Alexandria, Va.- ABI announces that Debra Sinclair of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP (New York) has been selected as one of ABI's "40 Under 40," ABI's award program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 13 during ABI's 2024 Winter Leadership Conference at The Phoenician Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Sinclair is a Business Reorganization and Restructuring partner with Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in New York, where her practice focuses on representing a multitude of parties in troubled situations, including debtors, lenders, official committees of unsecured creditors, ad hoc groups and special committees. She advises clients on all aspects of complex chapter 11 cases, and has experience with distressed acquisitions, bankruptcy litigation, cross-border matters and out-of-court restructurings. Sinclair has worked on deals in a variety of industries, including real estate, aviation, manufacturing, retail, energy and pharmaceuticals.

In 2023, Sinclair was named an "Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer" by Turnarounds & Workouts, and in 2022, she was one of five attorneys nationwide to be selected as a "Rising Star" in bankruptcy by Law360. She is frequently asked to speak on panels; she spoke at ABI's 2023 New York City Bankruptcy Conference on ethics and at ABI's Bankruptcy 2023: Views from the Bench conference, where she participated in a Great Debates segment and serves on the program's advisory board. In addition, Sinclair was appointed as the secretary of the New York City Bar Association's Committee on Bankruptcy & Corporate Reorganization, serving from 2020-23.

Sinclair serves as a hiring partner for the New York office of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, a role in which she dedicates extensive time to interviewing and managing the hiring of the firm's incoming summer associate class from top law schools across the country. She recently was asked to lead a new Law School Outreach committee. Sinclair also sits on the firm's Retreat and Space Committees, and within the Restructuring department, she serves as the summer associate assigning partner and leads associate training for the practice. In addition, she is an active alumna of the Marymount School of New York, where she attended high school. Sinclair periodically assists with evaluating applications and conducting interviews for Marymount's Butler Scholar program, which provides financial opportunities for academically gifted students with outstanding leadership potential and exemplary personal values to attend Marymount for grades 9 through 12. Outside of the office, she periodically represents clients on a pro bono basis, including in an asylum case and a criminal appeal.

"We are honored to celebrate the exceptional leaders within the 2024 class as they continue to make a significant impact both in their practice and in their communities," said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. "As bankruptcy practice continues to evolve, this diverse collection of honorees will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward."

The "40 Under 40" winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI's current leadership. Now in its eighth year, the goal of ABI's "40 Under 40" award program is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2024 "40 Under 40" honorees.

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ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes nearly 10,000 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.