Richard Chesley

Rick's experience includes serving as restructuring counsel or debtors' counsel in numerous chapter 11 proceedings, including chapter 15 filings for bankruptcy protections through US courts. He has served as lead counsel in matters including Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, Vesttoo Ltd., Abengoa US Holdings LLC, Appvion, The Loewen Group, Inc., Trident Microsystems Inc., Fairfield Residential, and UK-based Arcadia Group Ltd. (the parent company of Topshop).  

In addition, Rick has represented multiple acquirors of distressed businesses, including Brooks Brothers, Nine West, Barneys New York, Aeropostale, and the pharmacy management business of Rite Aid. Rick also led a number of out-of-court restructurings and bankruptcy proceedings throughout the US and internationally, including for financial advisors, real estate acquirors, liquidators and other significant creditors.

Rick's strategic and client-centric business approach is informed in part by his prior in-house experience. He served as senior vice president and restructuring general counsel at a multinational independent investment bank and financial services company, where in addition to his firmwide legal responsibilities, he was a member of the financial restructuring group, working on the restructuring of such companies as Nextel International, CTI Movil, and United Airlines.

• Real Estate Deal of the Year (PREIT), Turnaround Awards M&A Advisor, (2024)
• Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year (MedImpact), Turnaround Awards M&A Advisor, (2024)
• Special Situation M&A Deal of the Year, Global M&A Network, (2024)
• Global M&A Network, Restructuring Leader, (2024)
• Recognized as Lawdragon's 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers, (2024 – 2025)
• Crain's Chicago Business, Who's Who in Chicago Business, (2024)
• M&A Advisor, Professional Services Deal of the Year Award, (2023)
• Global M&A Network, Distressed M&A Deal of the Year, (2023)
• American Jewish Committee, Judge Learned Hand Human Relations Award, (2014)
• Chambers and The Legal 500 ranked

• Interviewed, "Vemos más interés de clientes locales por involucrarse fuera de Chile", Diario Financiero, October 24, 2024
• Mentioned, "AKD Partners Bullish on Latin America", Latin Lawyer, May 15, 2024
• "AKD Partners Expands To Brazil With New São Paulo Office," Law360, May 14, 2024
• "AKD Partners Opens Office in Brazil to Tap Cross-border Work," Law.com, May 6, 2024