Anton Valukas

Tag: Anton Valukas

2012 Commencement Exercise Video Available Online

If you missed Lawrence University’s 163rd commencement exercise Sunday, June 10, or enjoyed it so much you’d like to relive it, a video of the entire ceremony is available for online viewing.

If you didn’t hear honorary degree recipient Anton “Tony” Valukas ’65 deliver a truly outstanding  commencement address, or would like to hear his remarks again, you can do so here.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

Lawrence Grad Anton Valukas ’65 Discusses Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy on “60 Minutes” Sunday, April 22

Lawrence University graduate Anton “Tony” Valukas, the court-appointed examiner in the historic bankruptcy case of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., speaks with Steve Kroft on this Sunday’s (4/22) edition of “60 Minutes” about the collapse of the firm that triggered the world financial crisis.

Anton "Tony" Valukas '65

In 2009, Valukas was appointed by a federal judge as the examiner for the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, the largest bankruptcy in United States history. As examiner, Valukas investigated the causes of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. After reviewing 34 million documents and interviewing nearly 300 witnesses, Valukas issued a seven-volume, 2,200 page report detailing potential wrongdoing by certain Lehman executives and Ernst & Young, the auditor.

Valukas, who earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Lawrence in 1965, is  chairman of the Chicago-based national law firm Jenner & Block.

Earlier this year, The American Lawyer named Valukas its 2011 “Litigator of the Year,” an honor that recognizes lawyers who have had “extraordinary results for their clients.” In its cover story, the magazine hailed Valukas as one of the “few heroes to emerge from the financial debacle of 2008.” It cited his 2,200-page, seven-volume Examiner’s Report as “a tour de force of truth-telling” and credited him with “untangling what caused a historic collapse that helped set off the broader financial crisis.” Bankruptcy Court Judge James Peck called Valukas’ report “the most outstanding piece of work ever produced by an examiner.”

Valukas will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Lawrence Sunday, June 10 at the college’s 163rd commencement and also serve as the ceremony’s principal speaker.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges by Forbes, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries.  Follow us on Facebook.

Lawrence University Awarding Honorary Degree to Lehman Bros. Bankruptcy Examiner at June Commencement

Lawrence University graduate Anton “Tony” Valukas, the court-appointed examiner in the historic bankruptcy case of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., will be recognized by his alma mater with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree Sunday, June 10 at Lawrence’s 163rd commencement.

Valukas, chairman of the Chicago-based national law firm Jenner & Block, also will serve as the principal commencement speaker.

Anton "Tony" Valukas '65

Valukas served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois from 1985 to 1989.  He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 2009, Valukas was appointed by a federal judge as the examiner for the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, the largest bankruptcy in United States history. As examiner, Valukas investigated the causes of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. After reviewing 34 million documents and interviewing nearly 300 witnesses, Valukas issued a seven-volume, 2,200 page report detailing potential wrongdoing by certain Lehman executives and Ernst & Young, the auditor.

Litigator of the Year

Last month, The American Lawyer named Valukas its 2011 “Litigator of the Year,” an honor that recognizes lawyers who have had “extraordinary results for their clients.” In its cover story, the magazine hailed Valukas as one of the “few heroes to emerge from the financial debacle of 2008.” It cited his 2,200-page, seven-volume Examiner’s Report as “a tour de force of truth-telling” and credited him with “untangling what caused a historic collapse that helped set off the broader financial crisis.” Bankruptcy Court Judge James Peck called Valukas’ report “the most outstanding piece of work ever produced by an examiner.”

Valukas has been named one of the country’s leading litigation lawyers for seven consecutive years by Chambers USA, while Chicago Lawyer honored him as its “Person of the Year” for 2009. Last year, the Anti-Defamation League recognized him with its First Amendment Freedom Award.

“Tony Valukas is a superb role model for our graduating students and should be a very interesting commencement speaker for the entire audience,” said Lawrence President Jill Beck. “Not only is he a distinguished and nationally respected legal expert, he is a humanitarian, a man with a strong social conscience. He demonstrates a balance in life between high professionalism and concern for society that our liberal arts graduates should see in action, so they might consider how to achieve this balance in their own ways in the coming years.”

Civil and Criminal Litigation

Specializing in civil and white collar criminal litigation, Valukas’ extensive experience includes consumer products litigation, product defect and consumer fraud class actions, food contamination, mass accident and environmental claims as well as defense work with accountants, real estate developers and corporate executives in high-profile matters.

Valukas is a frequent presenter to global business and legal leaders on the financial, ethical and legal challenges facing the country, has been the featured speaker at numerous American Bar Association programs and has been published extensively.

“I was surprised and delighted when I received a call from President Beck advising me that the university was going to award me an honorary degree,” said Valukas. “This award comes from an institution that I cherish and which was instrumental in shaping my life.

“So much of what I have become is attributable to the education and insights I gained while a student at Lawrence,” he added. “I remember the faculty with respect and genuine fondness. They profoundly shaped my view of the world and my commitment to the community. For Lawrence to award me this degree is both humbling and an extraordinary honor.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree in government at Lawrence in 1965, Valukas earned his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1968. He joined Jenner & Block in 1976 and was named the firm’s chairman in 2007.

About Lawrence University

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries.

Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy Examiner Anton Valukas ’65 Discusses Case in Lawrence University Presentation

As the court-appointed examiner in the bankruptcy case of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., 1965 Lawrence University graduate Anton “Tony” Valukas had an insider’s look at one of the reasons the country teetered on the brink of financial crisis in 2008.

Valukas, chairman of the Chicago law firm Jenner & Block, returns to his alma mater to discuss his involvement in what is believe to be the largest bankruptcy case in U.S. history Thursday, April 7 as part of the college’s Lawrence Scholars in Law program. He presents “Lawrence University to Lehman Brothers:  A Journey” at 5:30 p.m. in the Warch Campus cinema. The presentation is free and open to the public.

A specialist in civil and white collar criminal litigation, Valukas spent more than a year searching through virtually every e-mail message at Lehman Brothers in search of evidence implicating a cover-up involving the accuracy of valuations on Wall Street that contributed to country’s financial meltdown.

In March, 2010, Valukas released a 2,200-page document detailing the inner workings of Lehman Brothers that indicated the firm’s financial books were manipulated through an accounting tactic known as “Repo 105.”  The strategy involved “selling” assets, usually government securities, to another firm in exchange for cash, and then repurchasing them several days later. The value of the sold assets were typically 105 percent of the cash Lehman received in exchange.

According to Valukas’ report, Lehman Brothers was able to reduce its net balance sheet through its Repo 105 practice by more than $138 billion between the fourth quarter of 2007 and the end of the second quarter of 2008.

The report concluded that while Lehman’s directors should have exercised greater caution, they did not cross the line into “gross negligence” and Lehman’s demise was more “the consequence than the cause of a deteriorating economic climate.”

A former United States Attorney (1985-89), Valukas has been lead counsel in a wide variety of matters relating to government contracts and issues of fraud and compliance and has extensive experience in representing clients in SEC investigations and in civil securities fraud lawsuits.  He joined Jenner & Block in 1976.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in government at Lawrence, Valukas earned his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1968.

Launched last fall as an complement to the Lawrence Scholars in Business initiative, the Lawrence Scholars in Law program brings alumni experts who have been highly successful in their careers to campus to share their experience and advice with current students.