Zachary H. Smith
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
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Zachary Smith is a Member and the Co-head of Moore & Van Allen’s Financial Restructuring practice.Zach is a nationally recognized restructuring lawyer with more than 20 years of experience in complex restructurings, representing a broad spectrum of stakeholders in special situations and bankruptcy proceedings. Before joining MVA in 2013, Zach was a partner in the restructuring practice of an international law firm based in New York City. Zach’s practice covers transactional and litigation, and encompasses representations such as:Private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies in out-of-court distressed M&A transactions.Independent directors and special committees in distressed M&A transactions.Purchasers of distressed businesses and their assets.Corporate debtors in all aspects of complex chapter 11 proceedings, including chapter 11 litigation.Financial institutions, special situation funds, and direct lenders in the restructuring and exit of troubled credits.Stakeholders in cross-border insolvency situations.High net worth individuals and family offices in risk mitigation and management, transaction structuring, and transaction execution associated with distressed investment opportunities and special situations.Puerto Rico-based financial institutions, private equity investors, and distress investors.Zach is an adjunct professor at Duke University Law School where he teaches courses in corporate restructuring, chapter 11, distress investing, and structuring of financial transactions. Zachary Smith is a Member and the Co-head of Moore & Van Allen’s Financial Restructuring practice. Zach is a nationally recognized restructuring lawyer with more than 20 years of experience in complex restructurings, representing a broad spectrum of stakeholders in special situations and bankruptcy proceedings. Before joining MVA in 2013, Zach was a partner in the restructuring practice of an international law firm based in New York City. Zach’s practice covers transactional and litigation, and encompasses representations such as: Zach is an adjunct professor at Duke University Law School where he teaches courses in corporate restructuring, chapter 11, distress investing, and structuring of financial transactions.
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2019
Daniel Gonzalez
My company engaged Zachary Smith at Moore & Van Allen to navigate a challenging operational restructuring and creditor negotiations. There is no question about his deep technical knowledge; his 22 years of experience, particularly in bankruptcy and creditor rights, were evident. He is clearly a seasoned practitioner, and his firm's reputation in Charlotte is well-deserved. The strategy he developed was sound and ultimately helped us stabilize. However, the experience felt somewhat transactional. While Zach was responsive during scheduled calls, there were periods where follow-up on non-critical items took longer than expected, and communication sometimes defaulted to junior associates without clear handoffs. For a matter as sensitive as this, I had hoped for a more consistently direct line. His recognition in the field is understandable given his expertise in insolvency law, but the client service aspect felt more like a well-oiled machine than a tailored partnership. He competently achieved the primary legal objective, which is why I'm providing a satisfactory rating, but the overall experience didn't fully meet our expectations for proactive communication and accessibility given the stakes.