Kevyn Orr facts for kids

Kevyn Duane Orr (born May 11, 1958) is an American lawyer. He is best known for helping the city of Detroit when it faced serious money problems. From 2013 to 2014, he worked as Detroit's emergency financial manager during the city's bankruptcy. Today, Mr. Orr is a partner at the law firm Jones Day, where he helps businesses with financial difficulties.

Kevyn Orr's Early Career and Education

Kevyn Orr studied at the University of Michigan. He earned his first degree in 1979 and then his law degree in 1983. After finishing school, he started his legal career in Miami.

Working for the Government

In 1991, Mr. Orr began working for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. This government agency helps protect people's money in banks. He later moved to the Resolution Trust Corporation, which dealt with financial problems in the 1990s. He became a top lawyer there, focusing on big lawsuits and bankruptcies. From 1995, he helped oversee the nation's bankruptcy system for the United States Department of Justice.

Joining Jones Day Law Firm

In 2001, Mr. Orr joined Jones Day, a large international law firm, as a partner. He was known as one of the best bankruptcy lawyers in Washington, D.C.

Helping Chrysler with Bankruptcy

While at Jones Day, Kevyn Orr helped the car company Chrysler when it went through bankruptcy in 2009. Bankruptcy is a legal process for companies or people who cannot pay their debts. Mr. Orr played a key role in helping Chrysler reorganize and become successful again. This process helped Chrysler improve its sales and reputation.

Kevyn Orr as Detroit's Emergency Manager

In 2013, the Governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, chose Kevyn Orr to be the emergency manager for the city of Detroit. An emergency manager is a person appointed by the state to take control of a city's finances when it is in deep financial trouble. This role gave Mr. Orr special powers to manage Detroit's money matters.

Detroit Files for Bankruptcy

Mr. Orr started his job on March 25, 2013. He quickly realized that Detroit's financial problems were very serious. On July 18, 2013, with the Governor's approval, the city of Detroit officially filed for bankruptcy. This was a huge step for the city.

Working with Jones Day

Mr. Orr's former law firm, Jones Day, was hired to help Detroit with its bankruptcy case. Some people questioned this choice because Jones Day had also worked for some of Detroit's creditors (companies Detroit owed money to). However, some legal experts said there was no conflict of interest. Mr. Orr explained that hiring Jones Day helped him manage the complex case more efficiently.

Key Decisions and Outcomes

On December 3, 2013, a judge ruled that Detroit was allowed to continue with its bankruptcy process. This was an important step forward.

Addressing Water Issues

During this time, many Detroit residents faced problems with their water service. In July 2014, Mr. Orr signed an order to help the city's water department work better. This was done to make sure residents had access to important services like running water.

Detroit Exits Bankruptcy

On November 7, 2014, the bankruptcy judge approved Mr. Orr's plan for Detroit. This plan helped the city get out of its financial crisis. On December 10, 2014, Governor Snyder announced that Detroit had successfully emerged from bankruptcy. At that time, Mr. Orr resigned, and control of Detroit was returned to its elected leaders.

Kevyn Orr's Personal Life

Kevyn Orr was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His father was a minister who worked for civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s. His mother was a teacher who later became a school administrator.

In 1990, a local newspaper listed him as one of the area's "Most Eligible Men." Since 2004, he has been married to Dr. Donna Neale, who is a surgeon. They have a son named Kevyn and a daughter named Alexandra.