TEL: 302-651-2000
FAX: 302-574-2100
npernick@coleschotz.com
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Legal Secretary: Mary Van Dermark
TEL: 302-652-3131 ext. 2500
mvandermark@coleschotz.com

Norm Pernick heads the Wilmington, DE office of Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard, P.A. and is Co-Chair of the firm's Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Department.  Mr. Pernick practices many aspects of bankruptcy and workouts, primarily representing debtors, but also represents creditors’ committees, secured and unsecured creditors, and trustees.  He has served as lead debtor's counsel in numerous major Chapter 11 cases, including Leslie Controls, Ritz Camera Centers, Cadence Innovation, J.G. Wentworth, Fedders Corporation, Barzel Industries, BNA Subsidiaries, and Owens Corning.  Mr. Pernick is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.  He is the author of the Bankruptcy Deadline Checklist, which is published by the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association.  Mr. Pernick is very active in community activities, and is currently the Chair of the Boards of Directors of Downtown Visions and Wilmington Main Street, which are the umbrella organizations for a community-wide effort to revitalize downtown Wilmington, Delaware.

Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers For Business, The Client’s Guide, a nationally and internationally recognized ranking derived from extensive client and peer interviews and reviews, describes Mr. Pernick as follows:

• “Group chair Norman Pernick’s capability in large bankruptcy proceedings is underscored by his role in matters such as the Tribune Company work mentioned above. He is praised for his ‘down-to-earth’ character, which he combines with ‘a breathtakingly effective ability to bring people together and get a deal done.’” 2011 Edition.   
• “Group co-chair Norman Pernick is hailed as a leader of the bankruptcy Bar. He is highly esteemed for his work as co-counsel on large matters and impresses sources with his ‘ability to view issues from multiple angles to ensure the highest-value result is attained by clients.’" 2010 Edition.
• "Norman Pernick is widely acknowledged as 'a gifted problem solver'." 2009 Edition.
• "He gained significant recognition for the Owens Corning case - this served to bolster his already established reputation, founded on a historical legacy of 'good vision, understanding, a substantial grasp of all the key issues and the provision of direct, practical advice'." 2008 Edition.
• "Norman Pernick really proved himself on the Owens Corning case. His role at the center of this earned him a wider following due to his ‘results-oriented and savvy style'." 2007 Edition.
• "Clients pinpointed the 'top class' Norman Pernick. A 'sure-fire leader', Pernick has been involved in the Owens Corning case and is respected for his experience of acting as lead counsel to companies in Chapter 11 proceedings." 2006 Edition.
• "He has 'a good sense of what the court will do and how to maneuver in his clients' best interests'. With expertise as lead counsel to companies in Chapter 11, he has a 'strong sense of integrity, excellent communication skills' and the ability to 'use his personality as a tool'." 2005 Edition.
• "Clients say that his success is built on being 'a consensus builder; he is a good strategic planner and does an excellent job of predicting what the court will and won't do'." 2004 Edition.
• "The firm's reputation for bankruptcy work is inextricably linked with that of its star individual, the 'sharp and practical' Norman Pernick. A 'superior strategist,' Pernick was lauded by peers for his 'solid client relationships' and ability to 'drive a deal'." 2003 Edition.

Mr. Pernick was appointed by Chief Judge Anthony Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to serve on the 2005 Merit Selection Committee for Bankruptcy Judgeship Vacancies in the District of Delaware.  He is a former member of the Delaware Board of Bar Examiners, having been appointed by the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware.  He has been and continues to be active in the American Bar Association Business Law Section, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the American College of Bankruptcy, and the Delaware State Bar Association Bankruptcy Law Section.

He is frequently asked to speak and write on issues impacting the bankruptcy community and is the author of the Bankruptcy Deadline Checklist, a primer of bankruptcy deadlines published by the ABA Business Law Section.  He served as the Co-Chair of the December 2004 and June 2005 Mealey’s Asbestos Bankruptcy Conferences.  Mr. Pernick is a former member of the U.S. Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the District of Delaware, and a former Delaware representative to the Third Circuit Bankruptcy Conference.

Since he began his career in 1985, Mr. Pernick has been active in a number of community activities, which are listed below.

• Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy
• Martindale-Hubbell Directory, "AV Preeminent" Rating
• Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law (2006 to present)
• Selected for inclusion in the “America’s Leading Lawyers in Bankruptcy” list by Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers For Business, The Client’s Guide (2003 to present) (Delaware-Top Tier)
• Selected for inclusion in Delaware Super Lawyers®, Bankruptcy & Creditor-Debtor Rights (2007 to present)
• Designated a “Highly Recommended Lawyer,” by Practical Law Company’s (PLC) Cross-border Restructuring and Insolvency Handbook (2007/2008)
• Designated a Who’s Who Legal by The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers, Insolvency & Restructuring (2006 to present)
• Recognized in Legal Media Group's Expert Guide to the World's Leading Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyers (2010) 
• Named one of Delaware’s Top Lawyers in Business Bankruptcy (2002) and one of the Top 75 “Power Attorneys” (2004) by Delaware Today Magazine  
• Wilmington Business Improvement District (a/k/a Downtown Visions), Chairperson of the Board of Directors (2010 to present)
• Main Street Wilmington, Chairperson of the Board (2006 to present)
• Jewish Family Service of Delaware, President (1990-1992)
• Jewish Federation of Delaware Board of Directors, (2005-2006)
• Milton & Hattie Kutz Home, Vice President and Executive Committee (2005-2006)
• U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Finance Committee, (1989-2008)

• Barzel Settles Superfund Bankruptcy Claim, Law 360, August 17, 2011
• Judge Approves Cadence Innovation Liquidation Plan, Law 360, August 17, 2011
• Norm Pernick was quoted in, "Cadence Innovation set to finish liquidation," The Deal Pipeline, August 18, 2011
• Cole Schotz Lands Five Practices and Nine Attorneys in Chambers USA Guide, June 27, 2011
• 35 Cole Schotz Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers in America®
• Five Cole Schotz Attorneys Receive Top Marks in Chambers USA 2010 Rankings

• Case Study: HSRE-CDS I, Law 360, September 23, 2011
• Structured Chapter 11 Dismissals: A Viable and Growing Alternative After Asset Sales, ABI Journal, June 2010. This article was selected for inclusion in ABI's newest book, Best of ABI 2011: The Year in Business Bankruptcy.
• Bankruptcy Deadline Checklist, 4th Edition: An Easy-to-Use Reference Guide for Case Management and Administration, American Bar Association, 2009
• The Latest News from the Delaware Courts: Decisions of Interest to Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals, The Americas Restructuring and Insolvency Guide
• Bankruptcy Deadline Checklist, 3rd Edition: An Easy-to-Use Reference Guide for Case Management and Administration, American Bar Association, 2007

• Participant in the "15th Annual Great Debate" titled, "Resolved: Plan support and lock-up agreements are enforceable and do not violate plan solicitation and disclosure rules," American Bankruptcy Institute, Annual Spring Meeting, April 2011

• American Bankruptcy Institute, Mid-Atlantic Conference Advisory Board
• American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Ad Hoc Committee on Partnerships in Bankruptcy
• American College of Bankruptcy, Fellow
  
  • Circuit Admissions Council
  
  
  • Education Committee
  
  
  • Pro Bono Committee
• Delaware State Bar Association, Bankruptcy Law Section Co-Chair, Chapter 11 Committee
• Delaware Bankruptcy Inns of Court, Bencher
• Delaware Board of Bar Examiners
• Third Circuit Bankruptcy Conference, Delaware Representative