Emma L. Jones focuses her practice on commercial bankruptcy cases and represents clients in complex chapter 11 matters.
Emma has significant experience advising debtors, lenders, lessors, landlords, financial institutions, and trustees in cases under chapter 11 and chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code, and in adversary proceedings.
Prior to joining O’Melveny, Emma worked at a global full-service law firm. In addition, Emma previously served as a two-year term law clerk to the Honorable Harlin D. Hale, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas.
Emma has been recognized among Best Lawyers in America, receiving the publication’s “Ones to Watch,” distinction for 2025.
- Represents certain insurance corporations across several complex chapter 11 diocesan bankruptcies.
- Represents certain former individual board members in several complex in-court restructurings.
- Assisted in representation of Puerto Rico Tourism Development Fund in its restructuring under Title VI of PROMESA.
- Assisted in representation of Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico in its restructuring under Title VI of PROMESA.
- Represented Isagenix International in its out-of-court balance sheet restructuring.
- Represented bank agent to a US$150 million senior secured credit facility in the multi-billion dollar restructuring of Altera Infrastructure, Inc. and its affiliates.
- Represented board of directors in US$147 million dollar restructuring of Ion Geophysical Corporation and certain of its affiliates.
- Represented major telecommunications provider in breach of contract action involving 15 telecommunication tower sites.
- Represented creditor, a national “eatertainment” restaurant, in subchapter V chapter 11 proceeding and associated adversary proceedings.
- Represented several upstream and midstream oil and gas providers in the 2020 multi-billion dollar restructuring of Fieldwood Energy, LLC and its related entities.
- Represented creditor in multi-debtor chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding of former operator of Hometown Buffet restaurants.
- Represented 62 debtors in chapter 7 liquidation proceeding.
- Represented debtor, the former operator of 14 truck stop healthcare clinics, in chapter 7 liquidation proceeding.
- Represented creditor in US$3.2 million preference action which successfully resulted in the dismissal of the action with prejudice.
- Represented court-appointed monitor in a chapter 15 adversary proceeding involving allegations of breach of contract.
- Assisted in representation of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in chapter 11 restructuring of the National Rifle Association of America and Sea Girt LLC.
- Assisted in representation of secured lender in Boy Scouts of America restructuring.
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- Texas
Court Admissions
- US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- US District Court for the Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern Districts of Texas, and Eastern District of Wisconsin
- US Bankruptcy Court for the Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern Districts of Texas, and Eastern District of Wisconsin
Education
- Southern Methodist University, J.D.: cum laude; Order of Barristers
- University of California at Los Angeles, B.A.: cum laude
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” list for Litigation - Bankruptcy and Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law in Dallas, TX (2025)
Professional Activities
Publications
- Co-author, “Celsius Ch. 11 Ruling Reminds Clear Contract Terms Govern,” Law360 (February 1, 2023)
- Co-author, "Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs): Overview," Thomson Reuters Practical Law (November 29, 2022)
- Co-author, “Navigating Section 363 As A Decentralized Autonomous Org,” Law360 (June 16, 2022)
- Co-author, “Bankruptcy, SMU Annual Texas Survey,” SMU Law Review (2020)
- Co-author, “Bankruptcy, SMU Annual Texas Survey,” SMU Law Review (2019)
Speaking Engagements
- “Revisiting Bad Faith Chapter 11 Filings in the Fifth Circuit,” presented by the Dallas Association of Young Bankruptcy Lawyers (“DAYBL”), DBA Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section Meeting (2022)
- “The Power Behind the Throne: Law Clerks from Each District Give Advice,” UT Law Consumer Bankruptcy Practice (2020)
- “Beast of Burden,” UT Law Consumer Bankruptcy Practice (2019)
Leadership
- Co-Vice President of Communications, Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (2024-2025)
- Co-Vice President of Law School Relations, Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (2022-2024)
Member
- John C. Ford Inn of Court
- Young Lawyers Committee for the Bankruptcy Section of the State Bar of Texas (YLC)
- Dallas Association of Young Bankruptcy Lawyers (DAYBL)
- International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
Clerkships
- The Honorable Harlin D. Hale, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas
Related Practices