Valerie Bantner Peo focuses her practice on creditors’ rights and commercial litigation with significant experience at the trial and appellate levels in bankruptcy, federal and state court. She regularly represents financial institutions, including agribusiness lenders and alternative lenders, software licensors, commercial landlords and tenants, equipment lessors, officers and directors, companies in distress and fiduciaries such as receivers and assignees.

Ms. Bantner Peo is the Administrative Co-Chair of Buchalter’s Insolvency & Financial Law Group and a past chair of the Women@Buchalter committee. She is a Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council for the Northern District of California, and served as co-chair of the Lawyer Representative Committee in 2023-24.

Ms. Bantner Peo serves on the Board of Directors of the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (“IWIRC”). In 2023, Ms. Bantner Peo chaired the inaugural IWIRC@INSOL conference in Tokyo and received the IWIRC Fetner Award, presented to a member whose contributions to IWIRC have helped to fuel growth and expansion of IWIRC’s mission globally.

She is a past Chair of the Executive Committee of the San Francisco Bar Association’s Commercial Law and Bankruptcy section and a current Board member of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum. She was recognized by Super Lawyer Magazine as a Northern California Super Lawyer from 2019-2024. In 2025, Ms. Banter Peo is recognized in the Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Ms. Bantner Peo served as a law clerk for the Honorable Edward D. Jellen (Ret.), U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California.

Bankruptcy Litigation & Restructuring

  • Prevailed on summary judgment on behalf of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) lender targeted by chapter 7 trustee in preference action.
  • Defend trade vendor in $45 million avoiding action brought by the representatives of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, pursuant to Title III of the Puerto Rico Oversight Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA).
  • Regularly represents commercial landlords in all aspects of chapter 7 and chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Regularly represents senior secured lenders in all aspects of chapter 11, including post-petition financing and use of cash collateral.
  • Regularly represents agribusiness lenders in collection actions, chapter 11 and chapter 12 “family farmer” bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Represented software licensor, vendors, and community choice aggregator trade organization in Pacific Gas & Electric chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.
  • Represented digital entertainment company in out-of-court winddown of business operations and resolution of creditor claims through ABC (Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors).
  • Pursued fraudulent conveyance claims, preference actions, and substantive consolidation against debtor’s numerous affiliated entities on behalf of Chapter 11 trustee of grower and processor of vegetable products, and handled cross-border insolvency issues to protect and enforce the bankruptcy estate’s claims to assets located internationally.

Real Estate Litigation

  • Prevailed on appeal on behalf of shopping center tenant in dispute regarding enforceability of co-tenancy rent following anchor tenant closure.
  • Obtained district court judgment in favor of tenant department store against shopping center owner validating co-tenancy rent following anchor tenant closure. (Las Vegas).
  • Secondment with the Port of Oakland Port Attorney’s office for litigation matters including commercial lease disputes, evaluating and responding to claims made against the Oakland International Airport, and evaluating agency policies.
  • Routinely and efficiently regains possession of commercial real estate on behalf of landlords.

Commercial Litigation

  • Achieved summary judgment on behalf of secured lender in state court litigation and successfully defended against business tort counter-claim at bench trial.
  • Obtained pre-judgment order for writ of attachment on behalf of unsecured creditor against defaulting borrower.

Ms. Bantner Peo earned her J.D. at The University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, cum laude, where she was Managing Editor of the UC Law SF (fka Hastings) Journal. She received her B.A. in English Language and Literature from Smith College.

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern 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 Southern District of California

Additional Specialties

Bankruptcy
Commercial Litigation