Associate: FRI – Restructuring & Insolvency

White & Case LLP•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

Our Financial Restructuring and Insolvency Practice specializes in providing strategic legal counsel to clients facing financial distress, insolvency or bankruptcy. We assist creditors, debtors, and other stakeholders in navigating complex restructuring and insolvency proceedings. Our team has expertise in developing and implementing restructuring plans, negotiating with creditors and managing litigation related to distressed assets. We guide clients through chapter 11 proceedings, out-of-court restructurings and cross-border insolvencies, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations. By leveraging our deep understanding of financial and legal frameworks, we help clients achieve optimal outcomes in challenging financial situations, preserving value and facilitating recovery. We are looking to hire an attorney with two to four years of experience for a role focused on financial restructuring work. This position is ideal for an attorney seeking sophisticated, high-profile, and complex restructuring matters at an elite global law firm. This is a unique opportunity to work within the prestigious, highly collaborative Financial Restructuring & Insolvency team. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in restructuring work, including advising on financial considerations in restructurings, corporate governance, and fiduciary duty issues in distressed contexts, director and officer responsibilities, and capital structure changes and liability management transactions. Candidates should demonstrate excellent academic credentials and a solid grounding in core commercial law concepts, together with a willingness to deepen their expertise in bankruptcy and restructuring. You should be organized, attentive to detail, and able to manage multiple workstreams with guidance and supervision while navigating complex, evolving legal issues. We value associates who are personable, cooperative and enjoy working as part of a team. Strong communication skills, sound judgment, and a proactive approach to learning and taking ownership of assignments will be key to success in this role.

Requirements

two to four years of experience
strong interest in restructuring work
excellent academic credentials
solid grounding in core commercial law concepts
willingness to deepen expertise in bankruptcy and restructuring
organized
attentive to detail
able to manage multiple workstreams with guidance and supervision
personable
cooperative
enjoy working as part of a team
Strong communication skills
sound judgment
proactive approach to learning and taking ownership of assignments

Nice To Haves

advising on financial considerations in restructurings
corporate governance
fiduciary duty issues in distressed contexts
director and officer responsibilities
capital structure changes and liability management transactions

Responsibilities

Lead drafting and revising of pleadings, motions, briefs, and memoranda in Chapter 11 and other insolvency-related proceedings
Take primary responsibility for researching and analyzing complex issues under the US Bankruptcy Code, related federal and state statutes, and translating that analysis into strategic recommendations
Take a central role in developing and analyzing plans of reorganization, including drafting and revising disclosure statements, coordinating supporting evidence, and preparing for confirmation hearings
Negotiate automatic stay issues, use of cash collateral, debtor-in-possession financing, and provision of adequate protection, including interfacing with opposing counsel and key stakeholders
Manage the claims objection and estimation processes, including drafting and arguing objections and responses
Coordinate cross-border insolvency and Chapter 15-related workstreams, including managing communications with overseas counsel and aligning strategy across jurisdictions
Draft and negotiate restructuring support agreements, forbearance agreements, and other key case documents, with increasing responsibility for structuring terms and managing counterparties
Occasionally assist in document review, preparing chronologies and case narratives, and assisting in preparation for depositions, mediations, and hearings
Analyze complex financial and business information to inform litigation and case strategy, including reviewing business plans, financial statements, and valuation materials, and working closely with financial advisors and experts
Monitor, synthesize, and communicate developments in bankruptcy and insolvency law, including case law, rule changes, and enforcement trends, and assess their impact on ongoing matters and client positions
Serve as a primary point of contact for day-to-day client communications on assigned matters, including drafting substantive email updates, research summaries, and case status reports on fast-moving bankruptcy issues
Contribute to and help lead development of internal knowledge materials, including model pleadings, checklists, and practice guides focused on bankruptcy and related commercial litigation, and mentor junior associates in their effective use