Moak’s arrival is the latest in a series of recent high-profile hires made by the global law firm to strengthen its formidable restructuring practice in Texas. Moak handles bankruptcy cases and related litigation across several industries, including oil and gas, healthcare, mortgage lending and servicing, commercial real estate, aviation, chemical manufacturing, and others. He was previously a partner at Gray Reed.
Moak represents debtors, secured lenders, creditors’ committees, and equity committees in bankruptcy proceedings. Additionally, he handles a wide variety of post-confirmation litigation matters on behalf of reorganized debtors and litigation trustees, including claims to recover fraudulent conveyances and preferential transfers, claims against officers and directors for breach of fiduciary duties, and claims involving auditor liability. Moak’s also defends companies and individuals involved in bankruptcy-litigation claims.
“Simply put, Paul’s arrival further solidifies Reed Smith as a premier firm in the Texas restructuring and insolvency market,” said Jodi Schwimmer, global co-chair of Reed Smith’s Financial Industry Group. “Paul’s stellar reputation for handling complex work, combined with the deep bench we have already curated in Texas, is proof that our firm can cover the most complicated and high-profile cases in the state and nationwide. We are excited to have Paul join our team.”
Aside from bankruptcy, Moak represents clients in a broad range of commercial litigation matters, including cases involving contract disputes; allegations of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty; and disputes between owners of closely held companies.
“Having interacted with several members of the Reed Smith team over the years, notably Omar Alaniz, Keith Aurzada, and Kurt Gwynne, I could see from arm’s length that the firm was building something special in the bankruptcy and restructuring space in Texas and beyond,” said Moak. “What intrigued me was Reed Smith’s approach to the market: It was not trying to be a global firm with a Texas footprint, but rather a global firm committed to providing the full suite of legal services to Texas clients. It’s that client-centric approach, paired with a global restructuring and insolvency team that has aggressive growth ambitions and colleagues whose skills complement my own, that ultimately attracted me to Reed Smith.”
“In addition to his legal acumen, Paul also has a reputation for a being an exceptional partner and team member who prioritizes the culture and success of his practice and the firm,” said Ken Broughton, Reed Smith’s Houston office managing partner. “He is a fantastic fit for our team in Houston and throughout Texas.”
Moak received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center and his B.B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Houston.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For more information, please visit reedsmith.com.
