December 15, 2025
New York, NY (December 15, 2025) --- Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP today announced that restructuring attorney Allyson B. Smith has joined the Firm as a partner. She is based in Willkie’s New York office.
Allyson maintains a robust bankruptcy and restructuring practice, representing debtors, sponsors, official committees and other sophisticated parties in chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings and international and cross-border insolvency matters. She advises global companies and brands across a wide range of industries, including retail, energy, oil and gas, finance, logistics, cryptocurrency and healthcare. Allyson joins Willkie from Kirkland & Ellis, where she was a partner.
Allyson’s arrival follows the addition of Ryan Blaine Bennett, who joined Willkie as Chair of the Restructuring Group in November 2025.
Ryan commented: “Allyson is a top-notch bankruptcy practitioner whose experience working on some of the most significant restructurings in the market will make her an invaluable resource to our clients in the United States and around the world. We are excited to welcome her to Willkie as we continue to invest in and further expand our global restructuring platform, and I am thrilled to be reunited with her professionally.”
Allyson commented: “Willkie’s industry-leading global restructuring platform and client-focused approach align well with my practice. I look forward to working alongside my new colleagues throughout the firm to further expand the team’s capabilities amid increasing activity across the restructuring landscape.”
Willkie’s Restructuring Department is a global practice comprised with market-leading capabilities in all aspects of business and financial restructurings and insolvency matters. Our integrated U.S. and European restructuring professionals offer the hands-on, results-driven experience that today’s distressed situations demand. We are held in high regard for our responsiveness and proven experience in complex multi-lateral cross-border restructurings (both in and out of court). We represent a broad spectrum of clients in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany and other key European jurisdictions.
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP provides leading-edge legal solutions on complex, business critical issues spanning markets and industries. Our approximately 1,300 attorneys across 16 offices worldwide deliver innovative, pragmatic and sophisticated legal services across approximately 45 practice areas. Learn more at www.willkie.com.
