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Top BigLaw Firms for Restructuring / Bankruptcy

Research on bankruptcy code issues, drafting motions and plan documents, and supporting negotiations among creditors when companies are in distress. Chambers USA 2026 ranks 43 firms in our directory nationwide for restructuring and bankruptcy, 6 of them in Band 1. Pick a city for the local tables.

Ranked nationwide
43
Cities with 3+ ranked firms
30

Restructuring / Bankruptcy by city

Ranked nationwide, Chambers USA 2026

  1. 1.Latham & Watkins LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  2. 2.Kirkland & Ellis LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  3. 3.Davis Polk & Wardwell LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  4. 4.Milbank LLPFirst-year base $235,000+Band 1 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  5. 5.Paul Hastings LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  6. 6.Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  7. 7.White & Case LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  8. 8.Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & KatzFirst-year base $230,000Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  9. 9.Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  10. 10.Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  11. 11.Sidley Austin LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  12. 12.Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLPFirst-year base $235,000Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  13. 13.Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  14. 14.Jones DayFirst-year base $240,000Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  15. 15.Morrison & Foerster LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  16. 16.Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 3 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  17. 17.Sullivan & Cromwell LLPFirst-year base $235,000+Band 4 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  18. 18.Ropes & Gray LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 4 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  19. 19.Proskauer Rose LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 4 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  20. 20.McDermott Will & Schulte LLPBand 4 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  21. 21.Greenberg Traurig, LLPFirst-year base Varies by officeBand 4 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  22. 22.O'Melveny & Myers LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 5 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  23. 23.Vinson & Elkins LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 5 (The Elite) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  24. 24.Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  25. 25.King & Spalding LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  26. 26.Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  27. 27.Norton Rose Fulbright US LLPFirst-year base $235,000Band 1 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  28. 28.Reed Smith LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  29. 29.Baker & Hostetler LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 1 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  30. 30.McGuireWoods LLPFirst-year base $215,000Band 1 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  31. 31.Katten Muchin Rosenman LLPFirst-year base $235,000+Band 1 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  32. 32.Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 2 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  33. 33.Hogan Lovells CadwaladerFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  34. 34.DLA Piper LLP (US)First-year base $225,000+Band 2 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  35. 35.Dentons US LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 2 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  36. 36.Fox Rothschild LLPFirst-year base $205,000Band 2 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  37. 37.ArentFox Schiff LLPFirst-year base $215,000Band 2 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  38. 38.Blank Rome LLPFirst-year base $210,000 - $225,000Band 2 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  39. 39.Cole SchotzFirst-year base $225,000Band 2 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  40. 40.Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLPFirst-year base $225,000+Band 3 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  41. 41.Mayer Brown LLPFirst-year base $225,000Band 3 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  42. 42.Duane Morris LLPFirst-year base $220,000Band 3 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring
  43. 43.Lowenstein SandlerFirst-year base $225,000Band 3 (Highly Regarded) · Bankruptcy/Restructuring

Is restructuring and bankruptcy a fit?

Who tends to thrive

  • People who like high stakes and fast-changing situations
  • Those who enjoy mixing litigation and deal skills
  • Anyone interested in why companies fail

What a 1L can do this year

  • Take Bankruptcy or Corporate Reorganization when available
  • Read coverage of a recent Chapter 11 case to see the moving pieces
  • Ask whether the group represents debtors, creditors or both
Not sure this practice fits? Take the quiz Filter the directory by restructuring and bankruptcy

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