Mrs. Erica Weisgerber

ERICA is counsel in the firm’s Litigation Department and focuses her practice on a wide range of complex commercial litigation with an emphasis on bankruptcy litigation and antitrust matters. Her bankruptcy experience includes a range of debtor and creditor representations, adversary proceedings and contested matters in cases under chapters 11 and 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, as well as cross-border insolvency proceedings, including extensive experience litigating clawback claims arising out of domestic and international insolvencies. She has advised clients on restructuring- and litigation-related issues arising in bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings and other distressed situations across a diverse range of industries. She also regularly represents investment banks in their retentions by major constituencies in chapter 11 proceedings.

Erica began my career as a generalist litigator but gravitated toward restructuring because of the people, the nuanced and interesting legal issues, and the early opportunities for leadership and in-court experience. Her mentors fostered her interest in the practice, gave her immense responsibility and pushed her out of her comfort zone to see her capabilities, eventually handling an entire contested evidentiary hearing alone as a mid-level associate! She was further encouraged by the LGBT restructuring community, which gave her the courage to be fully comfortable being herself in her professional life.

Erica was recognized in 2020 by Turnarounds & Workouts in its annual list of 12 Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyers in the United States, and she is ranked as a leading antitrust lawyer by Chambers USA (2020) and The Legal 500 US (2020). In addition, she maintains an active pro bono practice and is a 2012 and 2013 recipient of The Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Publico Award for outstanding service to The Legal Aid Society and its clients. Moreover, she has been recognized as an Empire State Counsel by the New York State Bar Association for her pro bono contributions. Most recently, she represented The Big Apple Circus as a pro bono client in litigation arising during the course of its chapter 11 proceedings. She organized an event co-sponsored by Debevoise and AlixPartners geared toward LGBT Restructuring Professionals, and she is currently planning a CLE panel for TMA’s NextGen group. She also is a founder and editor-in-chief of the Debevoise Women’s Review, an external website focused on gender diversity and topics generally of interest to women in business and the law, and she is actively working to grow Debevoise’s bankruptcy litigation practice, both externally (pitching for new business and strengthening existing relationships) and internally (training and mentoring junior lawyers). In addition, she is an active member of the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Section and Litigation Section, serves as an editor of the Antitrust Law Journal and is a vice-chair of the Antitrust Section’s Legislation Committee.