Partner George Klidonas Featured in Tribute to Greek American Attorneys in the US
Translation
The National Herald Tribute to Greek American Attorneys in the U.S.
Q&A With George Klidonas
George Klidonas is a partner in the Restructuring and Special Situations Group at Latham & Watkins. George’s practice focuses on primarily representing companies, boards of directors, management teams, investors, and private equity sponsors in both in-court and out-of-court restructurings across a variety of industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Fordham University, law degree from Cardozo School of Law, and LL.M. in Bankruptcy from St. John’s School of Law. George has been recognized as a 40 Under 40 by Global Restructuring Review (2022) and Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer by Turnarounds & Workouts (2021). George also previously worked on secondment at KKR in the Special Situations Group, where he advised the investment team on existing portfolio investments as well as new investments.
How do you feel as a top lawyer between so many other talented and competitive colleagues?
I feel honored and humbled to have achieved the successes I have received so far in my career. But the reality is that no individual is an island, and I attribute my successes to the support I have received over the years from family, friends, and colleagues both in and out of my industry. Without their support, it is unclear where I would be today. And so I am thankful to those colleagues that pushed me to be a better attorney or mentored and guided me through this journey, and I will forever be grateful.
How your Greek Heritage helped you in your career?
My Greek heritage is a fundamental component of who I am as an individual. And this is true not only in theory, but in practice, where over the years I summered in Greece to visit family and friends ever since I was a child. The crucial component of those travels was to see where my parents came from and how they started their lives in modest parts of Greece--my mother in Drama and my father in Mani. And from there, emigrated to the United States and succeeded in achieving the American dream. I associate my Greek heritage with pride and hard work—two very important characteristics of my parents—and I have tried to lay a foundation in my career that is built on those two features.
Briefly describe your company and your responsibilities and field of interest
I am a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, a U.S. based law firm with over 3,000 lawyers and a global platform spanning 14 countries. I am in the Restructuring & Special Situations Practice group and I assist both privately and publicly held companies, creditors, distressed investors, and public and private equity holders in navigating complex issues in the context of financially troubled situations, with a particular focus on corporate restructurings and special situations. I also advise boards of directors, board committees, and senior management of financially-troubled companies on a range of issues, including fiduciary duties and corporate governance. My experience is broad ranging, but I have assisted companies that have been in financial distressed in the automotive, energy & power, healthcare, and technology sectors, among others.
What is the most important accomplishment in your career?
The most important accomplishment in my career is being promoted to partner after years of hard work. But the path was not easy, and it required both enthusiasm for my practice and creativity in achieving successful results for companies that are financially troubled. Whether it was representing multi-billion dollar companies that required chapter 11 restructuring, or coming up with creative solutions for a highly distressed company that needed to restructure as quickly as possible—and in this case, a record-breaking 24 hours—the important energy that I always brought to the table along the way was gusto. And it has been that energy and enthusiasm that drove me to continue down the path of achieving my greatest accomplishment—making partner.