True Grit: How Passion and Perseverance Cultivate our Greatest Potential
Christopher Porter in conversation with Susheel Kirpalani ’91
Christopher Porter joined Quinn Emanuel’s Houston office in 2018. He is an experienced trial lawyer focused on the key disputes businesses face—from breach of contract and trade secret claims to business torts and antitrust disputes. A natural in the courtroom, Chris brings substantive jury-trial experience and commands the respect of judges and juries alike. His comfort level with going to trial is a formidable competitive advantage for his clients—both in and outside the courtroom.
Porter represents plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts throughout Texas and elsewhere. A key to his approach (and success) is developing a close working relationship with his clients and maintaining an open, ongoing dialogue that ensures the best strategic decisions at every stage of litigation. Whether his clients are looking to obtain a quick settlement or to see their matter through trial, he is prepared every step of the way.
A distinctly business-oriented trial lawyer, Porter studied business administration with a concentration in Finance at The University of Texas at El Paso, where he was also a student government senator, captain of the football team, and a bowl game MVP. His demonstrated work ethic today comes in large part from his early drive to succeed. After working in the insurance industry for two years, Porter graduated with honors from the University of Michigan Law School. He then completed a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Philip R. Martinez in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Chris has been recognized repeatedly as a “Texas Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers. In 2015, he was asked to serve as an ambassador for the Houston Bar Association. Chris currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Houston Parks Board.
Susheel Kirpalani, ’91, is a partner and chairperson of Quinn Emmanuel Urquhart & Sullivan’s Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group. Susheel’s notable representations include serving as the court-appointed examiner and mediator in Dynegy; representing the statutory creditors’ committees in RadioShack, SemGroup, and Sentinel; serving as conflicts counsel to estate fiduciaries in Lehman Brothers, NII International, NewPage, Idearc, Washington Mutual, and Solutia; representing boards of directors, such as that of Lukoil Americas Corp.; and representing the equity sponsors in Sabine Oil & Gas, LyondellBasell, and Sbarro. Susheel also has broad experience in international insolvencies, leading the firm’s engagements for the Hong Kong-based private equity owner of Fisker Automotive in connection with an auction and litigation relating to competitive bid for the debtors’ assets by U.S.-based affiliate of Chinese company Wanxiang, for OGX, OSX, and OAS in U.S. aspects of their Brazil judicial recovery proceedings; for Dubai World in drafting Dubai’s bankruptcy legislation for public decree companies; and for the joint liquidators of the Kingate Global and Euro Funds in the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) proceeding against Bernard L. Madoff ‘s defunct firm. In municipal restructurings, Susheel represented Syncora Guarantee in Jefferson County’s Chapter 9 case and currently leads the firm’s engagement for an ad hoc group of COFINA Bondholders stemming from Puerto Rico’s financial crisis. In connection with the Puerto Rico matter, Susheel testified before Congress regarding the fairness of the restructuring title of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), which was ultimately enacted into law. Susheel’s established reputation for creativity and advocacy in creditors’ rights against companies tainted by fraud include such historic cases as Enron Corp. and Refco Group Ltd.
In 2013, The American Lawyer honored Susheel as “Dealmaker of the Year” for his work as examiner and mediator in Dynegy. He has been recognized by The Deal as one of eight attorneys “poised to become significant figures in the bars of cities ranging from Houston to Paris,” and also by Law360 as one of the ten most admired bankruptcy attorneys in the country. Chambers USA ranks Susheel in Band One, describing him as “very creative, aggressive and hard-working” and “a tremendous courtroom advocate.” Expert Guides named Susheel one of the “Top 30 Most Pre-eminent Insolvency Lawyers in America in 2012.” He is a recipient of the South Asian Bar Association of New York’s esteemed Litigation Achievement Award and is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.
Susheel is a frequent lecturer and panelist across the country on topics relating to financial crisis litigation, distressed investing, and bankruptcy. He is a regular guest speaker at NYU School of Law’s seminar in advanced bankruptcy, taught by former bankruptcy chief judge, Arthur Gonzalez. Susheel is a member of the Dean’s Planning Council of Fordham University School of Law, where he has created a full-tuition scholarship for public service and is involved in various charitable endeavors.
Susheel received his JD in 1994 from Fordham University School of Law, where he was an editor of the Law Review, and has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Queens College. He is admitted to practice in the federal and state courts of New York as well as several federal circuit courts of appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.