Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Adds Veteran Restructuring and Business Bankruptcy Team From Peitzman Weg LLP

LOS ANGELES, May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. is pleased to announce that Peitzman Weg LLP, a nationally known and leading corporate restructuring and bankruptcy boutique, will join the firm with four partners who will reside in the Los Angeles office of the firm.

Peitzman Weg LLP, a boutique firm with a stellar reputation founded in 1999 by veteran attorneys from elite, global firms, has been recognized in Chambers USA and U.S. News & World Report as among the top-ranked national firms for business restructuring and bankruptcy.  Partners Howard J. Weg, Scott F. Gautier, James P. Menton, Jr., and David B. Shemano have a collective experience that spans decades of practice in high-profile corporate restructuring, bankruptcy, and commercial litigation matters in California and nationwide. Several associates are also expected to join.

"These attorneys are an exceptionally talented group of legal minds with a deep capacity for the reality of modern business and how to help companies, creditors and equity holders navigate bankruptcies and restructurings," said Roman Silberfeld, managing partner of the Los Angeles office. "There are a number of clear crossover areas including business litigation, intellectual property and insurance, where our existing clients and matters face a risk or a threat of insolvency or an effort by an adverse party to use the bankruptcy process or a restructuring play to avoid or diminish liability. This team greatly expands the broad-level financial services we offer our clients and provides a custom approach to facing their most serious business challenges. Complex restructuring and bankruptcy related litigation will continue to be a fertile area of work and we look forward to bringing our firm's litigation talent to bear on restructuring and bankruptcy related issues."

"Our firm's focus is always on deliberate and thoughtful strategic expansion, and this is a terrific opportunity that is mutually beneficial for our firms and our respective clients. We identified early on that we share many of the same values and our cultures are very similar, rooted in integrity, excellence, collaboration, respect, hard work, service to our communities, diversity and inclusion," said Martin Lueck, chairman of the board at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. "Both our firms are entrepreneurial in spirit and that offers us many opportunities to be flexible to meet client needs on any level. We both also strongly value expedient and efficient business solutions that our firms' clients have come to expect, and that have sustained our long-standing client relationships."

"The highly experienced national platform offered by Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. provides significantly greater depth to the litigation and corporate law capabilities and resources than we could provide in our boutique practice alone," said Howard Weg, who will serve as chair of the firm's new Restructuring and Business Bankruptcy practice and is a founding partner of Peitzman Weg LLP. "This is a great moment to join Robins, Kaplan and bring our expertise to the firm's clients, while having direct access to the firm's skilled national litigation practice for our restructuring and bankruptcy practice."  

Howard Weg's experience includes prominent and complex restructurings, both in and out of chapter 11 cases, such as for the owners of the "Terminator" and other motion picture franchises and movie rights, restaurant franchises, the Los Angeles Bonaventure Hotel and other hotels and casinos, office buildings, industrial properties, hospitals and power companies. He serves on the board of directors of the American College of Bankruptcy. 

Scott Gautier represents constituents in all facets of corporate insolvency, both in and out of court proceedings.  His noteworthy debtor representations include such nationally recognized names as Bugle Boy, Sexy Hair, Closet World, one of the largest KFC franchisees and the Terminator movie franchise. He has had significant roles in bankruptcy cases of national prominence and also represents mid-market companies and official committees in corporate chapter 11 cases.

James Menton, Jr. is primarily focused on business litigation, bankruptcy and creditor's rights. He draws upon his extensive professional network to provide clients with strategic resources and solutions in their cases.  His experience includes matters involving commercial and contract disputes, bankruptcy related litigation, creditor and shareholder rights, director and officer liability, fraud and fraudulent transfers, lender liability and real estate.

David Shemano represents chapter 11 debtors, creditors' committees, trustees, secured creditors and general unsecured creditors in all aspects of corporate bankruptcy and bankruptcy litigation.  He has in-depth experience handling bankruptcy, restructuring and bankruptcy litigation matters related to real estate, entertainment, franchising and manufacturing.

About Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. (http://www.rkmc.com) is a litigation firm whose clients include numerous Fortune 500 corporations, emerging markets companies, entrepreneurs, and individuals as both plaintiffs and defendants. With more than 220 lawyers located in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York and Naples (FL), the firm is frequently engaged in high-stakes, complex litigation with significant bottom-line implications for clients.  Its business lawyers handle complex transactions in a variety of market segments and industries. The firm has regularly received a top ranking for litigation from Chambers USA and was chosen as a "Go-To Law Firm" by Corporate Counsel. In addition, Multicultural Law has ranked the firm as one of the top national law firms for diversity. The American Lawyer ranked the firm seventh in the country in the 2013 Pro Bono Survey, and twice named the firm to the A-List.

SOURCE Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.