Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP Elevates Brittany Mitchell Michael and Benjamin L. Wallen to Partner

We are pleased to announce that Brittany Mitchell Michael, resident in the firm’s New York office, and Benjamin L. Wallen, resident in the firm’s Texas office, have been elevated to partner of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP.

Brittany concentrates her practice on representing tort creditors and official committees in mass-tort and child sexual-abuse bankruptcies. Among her many engagements, Brittany was instrumental in representing the creditors’ committees in dozens of Catholic Church chapter 11 cases such as the Diocese of Rockville Centre, the Archdiocese of San Francisco, and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Brittany frequently speaks and writes on bankruptcy topics for tort attorneys and tort victims. Brittany was one of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s “40 Under 40” among bankruptcy attorneys and was named an “Attorney of the Year” by Minnesota Lawyer for her work in representing the creditors’ committee in the chapter 11 case of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Brittany is a member of the international board of International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Conference and the past chair of the Minneapolis chapter of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Conference.

“Brittany brings almost ten years of experience representing tort creditors and official committees in mass-tort and child sexual-abuse bankruptcies. Her skill, dedication, and commitment to her work will benefit the firm and our clients for years to come,” said James Stang, a founding partner. “We value her creativity with respect to complex issues and her leadership,”

Brittany received her B.A. from Wesleyan University and her J.D. from University of Minnesota School of Law. She is admitted to practice in New York and Minnesota.

Ben concentrates his practice on representing debtors, official committees of unsecured creditors, trade vendors, and other parties in some of the largest or otherwise most complex bankruptcy cases in the nation. Ben also regularly represents postconfirmation trusts as well as various other parties in bankruptcy-related litigation.

Ben speaks regularly on bankruptcy and insolvency-related issues, including at seminars and conferences in Texas and Louisiana, and has authored multiple articles on various bankruptcy issues. Ben also serves as a co-chair of the Legislation & Rules Subcommittee of the Business Bankruptcy Committee of the American Bar Association. Ben has received numerous recognitions for his work on bankruptcy and insolvency matters, such as being designated a 2024 “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine and being included in the 30th and 31st editions of  Best Lawyers in America.

“We are very excited to welcome Ben to the firm’s partnership. I have worked closely with Ben his entire career and believe he has developed into a skilled, creative, and practical bankruptcy practitioner representing debtors, official committees, and other parties in courts throughout the country, and in particular, in the Texas bankruptcy courts. I know Ben has a great career ahead of him and look forward to continuing to work with him for many years to come. I am honored and proud to call Ben my partner,” said Michael D. Warner, PSZJ’s Texas managing partner.

Ben received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma (2013) and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center (2016). Ben is admitted to practice in the State of Texas.