Daniel Desatnik

DANIEL is a partner in the Business Solutions, Governance, Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group of Proskauer Rose LLP. His practice focuses on the representation of debtors, creditors’ committees, equity committees, and creditors in chapter 11 cases and out-ofcourt restructurings. He is one of the core members of the Proskauer team representing the Financial Oversight and Management Board of Puerto Rico (FOMB) in its successful restructuring of Puerto Rico’s $74 billion debt load, lowering its liabilities by $33 billion and saving it over $50 billion in debt-service payments. He currently plays a key role in the restructuring of the operations and over $9 billion of debt of Puerto Rico’s electric utility, PREPA. He has argued successfully in the Eighth Circuit and First Circuit Courts of Appeals on novel issues in bankruptcy law.

Daniel has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America each year since 2021 as one of its “Ones to Watch.” He has been featured on panels and podcasts on bankruptcy law topics, and his articles have been published in such industry-leading outlets as Debtwire and Reorg Research. He uses his political science background to understand how the legal and policy environment impact corporate restructuring efforts. In addition, he has founded multiple tech start-ups, serving as CEO and leading teams of employees and interns. His experiences provided an invaluable foundation for his legal practice, where he manages diverse teams of attorneys and paralegals.

Daniel’s passion for restructuring law grew out of an appreciation for its greater purpose and how it benefits society. When he witnessed the 2008 financial crisis, he recognized the need for improved financial literacy education and founded AllowanceTree.com, a platform that empowers children and teenagers to develop financial discipline through real-world decision-making experiences. Outside of the office, he is a top-ranked competitive tennis player and has won several high-profile and national-level tennis tournaments. He played varsity tennis for Emory University and represented the U.S. in the 2017 Maccabiah Games, held in Israel. He was selected for fellowship of elite rising executives by The Economic Club of New York in 2022 as a runner-up for its Innovation & Social Impact Challenge. In his volunteering endeavors, he received Proskauer’s Golden Gavel in 2022 for his pro bono work as the first attorney to achieve asylum for a Gambian client after a regime change in his country made it safe to return.