Lorraine McGowen

Lorraine McGowen

Partner, Firmwide Diversity & Inclusion Co-Chair

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Lorraine McGowen is a lead restructuring partner with over 30 years of experience joining clients on the front lines of their recovery crisis and investment strategies with entrepreneurial enthusiasm and a true passion for innovation.

Lorraine advises financial institutions, syndicated lender groups, creditor committees and other parties from the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa who seek to maximize recovery or reduce exposure. She also advises investors and acquirers of companies. She interfaces with auditors, government regulators, investment bankers and others, and develops and implements mediation and litigation strategies, and negotiates reorganization plans and complex corporate and finance documents.

Lorraine recently was the lead bankruptcy attorney representing Toyota in the highly complex global restructuring of Takata Corporation, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of automotive safety systems, including airbags. Takata’s restructuring, which included the sale of substantially all of its assets other than its inflator business, was implemented through in-court bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. and Japan, and out-of-court in Europe, China, and other jurisdictions. Toyota was one of the largest creditors with claims against Takata in excess of $7 billion.

Lorraine is a leading advocate for diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the legal profession and creates programs for women, people of color and LGBTQ attorneys. She is a mentor, sponsor and chair of Orrick’s firm-wide, global D&I Initiatives. For Lorraine, and for Orrick, D&I is not just the right thing to do. Providing our clients with diverse teams is simply good business: diverse teams are more creative, collaborative and successful.

She was selected as one of Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Black Lawyers for 2018 and 2015, and received Legal Outreach’s Pipeline to Diversity 2017 Champion Award and the New York City Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion 2012 Champion Award. IFLR 1000 Rankings named Lorraine a leading lawyer in the U.S. She was selected by Direct Women to be a 2016 Board Institute member. She is a frequent speaker and author on bankruptcy and insolvency and diversity and inclusion.

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