McGuireWoods expanded its capabilities in its fast-growing Dallas office with the addition of accomplished restructuring and insolvency attorney Mark A. Platt, who joined the firm as a partner.

Platt joins McGuireWoods from the Dallas office of Norton Rose Fulbright. He received his law degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

Platt, who has substantial insolvency and commercial litigation experience, focuses on several industries, including telecommunications, real estate and energy. He has successfully litigated cases for senior lenders, private equity firms and a wide array of debtors and creditors in federal and state courts across the country, including in Texas, Delaware and New York. Platt is the current co-chair of the American Bar Association Bankruptcy and Insolvency Litigation Committee.

The addition continues the firm’s Texas expansion, which included the opening of a six-lawyer Dallas office in March. The firm began its expansion in Houston and Austin, where it also established a presence for its highly regarded public affairs group, McGuireWoods Consulting. The Dallas office, after just seven months in the market, has more than tripled in size to 20 lawyers.

“We are committed to Texas, and Mark is a key addition for us,” said Akash Sethi, managing partner of the firm’s Dallas office. “He not only adds an important dimension to our litigation practice, here and across the firm, but his experience will bring immediate benefits to our private equity, banking and other corporate clients. We are delighted to welcome him to the firm.”

“Mark’s reputation precedes him. He brings invaluable skill and experience in complex business bankruptcy and commercial litigation matters, including first-chair trial experience in several states for domestic and international clients,” said Dion Hayes, chairman of the firm’s 40-attorney Restructuring and Insolvency Department. “He is essential to the continued development of our practice.”