Two at Akin Gump Named Among Top Bankruptcy Lawyers

(New York, New York) – For the second year in a row, Turnarounds & Workouts has named Fred S. Hodara to its annual list of Outstanding Restructuring Lawyers. In addition, the bankruptcy industry publication has named Abid Qureshi to its annual list of Outstanding Young Bankruptcy Lawyers.

Mr. Hodara heads the financial restructuring practice at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. He was recognized for his representations of the official committee of unsecured creditors of Washington Mutual, Inc. and WMI Investment Corp.; the informal noteholder committee of Mrs. Fields; an informal second lien lender group of Recycled Paper Greetings; and the steering committee of lenders of Philadelphia Newspapers.

Mr. Hodara represents hedge funds, insurance companies, bank lenders and other financial institutions in major financial restructuring and bankruptcy situations. He focuses on representing creditors’ committees in chapter 11 cases and out-of-court restructurings, with particular emphasis on committees comprised of diverse creditor constituencies. His recent representations include the liquidators of the two infamous Bear Stearns-managed sub-prime hedge funds and a $750 million hedge fund creditor of the failed broker-dealer Refco Capital Markets.

A partner in Akin Gump’s financial restructuring practice, Mr. Qureshi was recognized for his work on high-profile litigation matters in connection with the chapter 11 filings of Calpine Corporation, TOUSA, Wellman, IdleAire Technologies, Propex, Lehman Brothers Holdings, Pliant Corporation and Philadelphia Newspapers, as well as for his leading role in the U.S. proceedings related to the collapsed Bear Stearns hedge funds.

Mr. Qureshi represents creditors, bondholders, hedge funds, institutional investors and creditor committees in the full range of complex litigation matters arising in the course of chapter 11 restructurings and other bankruptcy contexts.

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, a leading international law firm, numbers more than 800 lawyers in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The firm’s financial restructuring practice, with more than 40 lawyers worldwide, is best known for its representation of formal and informal creditors’ committees in major restructurings and debtor companies in chapter 11 proceedings and out-of-court restructurings.

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