Biography: Insolvency & Restructuring

Thomas Benes Felsberg was born in São Paulo, 25 July 1943. He is the founding partner of the law firm Felsberg, Pedretti, Mannrich e Aidar Advogados e Consultores Legais (established 1970), with head offices in São Paulo and branches in New York, Washington DC, Shanghai, Düsseldorf, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and Campinas. Mr Felsberg has an extensive international commercial law practice, with significant experience in domestic and cross-border litigation, especially on credit collecting and debt restructuring of Brazilian and multinational companies.

Mr Felsberg worked as corporate counsel to Ford do Brasil and lectured in law at the University of São Paulo, School of Law.

Thomas Felsberg, a renewed bankruptcy specialist, is the head of the firm's global insolvency practice, having assisted domestic and foreign clients in restructuring debts of over US$1 billion. Mr Felsberg is involved in the major insolvency and restructuring cases in Brazil, both in and out of court.

Mr Felsberg holds a Bachelor's degree in Law from University of São Paulo (1966) and an LLM from Columbia Law School (1970).

Mr Felsberg is a founding member and the current president of the Brazilian branch of Turnaround and Management Association (TMA Brazil) and of Columbia University Club of Brazil.

He is also the sole Brazilian member of the American College of Bankruptcy and is also a member of the International Bankruptcy Association, the International Insolvency Institute, the American Bankruptcy Institute and of the editorial board for the Annual Review of International Insolvency. He has recently given lectures on insolvency matters in several events in Berlin, Cancun, Dublin, Houston, Mexico City, New York, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Salzburg, São Paulo, and Zurich.

Mr Felsberg is a leading supporter and exponent of the movement for modernisation of Brazil insolvency law. He actively participated in the drafting and advising on the 2005 Bankruptcy Law.

Thomas Felsberg is the author of several books and articles, including the Brazilian chapters of the World Bank GILD (Global Insolvency Law Database); the Collier International Business Insolvency Guide; and the Getting the Deal Through Restructuring and Insolvency. He is also author of the Brazilian chapters in World Leasing Yearbook; The International Comparative Legal Guide To: Corporate Recovery and Insolvency; and the World Bank Country Report on Insolvency.