Alaniz contributes his seventeen years of complex chapter 11 experience to Reed Smith. He served as debtor’s counsel in numerous cases, including the ASARCO bankruptcy that involved nearly $10 billion of asbestos, environmental, labor, toxic tort, and bond claims; the Bristow bankruptcy that involved nearly $1.6 billion in funded debt claims; and the ABC Dentistry case that resolved multi-million dollar qui tam and other claims by the State of Texas Civil Medical Fraud Division. In the past twelve months, he has represented a member of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Philadelphia Energy, Emerge Energy Services, Shale Support, and Vista Proppants bankruptcy cases and served as committee counsel in the Southland Royalty E&P case currently pending in Delaware.
“Omar has earned a reputation as an outstanding lawyer, and brings to the firm a highly regarded bankruptcy practice at a time of significant demand and growth for our global restructuring capabilities,” said Ed Estrada, global chair of Reed Smith’s Financial Industry Group. “Given the economic uncertainty businesses are facing across various sectors, and the uptick in demand for complex bankruptcy experience, his arrival is timely and will strengthen and add depth to our global restructuring practice. Omar’s arrival does just that, while also giving an already impressive Dallas team additional gravitas in the region.”
“My first interaction with Reed Smith was in the ASARCO case where the firm represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors. Since then, I have observed the firm’s growth on a global scale, its expanding footprint in Texas and the formidability of its financial restructuring practice, which have attracted close friends and colleagues,” says Alaniz. “Reed Smith is the perfect fit for my practice, client base, and values. I am excited to join the team as the firm checks all metrics that are important to me, including dedication to developing a robust bankruptcy practice, diversity of industry expertise, geographic scale, collaborative culture, and commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
Alaniz’ accomplishments extend beyond generating beneficial outcomes for his clients. In 2019, he was invited to join the prestigious sixty-member National Bankruptcy Conference, whose primary purpose is to advise Congress on bankruptcy law. In 2017, the American Bankruptcy Institute included Omar in its inaugural list of the top "40 Under 40" insolvency professionals in the country. He is the former Chair of the Bankruptcy Section of the Texas State Bar and is a current board member of the Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation. Alaniz is also a recipient of the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for Professional Excellence, and served as an adjunct faculty member at SMU Dedman School of Law for several years, where he taught bankruptcy law courses. He coached SMU Law School’s Duberstein moot court team to five national championships, the most in the competition’s history.
“Omar is highly esteemed within the Texas legal and bankruptcy communities for his ability to handle complex, high stakes matters and determination to put his clients’ needs and concerns first,” said Bobby Majumder, co-Managing Partner of the firm’s Dallas office. “His practice complements our existing restructuring capabilities, and we know he will be an excellent partner and team member.”
Since launching in May 2019 with a group of eight partners and 16 lawyers in total, Reed Smith’s presence in Dallas has more than doubled over the past year. Alaniz’s arrival follows that of Scott T. Williams, who joined as a partner in the Managed Care Group in March and Nigel Stark who joined the Global Corporate Group in Dallas in February.
“When we opened our Dallas office 14 months ago, we were committed to a strategy of recruiting a team of exceptional lawyers and staff who would be energized by the challenge of building a top-flight, full-service practice in a highly competitive market,” said Brian Mitchell, co-Managing Partner of the firm’s Dallas office. “The composition of our team, alongside the sustained growth we’ve achieved thus far, is a testament not only to our strategy but, more importantly, to our people; we have something really special to offer here.”
Alaniz received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and B.A. from Austin College.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. Our belief is that by delivering smarter and more creative legal services, we will not only enrich our clients’ experiences with us, but also support them in achieving their business goals.
Our long-standing relationships, international outlook, and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for the speedy resolution of complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For further information, please visit reedsmith.com.
