Greenberg Traurig rejoined forces with Bruce Zirinsky, its former co-chair of the Restructuring & Bankruptcy Practice, and subsequently founder of Zirinsky Law Partners, a boutique law and advisory firm.

Last week, Greenberg Traurig announced the addition of Ian Jack in London, Baker McKenzie’s former global co-head of restructuring and insolvency and a 20-plus-year partner at that firm, as Greenberg Traurig prepares to assist clients during the developing change in global markets caused by the growing health crisis.

Zirinsky will immediately begin working with the firm’s lawyers during today’s unprecedented period of disruption for a wide range of industries. The relationship with Zirinsky, who founded his firm in 2015, will initially be structured as an exclusive strategic alliance.

“Bruce has always remained a close friend and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading restructuring, bankruptcy and commercial litigation lawyers,” said Richard A. Rosenbaum, Greenberg’s executive chairman. “He is not only the leading expert in the airline industry but is also highly experienced and regarded in hospitality, gaming, real estate, energy and other key industries so strongly impacted by today’s crisis.”

In 2018, Zirinsky was chosen for the second time by The American Lawyer as one of its Dealmakers of the Year for his role as company counsel in the successful Chapter 11 reorganization of Republic Airways Holdings Corporation, having previously received the award in 2008 for his role as lead company counsel in the Northwest Airlines Corporation Chapter 11 cases. In 2018, Zirinsky also received an award from M&A Advisor for the Cross-Border Restructuring of Ultrapetrol Inc. Zirinsky is also a perennial selection by Best Lawyers of America and Super Lawyers and has received numerous other awards and accolades for his accomplishments in his field of practice.

“I have always enjoyed working with my many colleagues and friends at Greenberg Traurig, and have watched in amazement at how the firm has evolved to the top tier in such areas as M&A, private equity, real estate, litigation and more, now not only across the United States, with unequaled depth and breadth, but also with high quality and unified culture in key locations across the world,” Zirinsky said. “I also look forward to working with Co-Chairs Shari Heyen and David Kurzweil, as well as a range of great practitioners across the firm.”

Greenberg Traurig’s internationally recognized Restructuring & Bankruptcy Practice, with approximately 75 attorneys worldwide, has broad advisory and litigation experience with the often-complex issues that arise in reorganizations, restructurings, workouts, liquidations, and distressed acquisitions and sales, in both domestic and cross-border situations and proceedings. With offices in commercial centers across the United States and throughout the world, the firm utilizes its invaluable business network to offer critical advice and counsel to multiple constituencies in insolvency situations.

“We have remained close with Bruce over the years and we are delighted to further strengthen our relationship,” Heyen and Kurzweil said, in a joint statement. “His experience and wise counsel could not return to us at a more opportune time, helping us continue our tradition of providing our clients with immediate access to experienced senior restructuring attorneys who deliver innovative thinking and practical strategies to define objectives, resolve complicated situations, and take advantage of opportunities that may arise in distress situations.”

Zirinsky has specialized in U.S., foreign and cross-border restructurings and bankruptcies for decades and is recognized as one of the nation’s leading business and commercial litigation lawyers.

His clients include public and private companies, investment funds, hedge funds and other investors, as well as banks, financial institutions and official and ad hoc creditors’ committees. His practice includes both court-supervised and out of court restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, complex litigation, business and other legal strategies, including strategies designed to mitigate the costs and risks of restructurings and to maximize returns to investors.

Over the past four decades, Zirinsky has played a prominent role in dozens of the largest restructurings and bankruptcies covering a broad cross-section of industries, including financial services, automotive, real estate, shipping, and air transportation, energy and power generation, oil and gas exploration and production, refining, real estate, hospitality, technology, communications, news and entertainment, gaming, cinema, shipping and petroleum services, rail, natural resources and equipment leasing and finance.