Scott Welkis joined Kramer Levin’s New York office as a partner in the banking and finance group of the corporate department and chair of the firm’s special situations practice.

Welkis has extensive experience handling a wide variety of debt financing transactions. He advises credit funds, private equity funds, hedge funds and other alternative capital sources, as well as banks and other financial institutions. He has successfully guided many clients involved in special situations and distressed financing transactions, including out-of-court and in-court restructurings.

“Scott’s wealth of experience deepens our debt financing and special situations practices and complements many of our other destination practices, including Distressed Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Finance, and Bankruptcy and Restructuring,”  Paul H. Schoeman and Howard T. Spilko, co-managing partners at Kramer Levin, said.

“Scott is an exceptional lawyer whose ability to think creatively and to innovate are traits that we and our clients value and that have been key considerations in each of our recent lateral hires,” Ernie Wechsler, corporate chair at Kramer Levin, said.

“Scott’s experience in distressed financing transactions, both in and out of court, will benefit our hedge fund and distressed investor clients,” Kenneth H. Eckstein, bankruptcy and restructuring co-chair at Kramer Levin, said.

“Kramer Levin’s broad platform and entrepreneurial culture provide an ideal environment in which to continue to grow my practice,” Welkis said. “I look forward to collaborating with my new colleagues to help clients develop opportunities that will contribute to their success.”