Isaac M. Pachulski, resident in the firm’s Los Angeles office, has cultivated a national reputation for more than four decades in reorganization proceedings and dealing with a broad spectrum of bankruptcy-related issues. Isaac’s work for clients spans dozens of industries and has included debtors, significant creditors, official and unofficial committees, and creditor groups in cases around the country. Many of Isaac’s representations are nonpublic, involving advice to clients on various bankruptcy-related issues. He has represented substantial creditors and creditor groups in major chapter 11 cases such as those of Westinghouse (substantial creditor); Toys R Us (substantial bondholder); Lehman Brothers (substantial creditor and bondholder); Tribune (substantial noteholder); Scotia Pacific ( holders of in excess of $200 million of secured notes); Calpine (appellate co-counsel to certain holders of convertible notes), Adelphia Communications (substantial noteholder and special conflicts counsel to ad hoc noteholder group) and Enron Corporation (holders of more than $3 billion senior unsecured debt).
More recently, a substantial portion of Isaac’s practice has centered on representing significant stakeholders in mass tort chapter 11 cases. Isaac represented a substantial holder of property damage insurance subrogation claims in the chapter 11 cases of PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (whose chapter 11 filings were precipitated by claims arising from a series of California wildfires). Isaac has acted as counsel to a law firm that represents thousands of ovarian cancer victims who assert claims arising from product-based talc exposure in a series of chapter 11 cases. These include the chapter 11 cases of Imerys Talc America and affiliated entities-where Isaac’s work included a lead role in a successful challenge to the vote on a plan that the firm’s client opposed and two successive chapter 11 cases filed by LTL Management (an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson formed to file a chapter 11 case to address talc-related claims)-where Isaac’s work included a principal role in the prosecution of motions to dismiss in each case that, along with motions to dismiss filed by other parties, ultimately led to the dismissal of both cases.
Previously, Isaac has represented debtors and, to a lesser extent, trustees. Among these representations, Isaac acted as lead chapter 11 counsel for Mariner Post-Acute Network, Mariner Health Group, and 185 affiliated entities that collectively operated approximately 400 skilled nursing and long-term acute care facilities as of the chapter 11 filing and who successfully confirmed a chapter 11 plan. Isaac represented the trustee for a failed clearing broker in a proceeding under the Securities Investor Protection Act.
Isaac is a long-time member of the National Bankruptcy Conference (where he chaired the Chapter 11 Committee and served on the Executive Committee), as well as being a member of the International Insolvency Institute and a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. He has been named in Who’s Who Legal (for Insolvency & Restructuring), the Best of the Best (Legal Media Group), 500 Leading Lawyers in America; Southern California Best Lawyers in America (2011 & 2012); Best Lawyers in America (every year since 1993), and Super Lawyers for Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights (Super Lawyers Magazine; every year since 2004). Isaac holds an AV Preeminent Peer Rating, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. He was listed by Lawdragon as one of the 2020 “Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Restructuring & Insolvency Lawyers.”
Isaac received his J.D., summa cum laude, from Harvard University, earning the distinguished Fay Diploma for highest cumulative grade-point average. While at Harvard, he won the Sears Prize two years in a row and was a member of the Harvard Law Review. His BA was earned summa cum laude at University of California Los Angeles.
Programs & Lectures
International Insolvency Institute; Financial Lawyers Conference; American Bankruptcy Institute; National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges; Turnaround Management Association
Publications
•“Cramdown and Valuation Under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code,” 58 N.C.L. Law Review 925 (1981)
•“Levy v. Cohen: Another Pitfall for Creditors in Bankruptcy Proceedings,” 53 Los Angeles Bar Journal 278 (1977)
News
Eighteen PSZJ Attorneys Named to the Lawdragon '500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers' Guide for 2025
Lawdragon June 27, 2025
PSZJ Continues to Rank Among Leading Law Firms in Prestigious Chambers USA Guide
Chambers USAJune 5, 2025
PSZJ Attorneys Named in 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
August 15, 2024
Laura Davis Jones, Debra Grassgreen, and Isaac Pachulski Named 'Lawyers of the Year' in 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
August 15, 2024
Eighteen PSZJ Attorneys Named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers for 2024
Lawdragon June 14, 2024
PSZJ Continues to Rank Among Leading Law Firms in Prestigious Chambers Guides Chambers Global, Chambers USA
June 4, 2024
Nineteen PSZJ Attorneys Named to 2024 Southern California “Super Lawyers” List
January 10, 2024
PSZJ Attorneys Named in 2024 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
August 17, 2023
Eighteen PSZJ Attorneys Named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers for 2023
Lawdragon June 16, 2023
PSZJ Continues to Rank Among Leading Law Firms in Prestigious Chambers Guides
Chambers Global, Chambers USAJune 1, 2023
Eighteen PSZJ Attorneys Named to 2023 Southern California’s “Super Lawyers” List
January 1, 2023
PSZJ Attorneys Named in 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
August 18, 2022
PSZJ Continues to Rank Among Leading Law Firms in Prestigious Chambers Guides
Chambers USA, Chambers GlobalJune 1, 2022
Seventeen PSZJ Attorneys Named to 2022 Southern California’s “Super Lawyers” List
January 20, 2022
Fourteen PSZJ Attorneys Named to 2022 Lawdragon '500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers' Guide
LawdragonJanuary 14, 2022
PSZJ Attorneys Named in 2022 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
August 19, 2021
Nineteen PSZJ Attorneys Named 2021 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
January 1, 2021
PSZJ Attorneys Recognized as Global Leaders in 2021 Who's Who Restructuring & Insolvency Guide
September 1, 2020
PSZJ Attorneys Named in 2021 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
August 20, 2020
Prestigious Chambers Guides Again Rank PSZJ Among Leading Law Firms
April 25, 2019
Five PSZJ Attorneys Named Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders
February 10, 2020
Twenty-One PSZJ Attorneys Named 2020 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
January 15, 2020
PSZJ Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers in America
August 15, 2018
Prestigious Chambers Guides Again Rank PSZJ Among Leading Law Firms
April 23, 2020
Twenty-One PSZJ Attorneys Named 2019 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
January 30, 2019
PSZJ Attorneys Named in Best Lawyers in America
August 15, 2019
Prestigious Chambers Guides Again Rank PSZJ Among the Best Law Firms
June 8, 2017
Twenty PSZJ Attorneys Named 2018 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
January 31, 2018
Thirty-Five PSZJ Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America
August 15, 2017
Prestigious Chambers Guides Again Rank PSZJ Among the Best Law Firms
May 7, 2018
Eighteen PSZJ Attorneys Named 2017 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
January 25, 2017
Nineteen PSZJ Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America
August 1, 2016
Ninth Circuit Holds That Appeal From Unstayed Order Confirming Plan Over Secured Creditor's Objection Is Not Equitably Moot
April 15, 2016
Seventeen PSZJ Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America
August 17, 2015
Authoritative Chambers Guides Again Rank PSZJ Among the Best
May 19, 2015
Isaac Pachulski to Address 'Bargaining and Plan Negotiation' at House Committee on the Judiciary
April 1, 2015
Thirteen PSZJ Attorneys Selected as Southern California Super Lawyers
Los Angeles magazineFebruary 1, 2015
The Importance of Unambiguous Intercreditor Agreements
Bankruptcy Law 360November 1, 2014
Loose Language in Intercreditor Agreement Sinks Senior Creditor Suit
October 30, 2014
Thirteen PSZJ Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America
August 1, 2014
Court Invalidates Prohibition on Bankruptcy Filing in LLC Operating Agreement as Unenforceable Lender Ploy
PSZJ Bulletin No. 16May 1, 2014
Nationally Prominent Stutman Lawyers Join Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones
April 23, 2014
Eleven PSZJ Attorneys Named to Lawdragon’s Leading Global Restructuring & Insolvency Lawyers Guide
August 11, 2020
Events
ABI Battleground West Featuring Isaac Pachulski
Living on the (H)edge: Where Distressed Investors are Taking Modern Bankruptcy Practice
March 8, 2015
