Attorney Detail Banner
Back to Attorneys
Kirpalani, Susheel

Susheel Kirpalani

Partner

susheelkirpalani@quinnemanuel.com
Direct Tel: +1 212-849-7200, Direct Fax: +1 212-849-7100
New York
Tel: +1 212 849 7000 Fax: +1 212 849 7100

Susheel Kirpalani is the founder and Chairperson of the firm’s Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group. Susheel’s notable representations include: serving as the Court-appointed examiner and mediator in Dynegy; representing  the statutory creditors’ committees in RadioShack, SemCrude and Sentinel; serving as conflicts counsel to estate fiduciaries in Voyager Digital, J. Crew, Lehman Brothers, NII International, NewPage, Idearc, Washington Mutual, and Solutia; representing the equity sponsors in LyondellBasell, Sabine Oil & Gas, and Sbarro. Susheel also has broad experience in international insolvencies, leading the firm’s engagements for the Hong Kong-based private equity owner of Fisker Automotive in connection with an auction and litigation relating to competitive bid for the debtors’ assets by U.S.-based affiliate of Chinese company Wanxiang, for OGX, OSX, and OAS in U.S. aspects of their Brazil judicial recovery proceedings, for Government of Antigua & Barbuda in amending their Company Act legislation, Dubai World in drafting Dubai’s bankruptcy legislation for public decree companies, and for the Joint Liquidators of the Kingate Global and Euro Funds in the SIPC proceeding against Bernard L. Madoff’s defunct firm. In municipal restructurings, Susheel led the firm’s engagement for the ad hoc groups of COFINA Senior and Lawful Constitutional Debt Coalition Bondholders during Puerto Rico’s financial crisis, as well as the leading monoline insurance company in Jefferson County’s Chapter 9 case. In connection with the Puerto Rico matter, at the request of the Speaker of the House, Susheel worked on the bill and testified before Congress regarding the fairness of the restructuring title of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), which was ultimately enacted into law.  Susheel’s established reputation for creativity and advocacy in creditors’ rights against companies tainted by fraud include his work in such historic cases as Enron Corp. and Refco Group Ltd.

Chambers USA ranks Susheel in Band One, stating "Susheel is among the strongest bankruptcy lawyers in the market. It is unusual to find such strong litigation skills as well as commercial sense and deal-orientation in the same person." Expert Guides named Susheel one of the “Top 30 most pre-eminent Insolvency Lawyers in America in 2012.” In 2013, The American Lawyer honored Susheel as “Dealmaker of the Year” for his work as Examiner and Mediator in Dynegy. He was recognized years ago by The Deal as one of eight attorneys “poised to become significant figures in the bars of cities ranging from Houston to Paris,” and also by Law360 as one of the ten most admired bankruptcy attorneys in the country.

Susheel is a member of the National Bankruptcy Conference and is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. He is also a recipient of the South Asian Bar Association of New York’s esteemed Litigation Achievement Award.

Susheel is a frequent lecturer and panelist across the country on topics relating to financial crisis litigation and emerging developments in bankruptcy.  He is also a member of the Dean’s Planning Council of Fordham University School of Law, where he has created a full-tuition scholarship for public service, and is involved in various charitable endeavors.

  • Fordham University School of Law
    (J.D., 1994)
    • Dean's List (all years)
    • Fordham Law Review:
      • Associate Editor 1993-1994
  • Queens College
    (B.A., Economics 1991)
    • Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics Honor Society)
  • The State Bar of New York
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals:
    • Second Circuit
    • Third Circuit
    • Sixth Circuit
  • United States District Court:
    • Eastern District of New York
    • Southern District of New York
  • Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, New York:
    • Partner, 2001-2006
    • Associate, 1998-2001
  • Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, LLP
    • Associate, 1994-1998
  • Ranked as Hall of Fame by Legal 500 USA, Finance: Restructuring (including bankruptcy), 2022 and 2023
  • Recognized by Chambers Global  USA: Bankruptcy/Restructuring – Band 1, 2023
  • Recognized by Who’s Who Legal Global Leader – Restructuring & Insolvency,  2023
  • Ranked in The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2023-2024
  • Conferee of the National Bankruptcy Conference
  • Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy
  • Ranked in Band 1 for New York and Nationwide Bankruptcy/Restructuring Litigation, Chambers USA; peer-reviewed as “fantastic and creative” and “the single best bankruptcy litigator in the business. He is excellent and he has this ability to exude confidence and calmness.”
  • Selected as a LawDragon 500 Leading Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyer, 2022
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law from 2006 to 2022.
  • Named since 2006 “Super Lawyer” for Bankruptcy, Creditor Debtor Rights, Business Litigation by SuperLawyers Magazine. 
  • Named since 2017 “Leading Lawyer in America” by Law Dragon.
  • Recognized by Law360 as a “Bankruptcy MVP” in 2018 and 2012.
  • Recognized by The American Lawyer as a 2013 “Dealmaker of the Year.”
  • Named one of the “Top 30 most pre-eminent Insolvency Lawyers in America in 2012” by Expert Guides, the Legal Media Group Guides to the World’s Leading Lawyers.
  • Previously named two years in a row (from nationwide bankruptcy practitioners under 40) by Turnarounds & Workouts as among the “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyers”.
  • Named by The Deal Magazine in 2009 as one of the future leaders of the bankruptcy bar “from Houston to Paris.”