Restructuring

Today, the Honorable Arthur J. Gonzalez will retire as chief judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.  Since announcing his retirement last year, Chief Judge Gonzalez has received the highest praise for his record of service to the bankruptcy community.  Judge Gonzalez is a distinguished jurist and has presided over three of the largest and most important chapter 11 cases of the past decade –  Enron, Worldcom, and Chrysler.  During the peak of the Enron and Worldcom cases, many of us at Weil appeared before Judge Gonzalez almost daily and benefited tremendously from his wisdom and oversight.
Judge Gonzalez is equally well-respected for the thoughtful decisions and guidance that he has demonstrated in all of the matters that have come before him – from global corporations to local businesses, from multibillion dollar companies to individual debtors.  His record is impeccable, and all of us who have been fortunate to practice before him have been grateful for the opportunity.  Since taking the bench in 1995, Judge Gonzalez, along with his chambers staff and law clerks, have made immeasurable contributions to the bankruptcy and restructuring world.  Though his distinguished career defies summation, additional information about Judge Gonzalez can be found here.
Beginning tomorrow, Chief Judge Gonzalez will be returning full-time to his roots as a teacher and will be joining the faculty of New York University Law School as a senior fellow.  While we will miss him on the bench, we know that the future restructuring professionals of America are in good hands with Judge Gonzalez.  We at the Bankruptcy Blog want to express our deepest thanks to Judge Gonzalez for 17 years of exceptional service and for all of his incredible contributions from the bench.  Best wishes in your new endeavors, Judge.