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Sources: Chadbourne Bankruptcy Partner Jumps to Weil Gotshal
The American Lawyer
March 30, 2009
Chadbourne & Parke bankruptcy partner Joseph Smolinsky has agreed to move to the high-powered bankruptcy unit at Weil, Gothshal & Manges, according to four sources familiar with the move.
Smolinsky did not return calls seeking comment, and a spokesperson for the firm declined comment. A spokesperson for Weil did not return several calls and e-mails seeking comment. Howard Seife, global chair of Chadbourne's bankruptcy practice, confirms that Smolinsky is leaving the firm for Weil.
Sources familiar with Smolinksy's practice say he has a book of business in the millions, and that his move is a significant blow to Chadbourne's bankruptcy group. According to court records and his bio, Smolinsky has represented both high-profile debtors such as Days Inns of America and Orion Pictures, and, more recently, creditors and lenders in Chapter 11 cases. Smolinsky advised Citicorp, a lender/creditor in the bankruptcy of TOUSA Inc., one of the 10 largest Chapter 11 bankruptcies of 2008.
According to Seife, Chadbourne focuses mostly on lender creditors. He says Smolinsky will get an opportunity at Weil to represent more debtors. As we reported Thursday, Weil has focused its bankruptcy group on large, complicated cases, including the Lehman Brothers Chapter 11, the largest in U.S. history.
"We will certainly miss Joe," says Seife. "Our practice will remain strong and vibrant." He adds that Smolinsky likely won't take any "material matters" with him to Weil. "He will be busy enough there," Seife says.
The move comes about two months after Weil lost bankruptcy partner Michael Kessler to Dewey & LeBoeuf, where Kessler has rejoined another former Weil bankruptcy rainmaker, Martin Bienenstock.
This article first appeared on The Am Law Daily blog on AmericanLawyer.com.
