O’Melveny & Myers LLP is pleased to announce that Zachary H. Smith has joined O’Melveny’s Restructuring Practice as a partner in New York. Smith joins the Firm from Cadwalader following the announcement last week that John J. Rapisardi and George A. Davis, former co-chairs of Cadwalader’s Global Financial Restructuring Department, and former Cadwalader partner Peter M. Friedman were joining O’Melveny.
“Zach’s deep substantive knowledge of bankruptcy law, creativity, and tireless work ethic have led to many outstanding results for his clients,” said Davis. “We have worked with him for nearly 10 years and we are delighted he’s joining us at O’Melveny,” said Rapisardi.
Added Firm Chair Bradley J. Butwin: “Zach is an excellent addition to the world-class trio we welcomed last week. We have a truly global team in place with top-notch specialists spanning the East Coast, West Coast, and into Asia and Europe; we are creating one of the finest practices capable of handling the most challenging restructuring issues.”
Smith represents debtors, creditors, lenders, and strategic investors in in-court and out-of-court restructurings and has counseled a wide array of clients through financial distress situations. He has been the lead lawyer representing Vertis, Inc., a billion-dollar printing company, advising the company through many challenging aspects of its chapter 11 proceeding. He also was a key member of the team that served as outside counsel to the US Treasury Department and Presidential Task Force on General Motors’ restructuring. Smith, who has developed a specialty in Puerto Rican-based restructuring matters, represented a US-based hedge fund in its acquisition of Ciudadela, a high-profile distressed commercial and residential real estate project in San Juan, through two simultaneous section 363 transactions.
Smith is recognized as an emerging leader in the bankruptcy field, having recently been selected as one of five “Rising Stars” in the bankruptcy area by Law360. He also was named one of twelve “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyers” by Turnarounds & Workouts magazine. Smith received his A.B., cum laude, from Harvard University in 2000. He is a part-time faculty member at his law school, Boston University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2003), where he teaches a seminar on financial restructuring practice.
“I’m thrilled to become part of O’Melveny’s global restructuring platform and the growth of its New York transactions practice,” said Smith. “The Firm has a wonderful culture and I’m looking forward to contributing to O’Melveny in meaningful ways.”
