International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced today that five attorneys have joined its Palo Alto office from the well-known bankruptcy law firm, Murray & Murray.

John Murray, Stephen O’Neill, Robert Franklin, Craig Prim and Thomas Hwang will anchor Dorsey’s West Coast Bankruptcy and Restructuring practice.

The attorneys bring more than 35 years of specialized expertise in business reorganization, insolvency and bankruptcy law. The group represents financially distressed companies in the restructuring of their financial affairs in formal Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, assignments for the benefit of creditors and out-of-court workouts. The group also maintains a creditor practice representing creditors’ committees, secured creditors, investors and other creditor clients in bankruptcy and commercial law matters. The attorneys also represent parties interested in mergers with, and acquisitions of, financially distressed entities, and the purchase of assets from such entities.

Prior to joining Dorsey, Murray, O’Neill, Franklin, Prim and Hwang practiced at Murray & Murray, a Cupertino-based law firm specializing in business reorganization, insolvency and bankruptcy law. The firm, which was founded in 1975, is among the most prominent and distinguished bankruptcy practices in Northern California.

“We are delighted to have this preeminent group of bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers join us in our Palo Alto office,” said Craig Ritchey, Office Head of Dorsey’s Palo Alto office. “They are extremely accomplished and well respected in this community, and together with our existing bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers throughout the firm will give us tremendous capabilities.”

“We are very excited about the move,” said John Murray. “The broader platform offered by Dorsey & Whitney will allow us to expand our practice to a national level and capitalize on east coast opportunities, especially in Delaware and New York.”

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