Joseph M. Vann is a business lawyer advising CEO's, entrepreneurs, private equity firms, lenders, real estate developers and owners, and is active in many different industries, such as aviation, pharmaceutical, real estate, manufacturing, publishing, wine, art, jewelry and horse-racing.

Joe's clients look to him for his expertise and experience in corporate and real estate financings and acquisitions, federal and state court litigations, and all matters affecting distressed or bankruptcy transactions and workouts. Joe's clients view his skills in distressed and bankruptcy matters as "value added", even in transactional matters, as Joe uses his skills as a forward thinker to identify issues and creating effective "workarounds" long before before "problems" arise.

Above all else, Joe is known to his clients as a "go-to" problem solver for their most challenging issues. Indeed, one client named one of his promising young racehorses "Joe Vann" to bank on the winning spirit of Joe Vann, the lawyer. (Watch video of "Joe Vann" the thoroughbred racehorse winning the 2011 Illinois Derby)

Joe recently represented clients closing on loans of $250 million against 18th and 19th century paintings and other high-end collectibles.  Joe also represented a client in closing a $50 million loan to fund a diverse collection of privately held companies in the publishing, real estate and wine industries. 

Joe is currently representing HFZ Capital Group, LLC, in acquiring a partially completed 50 story hi-rise condominium project that is mired in a Delaware Chapter 11 case. Joe represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of a $250 million jewelry retailer that recently emerged from Chapter 11 in a plan of reorganization that provides a 100% recovery to creditors. Joe also represented the owner of a leading racing stable in a hotly contested litigation, bankruptcy and, ultimately successful, workout of a $35 million bank loan.  Joe's other bankruptcy representations have included the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Eos Airlines, Inc., the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Fortunoff’s Inc., the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Ziff-Davis Media, Inc., the Secured Trade Vendor Trustee of Friedman’s, Inc., and the Equity Committee of Actrade Financial Technologies, Ltd.

Joe has lectured extensively to trade groups and financial institutions on lending, bankruptcy and  business law topics. 

After graduating from law school, Joe clerked for the Honorable Alan H.W. Shiff, United States Bankruptcy Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut .