Bankruptcy Litigation Associate

lumesp; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Lume Search Partners is helping a conflicts-free, litigation-only firm recruit a Bankruptcy Litigation Associate in New York. You will drive high-stakes insolvency disputes, coordinate across U.S. and offshore proceedings, and prepare witnesses for deposition and trial.

The ideal candidate will have a J.D. and 2–5 years of bankruptcy or commercial litigation experience, with a proven ability to produce briefs and motions that courts can grant.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree and admission in New York or ability to waive promptly.
• 2–5 years of bankruptcy or commercial litigation experience at a peer firm or in a judicial clerkship with substantial writing.
• Familiarity with Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, Rule 2004 examinations, and Chapter 11 interplay with district court litigation.
• Proven ability to manage multiple high-pressure deadlines with accuracy and judgment.
• Clear, persuasive writing and the presence to argue in court or negotiate with opposing counsel.

Responsibilities

• Own first-chair drafting and argument of motions, complaints, and discovery in bankruptcy adversary proceedings within 90 days.
• Build and execute fact-development plans surfacing assets or voidable transfers.
• Coordinate multi-jurisdictional teams on U.S. and offshore insolvency proceedings.
• Prepare witnesses and experts for deposition and trial for strong cross-examination.
• Deliver concise memos quantifying risk and forecasting judicial outcomes.
• Contribute to pro bono matters at the same standard of excellence.

Skills

Strong writing ability

Oral advocacy

Trial readiness

Deadline management

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

Our client is a conflicts-free, litigation-only firm built to win the hardest cases. As a Bankruptcy Litigation Associate you will drive high-stakes insolvency disputes, fraudulent-transfer and preference actions, and cross-border enforcement matters that reshape outcomes for clients facing existential risk. Your work will sit at the intersection of complex commercial litigation and global asset recovery—where strategy, speed, and courtroom credibility decide the result.

Performance Objectives

Highlights

• Own first-chair drafting and argument of motions, complaints, and discovery in bankruptcy adversary proceedings within 90 days, producing work product that partners file without material rewrite.
• Build and execute fact-development plans that surface hidden assets or voidable transfers, converting investigation into admissible evidence that shifts settlement leverage or trial posture.
• Coordinate multi-jurisdictional teams on parallel U.S. and offshore insolvency proceedings so that filings, depositions, and hearings stay aligned and deadlines never slip.
• Prepare witnesses and experts for deposition and trial so that testimony withstands cross-examination and supports the theory of the case.
• Deliver concise, decision-ready memos to partners and clients that quantify risk, recommend next moves, and forecast likely judicial outcomes.
• Contribute to at least one significant pro bono matter annually at the same standard of excellence applied to paying clients.
• You will report to partners who try cases, not manage origination. You will work inside lean, senior-heavy teams with direct access to clients, forensic accountants, and foreign counsel. The firm provides the investigative resources, e-discovery platforms, and travel support required for nationwide and cross-border practice. Compensation and advancement are tied to results, not hours billed to conflicts-check committees.

Essential Qualifications

• J.D. and admission in New York (or ability to waive in promptly); 2–5 years of bankruptcy or commercial litigation experience at a peer firm or in a judicial clerkship with substantial writing.
• Demonstrated ability to take a complex factual record, isolate the legally dispositive issues, and produce a brief or motion that a court can grant.
• Comfort with Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, Rule 2004 examinations, and the interplay between Chapter 11 and district-court litigation.
• Proven capacity to manage multiple high-pressure deadlines without sacrificing accuracy or judgment.
• Clear, persuasive writing and the presence to argue in court or negotiate with opposing counsel.

Role Selling Points

• No origination pressure and no institutional conflicts—every matter is chosen because it can be won.
• Immediate responsibility on bet-the-company insolvency disputes rather than years of document review.
• A culture that treats pro bono work as core litigation, not charity hours.
• A global platform that lets you litigate in U.S. bankruptcy courts while coordinating enforcement in offshore jurisdictions.