Matthew A. Lesnick

Matt represents clients in bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings and litigation matters throughout the country. In every situation, he looks for practical and effective business solutions. Matt has represented debtors and creditors in and out of bankruptcy, as well as creditors committees, secured lenders and agents for syndicated lending groups, secured and unsecured noteholder groups, bankruptcy trustees and acquirers of assets from troubled companies. He has also represented landlords, vendors, licensors and licensees of intellectual property, and other parties that have on-going business relationships with troubled companies.

Matt’s insolvency litigation experience includes both trial and appellate work. He has confirmed chapter 11 plans of reorganization on behalf of debtors and creditors committees, contested plans on behalf of creditors and equity holders, and litigated claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and bankruptcy avoidance powers. Matt also has extensive experience in general commercial litigation, including cases involving patent disputes, breach of contract, business torts, and m&a disputes.

Experience:

Matt was an equity partner in the Financial Restructuring Group and Financial Services and Insolvency Litigation Group at Bingham McCutchen LLP (and its predecessor, McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen, LLP) from March 2002 through November 2005. He joined the McCutchen firm as an associate in its bankruptcy group in 1996. From December 2005 to August 2009, Matt maintained his own solo law practice in Santa Monica. From 1994 to 1996, Matt served as law clerk to the Hon. Michael J. Kaplan, then Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of New York.

Education:

• University of Pennsylvania Law School, Juris Doctor, 1994
• Cornell University, Bachelor of Arts, 1990

Admissions, Court and Memberships:

• State Bar of California
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum
• Orange County Bankruptcy Forum
• Financial Lawyers Conference
• Turnaround Management Association
• Los Angeles County Bar Association Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section

Awards and Honors:

• Named a "Super Lawyer Rising Star" in the field of bankruptcy law in the Southern California surveys published by Law & Politics magazine and Los Angeles magazine for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009
• AV-Rated (the highest rating) by Martindale-Hubbell/Lexis-Nexis
• Editor, Comparative Labor Law Journal, University of Pennsylvania.

Speaking Engagements:

• Speaker, Orange County Bar Association, Intellectual Property & Technology Law Section, on topic of bankruptcy issues in IP transactions, 2004
• Guest Lecturer, "Deals: Engineering Financial Transactions" (Prof. Fleischer), on topic of bankruptcy M&A transactions, UCLA Law School, 2003
• Guest Lecturer, "Patent Protection and Antitrust Restraints" (Prof. Schechter), on topic of bankruptcy issues in intellectual property licensing, Loyola Law School, 2002 and 2003