Cristine Pirro Schwarzman Joins Ropes & Gray’s Business Restructuring Group in New York

Global law firm Ropes & Gray today announced that Cristine Pirro Schwarzman has joined the firm’s 350-lawyer New York office as a partner in its business restructuring practice group. Ms. Schwarzman is a recognized bankruptcy practitioner who will enhance the firm’s service offerings to distressed public and private companies. 

Ms. Schwarzman is focused on representing debtors in out-of-court restructurings, chapter 11 cases and distressed acquisitions. Her clients have included an array of public, portfolio and privately-held companies and she has secured victories across industries, including in telecommunications, technology, consumer & retail and energy. Her work leading a complex $760 million restructuring garnered Ms. Schwarzman and her team the 2018 “Restructuring of the Year ($500M to $1bn)” award from the Turnaround Management Association. 

“Cristi is described by clients as a commercially minded and energetic counselor who brings a wealth of experience in company-side representations. It makes her an especially valuable addition to our practice,” said Mark I. Bane, partner and co-chair of Ropes & Gray’s business restructuring practice group. “A full spectrum of public, private and portfolio company clients will benefit from her experience handling complex restructurings.” 

“Working across the table from Ropes & Gray’s restructuring attorneys is what drew me to the firm,” said Ms. Schwarzman. “The depth of knowledge their teams bring to clients in restructurings is impressive and the practice has made important investments in its team to ensure it’s especially well-suited to advise companies that are adapting to a changing economy.” 

Ms. Schwarzman has distinguished herself by her service both to clients and to the bankruptcy bar. She has served as a member of the SDNY Local Rules Committee to Revise the Local Bankruptcy Rules, acted as a contributing editor of the Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice, and written for various publications, including most recently the Practical Law Institute. Ms. Schwarzman served as a board member of the International Women in Restructuring Confederation from 2014-2016. Her recent speaking engagements include serving as a panelist at the American Bankruptcy Institute 2019 Complex Restructuring Program, and as a guest lecturer at the Wharton School and NYU School of Law. 

Ms. Schwarzman joins Ropes & Gray from Kirkland & Ellis, where she was a partner.  Prior to Kirkland, she practiced in the business, finance and restructuring group at Weil Gotshal & Manges. Before that, she served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Arthur J. Gonzalez in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Ms. Schwarzman earned a B.A. cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and received her J.D. and Certificate in Business Economics and Public Policy from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.