Robert J. Gonzales
Nashville Chapter 11 Attorney
Robert Gonzales is a Nashville Chapter 11 attorney representing overleveraged businesses and real estate owners throughout Middle Tennessee in complex reorganizations, Subchapter V cases, and strategic debt restructurings.
Practice Areas ​
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Chapter 11 Bankruptcy & Reorganization (Nashville & Across Tennessee)
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Corporate Crisis Management
Education
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Vanderbilt Law School - JD 1994
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Louisiana Tech University - BA 1990​
Admissions
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Tennessee
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U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Middle District of Tennessee
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U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern District of Tennessee
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U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Western District of Tennessee
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Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals​
Seminar Presentations
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Subchapter V - The New Frontier in Chapter 11
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Turnaround Planning & Execution During COVID-19
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Chapter 11 and Alternatives for Businesses in Financial Distress
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Making the Best of a Bad Situation: Dealing with Companies Facing Bankruptcy or Insolvency
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Business Insolvency and Chapter 11
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Chapter 11 Practice Under the New Bankruptcy Code
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Uncharted Waters: Deciphering the New Bankruptcy Code
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Workout or Chapter 11: Legal Strategies for Overleveraged Businesses
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Business Insolvency in Tennessee: Exploring Bankruptcy Issues
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Bankruptcy Law and Procedure from Start to Finish in Tennessee
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Fundamentals of Bankruptcy Law and Procedure in Tennessee
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Bankruptcy Basics
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LLCs: Advising Small Business Start-Ups And Larger Companies In Tennessee
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Bankruptcy: An Introduction To Business Cases
Memberships and Distinctions
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Rated "AV" Preeminent (highest) by Martindale-Hubbell®
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Turnaround Management Association, Board of Directors, 2021-2025
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Mid-South Commercial Law Institute, Board of Directors, 2005-2010
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Nashville Bar Foundation, Fellow
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Past Chair, Nashville Bar Association Bankruptcy Court Committee and Corporate and Commercial Practice Committee
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Included in: Best Lawyers in America; Chambers USA – America’s Leading Business Lawyers; and Nashville Business Journal's “Best of the Bar”
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Named by Super Lawyers® as Top Business Bankruptcy Lawyer in Nashville and among Top 100 Lawyers in Tennessee
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Member, American Bankruptcy Institute and Turnaround Management Association
Strategic Chapter 11 Counsel for Nashville Businesses
Robert Gonzales is a Nashville Chapter 11 attorney focused exclusively on helping overleveraged businesses stabilize, restructure, and preserve value.
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From closely held companies to multi-state enterprises, he has guided hundreds of operating businesses and real estate owners through Chapter 11 reorganizations, Subchapter V restructurings, court-supervised asset sales (363 sales), orderly wind downs, and complex out-of-court workouts. His practice is built around one objective: protect enterprise value while restoring financial control.
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Based in Nashville, Robert regularly appears before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee and is widely regarded by lawyers, bankers, and financial professionals as a leading restructuring attorney serving businesses throughout Middle Tennessee.
He represents debtors, unsecured creditors’ committees, and investors in distressed acquisitions and 363 sales, bringing a practical, business-first approach to cases involving layered capital structures, covenant defaults, foreclosure risk, and contested creditor disputes. He has also served as court-appointed receiver for operating and liquidating businesses.
A significant portion of Robert’s practice involves healthcare, real estate, construction, manufacturing, retail, automotive, and leisure enterprises — industries where operational complexity and secured debt structures require strategic Chapter 11 execution rather than reactive filing.
Robert earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School in 1994, was Board certified as a Business Bankruptcy Law Specialist in 2005, and has been consistently recognized by publications such as Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and the Nashville Business Journal as a leading insolvency and restructuring attorney in Tennessee.
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When businesses in Nashville face foreclosure, creditor litigation, maturity defaults, or unsustainable leverage, Robert provides decisive Chapter 11 counsel designed to restore stability and protect what has been built.