P. Sabin Willett

Partner

Sabin Willett tries cases, adversary proceedings and contested matters, and argues appeals, largely in disputes concerning corporate insolvency. Practicing typically in the bankruptcy, Delaware Chancery, and federal district courts, he often represents parties to fraudulent transfer, plan valuation, and other complex Chapter 11 disputes.

Extended Profile

Before joining Morgan Lewis, Sabin was a partner in the financial restructuring practice at another international law firm. A fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, he co-leads defense groups in the Tribune and Lyondell fraudulent transfer litigation, led the trial team that mitigated damages in Tronox, and prevailed in the New York Court of Appeals in Quadrant. He also led a pro bono team that won freedom for Uyghur Guantanamo detainees.

selected representations

Recent Engagements

Co-counsel for prevailing shareholders in Tribune Company Litigation (2nd Cir. 2016)
Lead counsel for Argentina Foreign-Law Bondholders (2nd Cir. and S.D.N.Y. 2016)
Co-trial counsel in Tronox v. Anadarko (2012). Developed and handled expert damages issues reducing $19 billion claim to $1 billion claim
Prevailed for ING Funds in Second Circuit settlement payment case (June 2011) (see below)
Mass Mutual in Madoff trustee avoidance litigation (2011)
Term lenders in Visteon (2009–2010)
Creditors’ committee in In re Sea Containers, Ltd. (Bankr. D. Del. 2008) (litigation concerning U.K. pension claims)
Trustee in In re Refco Capital Markets (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.) (numerous matters)
US Bank as indenture trustee for $1.2 billion in noteholders in successfully resisting recharacterization of a leveraged lease in In re Mirant Corp (Bankr. N.D. Texas)
Raytheon Company in disputes involving in excess of $1 billion in In re Washington Group (Bankr. D. Nevada)

Federal Jury Trials

Jury verdict for plaintiff in Bero v. Illinois Tool Works (D. Mass.)
Jury verdict for defendant in Zuker v. General Electric Capital Corp. (D. Mass.)

Appellate Cases

Prevailed before New York Court of Appeals in Quadrant v. Athilon (2014)
Lead counsel for prevailing party in Alfa, SAB v. Enron Creditors Recovery Corp., 2011 WL 2536101 (2nd Cir. 2011), establishing settlement payment defense for commercial paper redemptions
Obtained summary judgment for a major law firm sued by post-bankruptcy litigation trustee in Gray v. Evercore Restructuring L.L.C., 544 F.3d 320 (1st Cir. 2008), and for CFO in related case
Represented Fleet National Bank in obtaining reversal of an adverse bankruptcy judgment in Fleet National Bank v. Gray (In re Bankvest Capital Corp.), 375 F.3d 51 (1st Cir. 2004)
Represented Concourse Holding Co., the prevailing party on appeal in In re NTA, LLC, 380 F.3d 523 (1st Cir. 2004)

Other Work

Led the Bingham team that won landmark victories in its representation of Guantanamo prisoners; won the first-ever review of a Guantanamo prisoner’s case under the Detainee Treatment Act in the unanimous decision of Parhat v. Gates, 532 F.3d 834 (D.C. Cir. 2008)
In the first-ever merits review of Guantanamo habeas cases, obtained the first-ever habeas judgment, ordering prisoners’ immediate release into the United States, Kiyemba v. Bush, 581 F.Supp. 2d 33 (D.D.C. 2008), rev’d sub nom; Kiyemba v. Obama, 555 F.3d 1022 (D.C. Cir.), cert. granted, 559 US __ (2009), vacated and remanded, 559 US __ (2010)
Appellate counsel in US v. Mehanna (1st Cir. 2013)