Paul Basta
is a partner in the Restructuring Group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and is a member of the Firm's 15-person Global Management Committee. He represents debtors, creditors and investors in restructuring distressed companies. Paul has been recognized as a leading lawyer in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business every year since 2006. Most recently, Chambers USA described him as a “superstar and a ‘go-to’ for complex bankruptcy matters.” In 2013, Paul was praised as a “very effective lawyer who is practical in his approach” and was described as “incredible when it comes to court and credibility with the judges.” The 2011 edition applauded him for being "a stellar restructuring specialist," while previous editions commended him on being "extremely smart and creative" as well as "always keeping in mind what's best for the company and providing consistently good advice on extremely difficult and challenging issues." Clients recognize that he "knows how to pull together disparate views and find the right solution," that he has "one of the best analytical minds on the street" and that he's "hard working, intuitive and a great communicator." He was also recognized in the 2012 edition of Chambers Global, World's Leading Lawyers for Business. In 2012, Paul was selected as one of Law360's "Bankruptcy MVPs" for accomplishments including "successfully bringing warring parties to the bargaining table in out-of-court restructurings." IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms, selected Paul as a leading lawyer in Restructuring and Insolvency every year since 2008. The 2011 edition praised him as "very creative. He loves to get into the deal and really work it. He finds angles that other people generally don't see."
Some of Paul's significant debtor representations have included Charter Communications, which was selected as one of the deals of 2009 by The Deal, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Reader's Digest Association, MS Resorts, Hawaiian Telcom, BLB (Twin Rivers Casino), MoneyGram, Hawker Beechcraft, Tecumseh Products Company, TOUSA, Leiner Health, Kimball Hill Homes, American Color Graphics, Autocam Corporation, Dura Automotive Systems, Global Crossing, Acterna Corporation, Rhythms NetConnections and Footstar.
Paul also represents numerous private equity funds in connection with their distressed portfolio companies. Paul currently represents the Houston Astros in connection with the Houston Regional Sports Network. Paul has represented and continues to represent numerous parties in the power area, including Longview Power, Flying J, OGX and Creditors of Mirant. He also represents buyers of distressed power assets.
The Legal 500: The Clients Guide to the U.S. Legal Profession has repeatedly recommended Paul as "brilliant, but above all he relates to people and manages to create compromise from initially acrimonious situations." Paul was also selected by Turnarounds & Workouts in 2008 as an "Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer" and in 2002 and 2003 as an "Outstanding Young Bankruptcy Lawyer." In addition, Paul was selected as one of The Best Lawyers in America from 2007-2014, and by Super Lawyers as a New York Super Lawyer every year from 2006-2014. He also was named by Crain's New York Business as one of the 40 "Young Rising Stars" in New York in its January 2003 issue.
