November 19, 2025
Brett Miller, U.S. Co-Chair of Willkie’s Restructuring Department, has been profiled by Law360 as a 2025 Bankruptcy MVP.
With a 30+ year career representing creditors’ committees, and experience working on more than 20 airline bankruptcies, Brett is a leader in his field, and has once again earned recognition as one of Law360’s top practitioners in bankruptcy law. He previously won MVP honors in 2014.
In a Q&A profile, Brett discussed his work this past year representing the unsecured creditors’ committees of numerous airlines, including Scandinavian airline SAS AB and Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes SA, as well as Chilean telecom company WOM SA, and oil refiner Vertex Energy. He also discussed his career path, industry changes and advice for up-and-coming attorneys in his field.
Brett noted that his biggest win this year involved creating new law that resolved a recurring issue in airline chapter 11 cases relating to lockup provisions for lessors. The issue concerned whether a debtor has the right to hand a lessor – usually prominent unsecured creditors in airline bankruptcies – a settlement agreement requiring them to vote in favor of any plan sight unseen. After the issue came up in separate cases before different judges in the Southern District of New York, and remained split in the court, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn sided with Brett in the Gol case and did not permit the lockup provisions, establishing it as law in the SDNY.
“It was a very good decision for aircraft lessors, who are being forced to agree to plans that they don't even know what they are,” he noted.
Brett also emphasized the importance for junior attorneys to see the “big picture” and understand how their role fits in with others, and can best bring about an overall success. “You need to be good at your job but you [also] need to know everyone's job and know how everything works."
Brett also underscored the importance of work-life balance, of doing your utmost for clients and colleagues while upholding personal priorities.
“I wasn't going to miss my kids growing up," he said, "and I don't want any of my associates to miss out on important life events."
Law360 selected Brett as a 2025 MVP from a competitive pool of nearly 900 nominations, naming him one of only four honorees in the Bankruptcy category.
Read his full profile here.
With a 30+ year career representing creditors’ committees, and experience working on more than 20 airline bankruptcies, Brett is a leader in his field, and has once again earned recognition as one of Law360’s top practitioners in bankruptcy law. He previously won MVP honors in 2014.
In a Q&A profile, Brett discussed his work this past year representing the unsecured creditors’ committees of numerous airlines, including Scandinavian airline SAS AB and Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes SA, as well as Chilean telecom company WOM SA, and oil refiner Vertex Energy. He also discussed his career path, industry changes and advice for up-and-coming attorneys in his field.
Brett noted that his biggest win this year involved creating new law that resolved a recurring issue in airline chapter 11 cases relating to lockup provisions for lessors. The issue concerned whether a debtor has the right to hand a lessor – usually prominent unsecured creditors in airline bankruptcies – a settlement agreement requiring them to vote in favor of any plan sight unseen. After the issue came up in separate cases before different judges in the Southern District of New York, and remained split in the court, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn sided with Brett in the Gol case and did not permit the lockup provisions, establishing it as law in the SDNY.
“It was a very good decision for aircraft lessors, who are being forced to agree to plans that they don't even know what they are,” he noted.
Brett also emphasized the importance for junior attorneys to see the “big picture” and understand how their role fits in with others, and can best bring about an overall success. “You need to be good at your job but you [also] need to know everyone's job and know how everything works."
Brett also underscored the importance of work-life balance, of doing your utmost for clients and colleagues while upholding personal priorities.
“I wasn't going to miss my kids growing up," he said, "and I don't want any of my associates to miss out on important life events."
Law360 selected Brett as a 2025 MVP from a competitive pool of nearly 900 nominations, naming him one of only four honorees in the Bankruptcy category.
Read his full profile here.
