Law firms and credit shops have continued to build out their benches this summer, with a string of senior hires in recent weeks. Kirkland & Ellis, Simpson Thacher and DLA Piper all added to their restructuring teams, while King Street Capital Management recruited Ducera Partners’ Sean Monaghan to its capital markets group.

In one of the most significant taps of the year so far, M3 Partners last week appointed former US Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert D. Drain as senior advisor and head of fiduciary services. Drain, who retired from the Southern District of New York Bankruptcy Court in 2022 after more than 20 years, will oversee trusteeships, monitorships and other appointments related to restructurings at the corporate advisory firm. During his career, Drain presided over several landmark Chapter 11 cases, including Purdue Pharma, Sears, Hostess Brands, Delphi and A&P.

A string of hires took place in New York in recent weeks. King Street Capital Management hired Sean Monaghan as a managing director in its Capital Markets division. Monaghan joined the Park Avenue-based alternative investment firm from Ducera Partners, where he advised clients on financing and capital markets transactions for over three and a half years.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett hired Stephanie Marshak as a partner, further expanding its Capital Structure Solutions practice. Marshak advises public and private companies, hedge funds and private equity sponsors on in- and out-of-court restructurings, liability management transactions, leveraged and investment-grade financings, and special situations.

King & Spalding also continued expanding its fund finance practice by appointing Gloria Kim as a partner in New York. Kim joined from Proskauer Rose, where she practiced alongside Ron Franklin, Andrew Bettwy and Jin Joo, who also moved to King & Spalding last month. Her arrival brings the firm’s recent fund finance expansion to 13 lawyers, following the addition of partner Chris Montgomery earlier this year and the launch of a London fund finance team in 2024.

Meanwhile, DLA Piper continued the expansion of its restructuring and capital solutions platform with the addition of Kristine Manoukian as a partner. Manoukian represents investment funds, financial institutions and other creditors on distressed investments, liability management transactions, workouts and Chapter 11 restructurings, with a practice focused on complex creditor-side matters.

Barclay Damon also added Emilie Simone as counsel in its New York-based restructuring practice recently. Simone joined from Pullman & Comley, where she advised clients on insolvency-related disputes and commercial litigation. Simone previously served as an assistant US attorney in the financial litigation unit for the District of Connecticut. She advises businesses, lenders and creditors on bankruptcy, restructuring, creditors’ rights and commercial litigation matters.

Meanwhile in Texas, Kirkland & Ellis expanded its restructuring practice with the addition of partners Dan Prieto and Amanda Rush, who joined the firm’s Dallas office from Jones Day. The pair advises clients on Chapter 11 proceedings, out-of-court restructurings and distressed M&A transactions and are the first members of Kirkland’s restructuring team based in Dallas, according to a press release.