Latham Named 2019 Bankruptcy Practice Group of the Year

Latham & Watkins has received Law360’s Bankruptcy Practice Group of the Year award for 2019. The annual awards “honor the law firms behind the litigation wins and major deals that resonated throughout the legal industry in the past year.”

In a feature article, Law360 said that Latham “earned big wins over the past year for its work on large, complex Chapter 11 cases.”

In particular, Law360 highlighted Latham’s representation of Weatherford International plc, one of the world’s largest oil and natural gas service companies, in its Chapter 11 case involving a restructuring of more than $8.6 billion in debt with collateral spanning the globe. Law360 also covered Latham’s representation of Hexion Inc., a privately held global chemical company and the world’s leading producer of thermosetting resins, in the restructuring of its $4 billion debt load.

Law360 noted that “Latham strives to achieve consensus before filing Chapter 11 petitions on behalf of its clients, but it stands ready to litigate vigorously should agreements prove elusive.”

George Davis, Global Chair of Latham’s Restructuring & Special Situations Practice, emphasized that our goal is always “to make the Chapter 11 as efficient and impactful as possible.”

Law360 also focused on Latham’s word-class, top-tier capabilities across practices, including litigation, capital markets, and tax, saying, “a robust team of practitioners from other practice areas are always in the wings, able to advise and assist with the myriad legal issues that crop up in Chapter 11 cases.”

Davis added that the practice is poised for another strong year in 2020, saying, “I feel like we're on a very nice, upward trajectory in terms of the matters we're handling. We're very excited about the future. We've got a great platform and Latham has a great culture. Our group is very strong and collegial and we're excited that it's growing.”