Brian L. Davidoff

LOS ANGELES - Brian L. Davidoff chairs the bankruptcy, reorganization & capital recovery group at his law firm. But before he began practicing bankruptcy law, he spent a few years as a transactional attorney. Although brief, he believes that experience sets him apart and helps him serve his clients. In fact, he said, the aspect of his practice that he enjoys the most and where he believes he can deliver the greatest value to clients is the intersection of insolvency and transactions. Especially important in that regard is that he practices at Greenberg Glusker, which describes itself as "the largest single-office, full-service law firm in California." He regularly collaborates with his corporate, real estate, employment, litigation, or entertainment law partners in order to meet his clients' business needs, he said. "There are very few in my practice in the greater Los Angeles area that really have the wherewithal of a firm like mine... but at rates that are not national law firm rates." Most of his clients tend to come from what he calls the Southern California mid-market, with revenues ranging from about $50 million to $250 million. Some of them, over the years, have asked him to continue as their outside attorney. "I've become essentially their general business counsel," he said. Larger matters he has handled in the past include the Chapter 11 sale of the once-prominent visual effects studio that won three Oscars, including for "Life of Pi." In re: Rhythm & Hues Inc., 2:13-bk- 13775 (Bankr. C.D. Cal., filed Feb. 13, 2013). He also represented a 140-year-old men's clothing chain, which once had as many as 75 stores around the country, in a refinancing and then a liquidation in separate Chapter 11s. B&B Bachrach LLC, 2:17-bk-15292 (Bankr. C.D. Cal., filed April 28, 2017). But since the pandemic began, except for some litigation, little of his work has been in the bankruptcy courts. Most of his work in the last couple of years has been out-of-court receiverships or assignments for the benefit of creditors, he said. For the last three years, Davidoff has been active in the American Board of Certification, which he calls "my current joy of giving back." The organization certifies specialists in business bankruptcy, consumer bankruptcy and creditors' rights.