Squire Patton Boggs partner and global chair of the firm’s restructuring and insolvency practice group, Stephen D. Lerner, assumed the role of president of the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) at the ABI’s Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C. He succeeds the Honorable Bruce Harwood.
An ABI member since 1990, Lerner most recently served as ABI president elect and has supported the organization in a variety of leadership roles, including as vice president – international, a role now held by Squire Patton Boggs partner Katie Catanese.
“The ABI plays a vital role in bringing together practitioners, academics and policymakers to advance thoughtful dialogue and practical solutions,” Lerner said. “I look forward to working with our fantastic team to foster collaboration across our diverse membership, and support efforts that strengthen the insolvency system for the benefit of all stakeholders at a time of complexity and disruption across global markets. I also intend to continue the expansion of ABI’s international focus, including to important, developing markets in Asia and Africa.”
Lerner has served as global chair of Squire Patton Boggs’ restructuring and insolvency practice group for nearly two decades. He brings extensive national and cross border restructuring experience, representing debtors, distressed businesses, committees of unsecured creditors, secured and unsecured creditors, equity interest holders, boards of directors, indenture trustees and acquirers of troubled businesses in Chapter 11 reorganizations, Chapter 15 cross border cases, Chapter 9 municipal restructurings and out of court restructurings throughout the United States, Europe, the United Arab Emirates, South America and India.
In addition to his new role as ABI president, Stephen serves on the executive committee of the American College of Bankruptcy as Counsel to the College, the executive committee of the National Bankruptcy Conference, and is a member of the International Insolvency Institute.

