Cadwalader Names Veteran Duo to Lead Financial Restructuring Team, Bolsters Practice with Two Accomplished New Partners

- Gregory Petrick and Mark Ellenberg tapped to lead a seasoned team with two new Partners to join in London

NEW YORK, May 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, a leading counselor to global financial institutions and corporations, announced today that Gregory M. Petrick, head of the firm's European and Asian Restructuring Practice and currently Managing Partner of the London office, and Mark C. Ellenberg, a Partner in the Restructuring Practice, have been named Co-Chairs of Cadwalader's Financial Restructuring Department.  Both are long-serving, senior members of Cadwalader's Restructuring Department. The firm also announced that Holly Neavill and Louisa Watt have joined the Financial Restructuring team as Partners in the London office.

"It is a pleasure to announce the ascension of Greg and Mark to the leadership positions of Co-Chairs of the Financial Restructuring Department at Cadwalader," said Christopher White, Chairman.  "In various capacities and over a long period of time, they have been instrumental in leading and growing the practice."

Petrick has played key roles in the restructuring, reorganization, sale and acquisition of businesses in the life insurance, financial services, telecommunications, energy, real estate, shipping, and hospitality industries. He has led cross-border restructurings across Europe, Indonesia and Australia. In the past year, Petrick has helped guide the growth of the firm's London office, attracting numerous leading lawyers to the practice.

"Financial restructuring is a vital component of the services Cadwalader offers to its domestic and multinational clients on both sides of the ocean," said Petrick. "The experience and depth of talent in both New York and London will drive our cross-border strategy going forward. We are pleased to be leading that effort."

Ellenberg advises debtors and creditors in complex financial restructuring, workout, and bankruptcy matters, including LyondellBasell, Northwest Airlines, Lehman and Enron, among others.

"It is a privilege to be named Co-Chair of the department," said Ellenberg. "The complex challenges facing companies in today's economy require the kind of skills and creativity for which Cadwalader is well known. I look forward to working with my friend and long-time colleague to direct those efforts."

Holly Neavill joins Cadwalader from Latham & Watkins LLP, where she was a Partner in the London office.  Neavill began her legal career in the United States and moved to London in 2003. She has significant experience with the legal systems and workout procedures across Europe and in the United States, and has become well-known in the London market for her dedication, technical expertise and commercial approach.  Neavill has worked on a number of high profile restructurings and distressed M&A deals, most recently leading the ad hoc committee of bondholders in the award winning restructuring of SEAT Pagine Gialle, a publicly-listed Italian directories business.  Neavill is a graduate of Boston University Law School.

Louisa Watt joins the firm as a debt and claims trading Partner in the Restructuring Practice. She was previously at Richards Kibbe & Orbe LLP, where she was a Partner in the London office. She is a leading practitioner in the transfer of distressed debt and claims in the secondary market within Europe, Asia and the United States, and an active participant in the Loan Market Association.  She has extensive experience in advising clients on a range of bespoke trading transactions, often involving multiple jurisdictions.   She began her career in 1999 at Weil, Gotshal and Manges LLP, and was an associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.  She was elected Partner at Richards Kibbe & Orbe in 2007, and became a member of the firm's Executive Committee in 2011.

"The European market continues to present its challenges, with creditors looking for practical and innovative solutions for cross-border restructuring," Petrick said. "Holly and Louisa have proven track records. They have built strong and unique practices representing a range of institutions facilitating restructurings, distressed M&A and trading transactions and are leading authorities in this area.  This is an exciting time of growth for our restructuring practice, and these are the right attorneys."

Cadwalader's Financial Restructuring Practice is a full-service, multidisciplinary group comprising attorneys in the United States and London. The team advises clients with interests in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. The appointments of Neavill and Watt further broaden the range of expertise within the practice, which continues to grow following the recent hire of Partner Yushan Ng and Special Counsel Karen McMaster, both from Linklaters.

About Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, established in 1792, serves a diverse client base, including many of the world's leading financial institutions and corporations in more than 50 countries. With offices in New York, London, Charlotte, Washington, Houston, Beijing, Hong Kong and Brussels, Cadwalader offers legal expertise in antitrust, banking, business fraud, corporate finance, corporate governance, energy, environmental, financial restructuring, health care, intellectual property, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, private wealth, real estate, regulation, securitization, structured finance and tax. For more information, visit www.cadwalader.com.

Contacts:
Adam Segall +1 212 504 6492
adam.segall@cwt.com
Matthew Clark +1 202 728 8766
matthew.clark@fticonsulting.com