Co-chair elect of the firm.
Co-head elect of Akin’s management committee and the partner in charge of the firm’s New York office.
Recognized as a market-leading lawyer by Chambers, The Legal 500 and Turnarounds & Workouts, among others.
Advises on the full range of liability management situations and complex financial restructuring litigation in bankruptcy and appellate courts.
Leads litigation teams in hotly contested proceedings, including First Energy Solutions Corp., Momentive Performance Materials Inc., Avaya Inc. and Seadrill Limited.
Represents debtors, creditors, bondholders, hedge funds, institutional investors, and ad hoc and official creditors’ committees.

Abid Qureshi serves as co-chair elect of Akin and co-head elect of the firm’s management committee. He leads the strategic growth of the firm, renowned for its commitment to client service, future-focused approach and collaborative environment. Abid is also the partner in charge of the firm’s New York office.

A leading financial restructuring litigator, Abid has comprehensive experience advising on virtually every issue arising in the course of complex restructurings and liability management situations. Abid has litigated some of the most complex, cutting-edge issues in the highest-profile chapter 11 cases. He also has extensive experience in cross-border insolvencies and chapter 15 proceedings.

Abid is widely regarded as one of the elite financial restructuring litigators in the United States. He has received the highest industry honors, including by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, Crain’s New York Business and Turnarounds & Workouts.

Among many prominent restructurings, Abid represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the chapter 11 cases of Diamond Sports Group, involving more than $8 billion in liabilities; an ad hoc group of secured term loan lenders in the chapter 11 cases of Revlon and its affiliates, involving $3.5 billion in liabilities; and an ad hoc group of creditors in the chapter 11 cases of Intelsat and its affiliates, involving $14.7 billion in liabilities.

Abid’s recent litigations include:

Liability management transactions
Contested plan confirmation proceedings
Valuation disputes
Cram-down disputes
Make-whole and no-call claims
Fraudulent transfer and preference
Breaches of fiduciary duty
Fraudulent transfer claims
Asset sales
Valuation proceedings.

Abid is a frequent speaker at major financial restructuring and distressed investments industry events.

Representative Work

Diamond Sports: Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the chapter 11 cases of Diamond Sports Group and its affiliates, which operates regional sports broadcast networks for more than 40 teams across MLB, the NHL and the NBA, involving more than $8 billion in liabilities.
Enviva: Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the chapter 11 cases of Enviva, the world's largest wood-based biomass company, involving over $2 billion in liabilities.
Rudolph W. Giuliani: Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, on a pro bono basis, in the chapter 11 cases of Rudolph W. Giuliani, American politician and former mayor of New York City, involving over $152 million in liabilities.
Brightspeed: Counsel to Brightspeed, a broadband internet provider, in connection with a financing transaction that provided approximately $3.7 billion in new money.
Nordic Aviation Capital: Counsel to the private placement noteholders in relation to a waiver and deferral arrangement implemented through an Irish scheme of arrangement, and on the restructuring of more than $6 billion of the group's debt through a chapter 11 plan. Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year - Over $1B (M&A Advisor)
Crédito Real: Counsel to an ad hoc group of unsecured noteholders and lenders in the restructuring of Crédito Real and its affiliates, a Mexican nonbank financial institution, involving more than $2 billion in liabilities.

Revlon: Counsel to an ad hoc group of secured term loan lenders in the chapter 11 cases of Revlon and its affiliates, a personal care and cosmetics company that sells its products in approximately 150 countries, involving $3.5 billion in liabilities.
Intelsat: Counsel to an ad hoc group of creditors in the chapter 11 cases of Intelsat and its affiliates, one of the largest satellite services providers in the world, involving $14.7 billion in liabilities. Restructuring of the Year - Over $10B (M&A Advisor)
Aeroméxico: Counsel to an ad hoc group of senior noteholders in the chapter 11 cases of Aeroméxico and its affiliates, Mexico’s flagship airline, involving $2 billion in liabilities. Cross-border Restructuring of the Year - Over $1B (M&A Advisor)
Brazos Electric Power Cooperative: Counsel to Tri-County Electric in the chapter 11 case of Brazos, an electrical generation and transmission cooperative, involving $2.1 billion in liabilities. Successful Restructurings of the Year (Turnarounds & Workouts)
GWG: Counsel to the Official Committee of Bondholders in the chapter 11 cases of GWG Holdings and its affiliates, a financial services firm that invests in secondary life insurance assets and sells life insurance-backed bonds, involving over $2 billion in liabilities.
Just Energy: Counsel to the prepetition lenders and DIP lenders in the CCAA and chapter 15 cases of Just Energy and its affiliates, a leading North American distributor of electricity and natural gas, involving more than $440 million in liabilities.
Sears: Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the chapter 11 cases of Sears and its affiliates, once the largest retailer in the world, involving $5.6 billion in liabilities. Restructuring and Insolvency Deal of the Year (IFLR1000)
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): Counsel to the ad hoc committee of senior unsecured noteholders in the chapter 11 cases of PG&E and its affiliates, the largest energy utility in the U.S., involving over $30 billion in liabilities. To date, this is the seventh-largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. Innovation Award (New York Law Journal)
Travelport: Counsel to an ad hoc group of secured term loan lenders of Travelport Worldwide, a provider of distribution, technology and payment solutions for the travel and tourism industry, in an out-of-court recapitalization.
Frontier Communications: Counsel to an ad hoc group of unsecured noteholders in the chapter 11 cases of Frontier Communications and its affiliates, an American telecommunications company, involving $17 billion in liabilities. Telecommunications Services Deal of the Year (M&A Advisor)
Chesapeake Energy: Counsel to Franklin Advisors in the chapter 11 cases of Chesapeake Energy and its affiliates, the second-largest producer of natural gas in the U.S., involving $9 billion in liabilities. Successful Restructurings of the Year (Turnarounds & Workouts)

Revlon: Counsel to an ad hoc group of secured term loan lenders in the chapter 11 cases of Revlon and its affiliates, a personal care and cosmetics company that sells its products in approximately 150 countries, involving $3.5 billion in liabilities.
Intelsat: Counsel to an ad hoc group of creditors in the chapter 11 cases of Intelsat and its affiliates, one of the largest satellite services providers in the world, involving $14.7 billion in liabilities. Restructuring of the Year - Over $10B (M&A Advisor)
Aeroméxico: Counsel to an ad hoc group of senior noteholders in the chapter 11 cases of Aeroméxico and its affiliates, Mexico’s flagship airline, involving $2 billion in liabilities. Cross-border Restructuring of the Year - Over $1B (M&A Advisor)
Brazos Electric Power Cooperative: Counsel to Tri-County Electric in the chapter 11 case of Brazos, an electrical generation and transmission cooperative, involving $2.1 billion in liabilities. Successful Restructurings of the Year (Turnarounds & Workouts)
GWG: Counsel to the Official Committee of Bondholders in the chapter 11 cases of GWG Holdings and its affiliates, a financial services firm that invests in secondary life insurance assets and sells life insurance-backed bonds, involving over $2 billion in liabilities.
Just Energy: Counsel to the prepetition lenders and DIP lenders in the CCAA and chapter 15 cases of Just Energy and its affiliates, a leading North American distributor of electricity and natural gas, involving more than $440 million in liabilities.
Sears: Counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the chapter 11 cases of Sears and its affiliates, once the largest retailer in the world, involving $5.6 billion in liabilities. Restructuring and Insolvency Deal of the Year (IFLR1000)
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): Counsel to the ad hoc committee of senior unsecured noteholders in the chapter 11 cases of PG&E and its affiliates, the largest energy utility in the U.S., involving over $30 billion in liabilities. To date, this is the seventh-largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. Innovation Award (New York Law Journal)
Travelport: Counsel to an ad hoc group of secured term loan lenders of Travelport Worldwide, a provider of distribution, technology and payment solutions for the travel and tourism industry, in an out-of-court recapitalization.
Frontier Communications: Counsel to an ad hoc group of unsecured noteholders in the chapter 11 cases of Frontier Communications and its affiliates, an American telecommunications company, involving $17 billion in liabilities. Telecommunications Services Deal of the Year (M&A Advisor)
Chesapeake Energy: Counsel to Franklin Advisors in the chapter 11 cases of Chesapeake Energy and its affiliates, the second-largest producer of natural gas in the U.S., involving $9 billion in liabilities. Successful Restructurings of the Year (Turnarounds & Workouts)

"He is an impressive bankruptcy litigator; he is a fantastically intelligent and sharp individual."

Chambers USA

Languages
German

Education
LL.M., London School of Economics and Political Science, with merit, 1996
J.D., University of Toronto, 1994
B.A., University of British Columbia, with highest honors, 1991

Bar Admissions
New York
Solicitor, England and Wales

Recognitions

Chambers USA, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, 2021-present.
The Legal 500 US, Restructuring, 2016-present and Leading Lawyer.
Crain's New York Business, Notable Asian Leaders, 2022.
Turnarounds & Workouts, Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer, 2019.

Affiliations and Public Service

President, United Nations Association of New York
Liaison, Lawyers Without Borders

Speeches and Publications

Speaker, “State of Distressed Debt,” Bloomberg Intelligence FICC Focus, Podcast, February 2024.
Speaker, McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 2021 - 2024.
Moderator, "A Breakfast Conversation with the Judges on Today's Hot Topics," American Bankruptcy Institute's VALCON, New Orleans, May 2023.
Panelist, "Turning It Around - Hot Topics in Contested Plan Issues," Practising Law Institute (PLI) Bankruptcy & Reorganizations: Current Developments, New York, May 2023.
Moderator, “A Breakfast Conversation with the Judges on Today’s Hot Topics,” American Bankruptcy Institute’s VALCON, Las Vegas, May 2022.
Panelist, “Turning It Around - Hot Topics in Contested Plan Issues,” Practising Law Institute (PLI) Bankruptcy & Reorganizations: Current Developments, New York, May 2022.
Moderator, "Impact of COVID-19 on Valuation: Views from the Bench, Investors and Advisors," American Bankruptcy Institute's VALCON, May 2021.
Panelist, “Admissibility of Electronic Evidence at Trial,” American Bankruptcy Institute’s Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar, Tampa, January 2020.
Panelist, “Taking Assets, Killing Contracts and Burning Rights,” Barclay’s Distressed and Special Situations Conference, New York, April 2019.
Panelist, “Effective Use of Non-Debtor Third Party Releases,” National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, Las Vegas, October 2017.
Panelist, “Making Appeals More Appealing: When and How to Appeal,” ABI Winter Leadership Conference, Rancho Palos Verdes, December 2016.
Panelist, “Case Study: Energy Futures Holdings,” M&A Advisors’ Distressed Investing Summit, Palm Beach, January 2016.
Panelist, “Energy Future Holdings Update,” Turnarounds & Workouts' 22nd Annual Distressed Investing Conference, New York, November 2015.
Panelist, “Cross-Border Sales: Emerging Issues in a Novel Landscape,” University of Texas School of Law’s 34th Annual Jay L. Westbrook Bankruptcy Conference, Austin, November 2015.
Moderator, “Ethics: Before it’s Over Should We Talk (or not)?,” American College of Investment Counsels’ Spring Investment Forum, Chicago, April 2014.
Panelist, “Valuation Game Theory: Constituents’ Tactics and Perspectives,” American Bankruptcy Institute’s VALCON, Las Vegas, February 2014.