Deborah Newman’s practice focuses on bankruptcy-related litigation and complex commercial litigation. Ms. Newman regularly represents investment funds, indenture trustees, creditor committees, corporate debtors, and litigation trusts in the full range of litigation matters arising in chapter 11 restructurings and cross-border insolvencies. Ms. Newman also has extensive experience litigating complex commercial matters in state and federal courts.
Ms. Newman was named a “Litigation Star” [Bankruptcy] by Benchmark Litigation (2024), a “Leading Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyer” by LawDragon (2022-24), and a “Recommended Lawyer” by Legal 500 USA (2023). Ms. Newman has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America (2024), Legal 500 (2023), and Euromoney’s Women in Business Law (2022), and was selected by Law360 as a “Rising Star” in bankruptcy litigation in 2016.
- Obtained complete dismissal of claims seeking approximately $320 million on behalf of a multi-billion dollar investment firm in Texas state court.
- Obtained complete dismissal of claims seeking the rescission of a loan totaling approximately $76 million on behalf of a multi-billion dollar investment firm in Utah state court.
- Served as Special Litigation Counsel to the Debtor in the Diamond Sports bankruptcy case to pursue claims for fraudulent transfer and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty against JPMorgan.
- Representing the Quorum Litigation Trust in pursuing claims for alter ego, illegal dividend, and unjust enrichment against Quorum’s former parent corporation.
- Defending a multi-billion dollar investment firm against claims for fraudulent transfer and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty.
- Obtained precedential ruling authorizing debtor Ultra Resources to reject FERC-regulated, inter-state firm transportation pipeline contract and holding that rejection will not harm the public interest or decrease the supply of natural gas.
- Obtained summary judgment in favor of one of the world’s largest banks in an inter-creditor dispute regarding the seniority of the bank’s security interests in the Philadelphia Energy bankruptcy case.
- Defended an ad hoc group of second lien lenders in the SunEdison bankruptcy case against claims for fraudulent transfer and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty.
- Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Nine West bankruptcy case in pursuing fraudulent transfer and other claims against the debtors’ equity sponsor.
- Represented one of the largest creditors in the Momentive Performance Materials bankruptcy proceeding.
- Obtained complete dismissal on appeal of a complaint seeking approximately $140 million from a multinational oil company.
- Represented a private investment firm in the highly contested restructuring of a foreign telecommunications company.
- Represented the creditors committee in the bankruptcy proceedings of Chassix Holdings Inc. and its affiliated entities in the pursuit of fraudulent transfer and breach of fiduciary duty claims, resulting in a favorable estate settlement.
- Defended an indenture trustee against a 14-count complaint brought by an official committee of unsecured creditors, resulting in the preservation of more than $500 million of value for the indenture trustee’s beneficiary bondholders.
- Represented the largest holder of pre-LBO debt of the Tribune Company in litigation respecting the confirmation of competing plans of reorganization and approval of a proposed settlement under Rule 9019 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure.
- Represented the indenture trustees of the pre-LBO debt of the Tribune Company in multi-district litigation seeking to avoid and disgorge payments made to shareholders in the Tribune LBO.
- Represented the Tribune Litigation Trust in pursing claims including fraudulent conveyance and breach of fiduciary duty against former Tribune shareholders and current and former Tribune officers and directors.
- Represented one of the major creditors in the LightSquared, Inc. bankruptcy case.
- Defended a group of banks in litigation brought against them by Lehman Brothers Special Financing Inc. in the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy cause seeking to disgorge payments made under ISDA agreements.
- Obtained summary judgment for a large publishing company in a high-profile libel litigation in federal court.
- Represented a major bondholder of Spectrum Brands in contested confirmation proceedings relating to valuation and reinstatement.
- Represented a post-confirmation liquidating trust in the breach of fiduciary duty litigation, resulting in the withdrawal of the challenged transaction.
- Conducted an independent audit committee investigation of potential securities and accounting violations by a publicly traded company.
- Served as special litigation counsel to an asbestos debtor in litigation respecting the estimation of asbestos-related liability.
- Obtained dismissal of one of Russia’s largest wireless carriers in federal securities litigation.
- Represented trust in litigation regarding post-closing asset purchase agreement disputes relating to working capital adjustments, management fee calculation and liability assumptions.
- Columbia Law School
(J.D., 2002) - University of Michigan
(B.A., with honors, 1997)
- The State Bar of New York
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP:
- Partner, 2011-2019
- Ranked by Legal 500 USA, Finance: Restructuring (including bankruptcy), “Recommended Lawyers”, 2023 and 2024
- Ranked by Benchmark Litigation - Bankruptcy - Litigation Star, 2024
- Ranked by The Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2024
- Recognized by Euromoney’s Women in Business Law for Litigation, 2022
- Selected as a LawDragon 500 Leading Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyer, 2022-2024
- Selected as a 2016 “Rising Star” in bankruptcy litigation by Law360.
- Firm Memorandum: Post-Merit Decision Finds that Section 546(e) Safe Harbor Protection for Leveraged Buyouts is Alive and Well, (May 2019).
- The Privilege is Mine by David M. Zensky, Deborah Newman.