White & Case has continued its restructuring and insolvency practice hiring spree in the US with its fourth partner addition from Sidley Austin this month.

Andrew O’Neill joins the firm’s Chicago office along with counsel Matt Linder, following in the footsteps of their Sidley colleagues Jessica Boelter, Bojan Guzina and Michael Andolina, who arrived at the start of October. The move to bolster its restructuring team comes as US corporates face an uncertain future amid the coronavirus pandemic, with credit rating agencies such as Moody’s and Fitch expecting an increase in distressed debt situations.

Thomas Lauria, global head of White & Case’s financial restructuring and insolvency practice, said: “Andrew is a highly accomplished restructuring attorney who has led several company-side restructurings. His addition further advances our strategy to expand our company and sponsor-side work in the restructuring arena.”

O’Neill had previously spent 15 years at Sidley, advising both debtors and creditors on complex corporate restructurings.

Eugene Leone, executive partner of White & Case’s Chicago office, said: “Adding Andrew is an important next step in our plan to continue building out and expanding our on-the-ground capabilities in Chicago and to provide cross-disciplinary expertise in financial restructuring, M&A, financing and litigation.”

Like O’Neill, Boelter, Guzina and Andolina had only previously worked at Sidley. Boelter and Guzina for 18 years and Andolina for 21. Boelter and Guzina were global co-chairs of Sidley’s restructuring practice.

Boelter has experience handling wide-ranging chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and out-of-court debt-for-equity swaps. Likewise, Guzina has experience guiding companies through both in- and out-of-court restructuring processes, while Andolina is a seasoned commercial litigator with extensive restructuring litigation experience.

Speaking at the time of the trio’s hiring, Lauria said the firm had seen a surge in major company-side restructuring mandates.

“Adding remarkably talented, experienced partners like Jessica, Bojan and Michael to the team puts us in a great position to continue our momentum,” he said.

Earlier this month, White & Case announced its latest round of partner promotions, with 40 of its lawyers globally making the cut, including 24 in Europe and 13 in the Americas.