Olivia J. Scott
Associate
Overview
Olivia J. Scott is a bankruptcy and commercial litigation attorney in Holland & Knight's Newport Beach office with experience in both state and federal court actions.
Ms. Scott has significant experience representing debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, and debtor-in-possession (DIP) lenders in all facets of the bankruptcy process, including Section 363 sales, plan confirmation, post-petition lending arrangements and use of cash collateral as well as defense against preferential and fraudulent transfer claims. She also advises and represents clients in alternatives to bankruptcy, including in assignments for the benefit of creditors, receivership actions and loan workouts, and forbearance agreements.
In addition to her bankruptcy practice, Ms. Scott has substantial experience representing corporate and individual clients in a wide range of business, commercial and real estate litigation disputes, particularly in matters relating to director and officer liability, complex breach of contract and fraud claims, unlawful detainer actions, commercial foreclosures and consumer financial services claims.
Ms. Scott also serves as a member of Holland & Knight's Public and Charitable Services Committee in the Newport Beach office, which promotes dozens of pro bono and community service representations in Southern California. In her free time, she was selected and serves as a preceptor to first-generation law students attending her alma mater, Pepperdine University School of Law.
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Scott was an attorney at an international law firm in its Irvine, California, office, where she served as the chair for the diversity and inclusion (D&I) committee and the wellness committee.
Following law school, Ms. Scott was a law clerk for the Honorable Louise DeCarl Adler of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California. While in law school, Ms. Scott externed for the Honorable Robert N. Kwan of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Furthermore, she also served as an associate editor of the Pepperdine Law Review and president of the Women's Legal Association.
Representative Experience
- Successfully obtained dismissal of several multimillion-dollar claims asserted against a client in bankruptcy court and district court, which claims sought declaratory relief relating to termination of certain leases and perfection of security interests, as well as turnover of certain funds
- Obtained dismissal of adversary proceeding alleging fraudulent and preferential transfer of $20 million in returned Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds on behalf of a national banking association client
- Negotiated and secured multimillion-dollar debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing on behalf of a Chapter 11 debtor
- Arbitrated a complex dispute relating to the termination of a ground lease and development agreement for a waterfront hotel project, resulting in a favorable settlement for the client
- Successfully represented several lender clients in obtaining receivers over secured assets and foreclosing on such collateral
- Represent receivers in the security, management and sale of distressed assets, including large hotels and retail malls in urban areas
- Obtained summary judgment for a lender client regarding interpretation of the governing loan documents
- Won several dismissals of claims with prejudice for a special servicer client based on the express language of governing loan documents
- Represent large financial institutions with respect to litigation arising from restructuring and fraud
- Represent lender and servicer clients in various litigation matters relating to recovery of funds and property fraudulently stolen by defendants
Credentials
- Pepperdine University School of Law, J.D.
- Loyola Marymount University, M.A.
- Chapman University, B.A.
- California
- Nevada
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada
- International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), UNCITRAL Committee, 2024-Present; Southern California Chapter Board Member and Events Co-Chair, 2025
- Turnaround Management Association, Southern California Chapter, Board Member, 2021-Present; Programming Committee, Co-Chair, 2024; Sponsorship Committee, Co-Chair, 2023; NOW Committee, Co-Chair, 2022
- Orange County Women Lawyers Association (OCWLA), 2021-Present
- 44 Women for Orangewood, Orangewood Foundation, 2024
- Distinguished Law Student for the Ninth Circuit, American College of Bankruptcy, 2019
- Dean's List, Pepperdine University School of Law, 2018, 2019
- Dean's List, Chapman University, 2012, 2013