Jonathan Pasternak

Jonathan Pasternak has established one of the most active debtor bankruptcy practices in the nation by case volume. With more than 30 years of experience in bankruptcy and restructuring, he has served as a trusted bankruptcy attorney and restructuring consultant in complex financial matters. His career has centered on helping businesses and stakeholders manage financial distress through practical legal strategy and disciplined financial review. In both advisory and legal capacities, he has built strong relationships with companies, lenders, investors, fiduciaries, and court-appointed representatives involved in insolvency proceedings. During a 36-year career in bankruptcy and corporate restructuring, Jonathan has represented clients across a wide range of industries. His primary focus has been the reorganization of private and public companies facing operational and financial challenges. He has advised hundreds of individual and corporate clients, guiding them through stabilization efforts, debt restructuring, and formal Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. His experience includes debtor and creditor representation, negotiated workouts, recapitalizations, asset sales, and complex court-supervised reorganizations. Pasternak has worked with business owners, institutional stakeholders, and fiduciaries responsible for distressed entities. In each matter, he has applied careful financial analysis and clear legal planning, while keeping business objectives and long-term viability in view. In addition to bankruptcy and restructuring work, he has handled commercial real estate and finance-related matters. He has addressed distressed property portfolios, real estate-backed debt restructuring, and transaction-driven reorganizations. Whether resolving issues through negotiation or formal proceedings, he has maintained a steady and structured approach. For more than 20 years, Jonathan led his own boutique bankruptcy law firm. Under his direction, the firm became one of the leading Chapter 11 debtor practices in the country by volume. He managed firm operations while maintaining an active caseload, working closely with clients and professionals through complex insolvency cases. His work in bankruptcy and restructuring earned recognition from peers and professional organizations. In 2017, Pasternak received the YJP Professional of the Year award for his contributions to insolvency initiatives. He was consistently cited among the top 20 bankruptcy lawyers in the nation by case volume and was recognized as a Super Lawyer for over 15 consecutive years. He has lectured at insolvency conferences and at his former secondary and law schools. He has also appeared on the radio and television to discuss large-scale bankruptcy matters. Jonathan graduated cum laude from The Pingry School in 1981 and from Brown University in 1985, where he majored in American History and Literature. He served as a class representative for both institutions and continues to support alumni efforts. His spouse and two of his three children are graduates of Brown University, reflecting a strong family connection. Pasternak supports charitable and community initiatives, including food and clothing drives and educational programs in Tenafly, New Jersey, where he resides. For 11 years, he served on the Board of Trustees of Temple Sinai of Bergen County, overseeing governance and fiduciary responsibilities. He has also provided pro bono legal services to individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Outside of his legal career, he is an accomplished musician and performer within the bankruptcy community. Music remains an active pursuit that reflects preparation, timing, and discipline. He is also known as an archivist and field recorder of live music events. Throughout his long career in bankruptcy, restructuring, commercial real estate, and distressed debt matters, Jonathan Pasternak has remained committed to careful judgment and steady leadership, qualities that continue to guide him.