Alexandra Schwarzman

ALEX is Restructuring partner with Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago. Her practice focuses on all aspects of capital structure solutions, including liability-management transactions, recapitalizations, in- and out-of-court restructurings and other special-situation transactions, as well as corporate governance. She has negotiated and closed transactions in a diverse group of industries, including health care, retail, energy, auto, hospitality, education, telecommunications, transportation and municipal. Her representative matters include, among others, Claire’s Holdings LLC, Sonder Holdings, Inc., Digital Media Solutions, Inc., Wahoo Fitness, David’s Bridal, LLC, Alex and Ani, LLC, Carlson Travel, Inc., SIRVA Worldwide, Inc., PSS Industrial Group, Chesapeake Energy Corp., Salt Creek Midstream, EXCO Resources, Inc., Linn Energy LLC, Permian Holdings, Inc., Magnum Hunter Resources Corp., Samson Resources Corp. and Sabine Oil & Gas Corp.

Alex has been recognized by Chambers USA since 2021 and was recognized by The Legal 500 US for Restructuring: Corporate in 2023. Turnarounds & Workouts also recently recognized her as an “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer,” and she received the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Rising Star Award in 2015. She also is a member of INSOL International, the Children’s Service Board of Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and a board member of Girls Just Wanna Have Funds, a 501(c)(3) organization focused on the retention and advancement of women in the restructuring space.

Alex fell into restructuring quite by accident. Drawn to the courtroom but uninterested in years of document review, she entered Kirkland as a corporate summer associate but quickly moved to restructuring after discovering the opportunity to work at the intersection of litigation and transactions. She was drawn to restructuring not only by the dynamic, often chaotic, nature of debtor work, which has continued to motivate and drive her throughout her career, but also by the people, who are fun, hard-working, and incredibly bright. Since joining the firm, she has served in multiple leadership roles, including co-chair of the firm’s Associates Committee and Summer Associate Program. She is currently a member of the Chicago office’s Recruiting Committee and the firm’s Associate Review Committee. She is also passionate about helping women rise through the ranks in the industry, and routinely mentors associates and younger partners. To that end, she spearheaded a Women in Restructuring event in Chicago, bringing together senior female leaders in the restructuring space from the Midwest to promote collaboration and diversity in the industry. Through her pro bono work, she has represented multiple survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault. She has recovered more than $2 million for her clients from various settlement trusts established for sexual abuse victims, which she believes helps bring recognition and closure for many of her clients whose experiences previously had been dismissed, denied or, in some cases, actively covered up, which exacted a psychological toll beyond the abuse itself.