June 26, 2026
Willkie’s all-women core restructuring team was profiled by The American Lawyer for its trailblazing success guiding the chapter 11 case of Saks Global Enterprises LLC, the largest multi-brand luxury retailer in the world.
The all-women core team led by Debra Sinclair, U.S. Co-Chair of Willkie’s Restructuring Department and Chair of the Company Restructuring & Reorganization practice, marks a rare milestone in the history of chapter 11 and reflects Willkie’s commitment to cultivating the careers of talented attorneys and advancing them to leadership positions.
Sinclair told The American Lawyer that the core team’s all-women composition was not a conscious decision but rather “the natural result of having an environment that allows women of all levels to succeed and lead at the firm.”
The article details Sinclair’s process of assembling a core team made up of partners Robin Spigel, Allyson Smith and Charlotta Chung and associate Betsy Feldman, noting the talents and experience that each attorney brought to the high-profile case.
Sinclair credited Willkie’s open mentoring culture with exposing her to strong female leaders like Spigel and supportive male leaders like Matt Feldman, Willkie Chairman and former Chair of the firm’s restructuring group.
“He was a huge source not only of guidance and sponsorship, but making sure my name was out there and that I received opportunities,” Sinclair said in reference to Feldman.
Saks Global entered chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January with $3.4 billion in funded debt and obtained confirmation of its reorganization plan in less than six months, paving the way for the company to exit bankruptcy having reduced its debt by nearly 75%.
“It was really a privilege to work on a deal so complex and so thorny, but also a huge success because so many people came together to collaborate,” Sinclair told The American Lawyer.
Read the profile in The American Lawyer here (subscription may be required).
