Laura Toledo

Laura Toledo is a member of Lathrop GPM’s Financial Services Practice Group in which she provides representation in all aspects of lending, loan workouts, restructurings and commercial collections litigation. She represents both lenders and borrowers in connection with loan financing, including construction loans, asset-based loans, and litigation finance transactions. She also provides guidance to business owners in debt-financed sales of business assets and businesses.

Laura has broad experience with workouts and restructurings, and  represents business debtors in bankruptcies and out-of-bankruptcy restructurings, receivers, and other entities involved with insolvency proceedings, including a Chapter 7 trustee, a committee of unsecured creditors, a disbursing agent, and a liquidating trustee. She also routinely represents creditors, including financial institutions, landlords, equipment lessors and secured creditors in workouts, Chapter 11 proceedings, including preference matters, and commercial litigation.

Her experience includes:

• Negotiating and documenting numerous construction financing loans ranging from $15 million to $50 million on behalf of lender.
• Structuring, negotiating, and documenting loan and security documents in debt-financed asset sales.
• Representing debtors in successfully restructuring businesses through section 363 sale in bankruptcy.
• Representing receiver in completing friendly foreclosure of substantially all assets of debtor for in excess of $10 million.
• Defending creditors against preference demands in bankruptcy proceedings.

Laura is committed to improving her community through public service.  She served for eight years as the Executive Director of a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization that provides housing and other critical services to women, leading the organization through significant growth and expansion. In that role she oversaw all operations, program areas, finances, and staff and volunteers; procured government and foundation grants; built a strong base of support from the board, donors, and the broader community; ensured compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and rules; and led efforts to renovate a transitional housing facility and acquire an additional home for clients. While in her role as Executive Director, Laura obtained a certificate in business management for nonprofit leaders from Washington University and taught a course on nonprofit leadership and management at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Laura is also a proud foster mom.    

Prior to working at Lathrop GPM, Laura has served as an Attorney Advisor for the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and as a Staff Attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit.

• Co-speaker, "Elimination of Bias," 2023 Annual Bankruptcy Institute, March 10, 2023
• Speaker, "Potpourri of Dischargeability Issues," 2011 Annual Bankruptcy Institute, 2011

• Contributing Author, "Confirmation and Cram Down of Chapter 11 Plans," MoBarCLE Publications 2011 Catalog - Chapter 9 Supplement, 2011

• American Bankruptcy Institute
• The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
• International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
• Commercial Receivers Association
• The Missouri Bar

• Keyway Center for Diversion and Reentry
  • Housing Sub-Committee Member, 2021-present
  • Board Member, 2006-2013
  • Board President, 2012
  • Member and Chair of the Development Committee, 2006-2011
• Altrusa International Club of St. Louis
  • Member, 2014-present
  • Membership Committee Chair, 2017-2019
• St. Louis City Continuum of Care for Homelessness
  • Member, 2014-2021
  • Governance and Membership Committee Chair and Board Member, 2018-2021

• Selected for Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers, 2016-2018
  • "Rising Stars," 2011-2013