NEW YORK, October 2, 2023: Penelope Christophorou, a finance lawyer with more than 25 years’ experience, joins Morgan Lewis as a partner in New York. Arriving from Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, Penelope will advise on commercial finance transactions, particularly those related to bankruptcy.
“Our financial institution clients located in major commercial centers such as New York and around the globe look to Morgan Lewis for the highest level of counseling on a range of complex matters,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. “Penny has represented some of the largest financial institutions and other market participants in various transactions, and her experience will complement our current service offerings in finance, bankruptcy, capital markets, structured transactions, and derivatives.”
Penny focuses on commercial financings and creditors’ rights, including advising and negotiating secured transactions, securities and digital asset holding arrangements, derivatives, structured financings, workouts, and debtor-in-possession financing. She is often called on to provide advice on closeout and netting rights under the US Bankruptcy Code and other insolvency regimes. She has also written and presented extensively on the Uniform Commercial Code.
“Penny is exceptionally well versed in all areas of law relevant to our commercial transactions practices and brings highly in-demand knowledge on issues involving secured transactions, commercial finance, clearing transactions, bankruptcy, and related spaces,” said Jonathan Bernstein, leader of the firm’s finance practice. “She is respected in the financial market by clients and other practitioners, and she is well known to our finance team. We are thrilled to add her to our ranks.”
Penny’s arrival in New York builds on that of the five-partner transactional restructuring and bankruptcy litigation team of Richard Stern, Michael Luskin, Stephan Hornung, Matthew O’Donnell, and Alex Talesnick, and real estate finance partner Michael McCarthy, who all joined Morgan Lewis in August.