, David Doyle, and Corey Hickman were named to this year’s Illinois Rising Stars list. This is Hickman’s first year on the Rising Stars list.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2023 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 26, 2023

Super Lawyers has named 11 attorneys at Cozen O’Connor to its 2023 lists of top practitioners in Illinois.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2022 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 28, 2022

Nine were recognized as Super Lawyers and two were named to its list of "Rising Stars," a list that recognizes attorneys under the age of 40.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2021 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 29, 2021

Super Lawyers has named eleven attorneys at Cozen O’Connor to its 2021 lists of top practitioners in Illinois.

With Global Bankruptcy Filings Increasing, Cozen O’Connor Adds Eight Veteran Attorneys to its Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring Practice

September 01, 2020

Hires Expand Offerings in Chicago and Add Depth to the firm’s Corporate Bankruptcy Practice

Publications

2022 Business Bankruptcy Practice

May 11, 2022

David Doyle, Allen Guon, and Peter Roberts each authored a chapter of the 2022 edition of Business Bankruptcy Practice, a book published by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education.

Fiduciaries Must Care - Personal Liability for PPP Loans Under Federal Priority Statute

June 01, 2021

Allen Guon authored an article published in the American Bankruptcy Institute Journal examining the personal liability of anyone in control of an insolvent debtor’s assets making distributions to unsecured creditors prior to satisfying Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the federal priority statue.

Yeah, About That Consignment Agreement … How You Can Lose Your Goods in a Retail Bankruptcy [Alert]

December 08, 2020

Allen Guon and Robert Fishman discuss the Uniform Commercial Code and the steps necessary to perfect your consignment under it.

Education

  • Indiana University – Maurer School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1997
  • Indiana University–Bloomington, M.S.E.S., 1997
  • Indiana University–Bloomington, B.S., with distinction, 1992

Awards & Honors

Super Lawyers for Bankruptcy, 2010-2022

Super Lawyers Rising Stars Edition, 2009

Best Lawyers in America, 2023-2025

  • Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court -- Colorado
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Florida

American Bankruptcy Institute

Chicago Bar Association, Bankruptcy and Reorganization Committee, Chair, 2020

Chicago Bar Association, Receivership Legislation Subcommittee, Chair, 2023-Present

Turnaround Management Association

Bankruptcy Court Liaison Committee for Northern District of Illinois, Member, 2011-2013

Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE), Board of Directors, 2015-Present