Toys R Us has hired a law firm to help restructure its roughly $400 million in debt due in 2018, a move that could include the marquee toy store filing for bankruptcy protection, sources familiar with the situation said Wednesday.

Addressing the retailer's debt load prior to the crucial holiday season could give its major vendors such as Mattel and Hasbro clarity into the company's long-term viability to help ensure the toymakers continue to stock its shelves throughout the holidays.

Toys R Us has hired restructuring lawyers at Kirkland & Ellis to help address the looming payments, the people said.

Hiring a law firm like Kirkland is not indicative of a bankruptcy filing, and many companies work with law firms to successfully refinance or restructure their debt without filing for protection.

The company has already announced it is working with Lazard to help address its debt load, and it successfully refinanced some of its debt just a year ago. Still, it has become increasingly difficult for leveraged retailers to tap the refinancing market, as lenders have become spooked by the increasing number of retail bankruptcies.

"As we previously discussed on our first quarter earnings call, Toys R Us is evaluating a range of alternatives to address our 2018 debt maturities, which may include the possibility of obtaining additional financing," Toys R Us spokeswoman Amy von Walter said in a statement.

"We expect to provide an update about these activities, as well as the many initiatives underway to provide an outstanding customer experience in our global retail locations and webstore during the holiday season, during our second quarter earnings call."