Gibson Dunn & Crutcher is strengthening its global restructuring group with the appointment of Leo Plank, a former Kirkland & Ellis partner for 20 years up until January 2025. Plank has advised on complex, cross-border matters, including the multibillion-dollar restructurings of Agrokor in Croatia and HETA Asset Resolution in Austria. The move comes as companies across Europe are being forced to make changes and transform themselves amid geopolitical uncertainty and shifting trade policies. Germany, in particular, faces challenges driven by restructuring pressures in the automotive, chemicals and consumer and retail sectors, according to a report by the Boston Consulting Group in July. “The firm’s global platform and strategic vision for Europe align with my ambitions,” Plank said, adding that his hiring comes at a pivotal moment for the restructuring market as companies rethink their capital structures and business models. Plank’s arrival follows Gibson Dunn’s 2025 appointment of restructuring partners Chris Howard and Presley Warner from Sullivan & Cromwell in London and the 2024 addition of former Freshfields' partner Lisa Stevens. Gibson Dunn, ranked sixth by revenue in the 2025 Global 200, also opened an office in Zurich in September and hired U.K. barrister Christopher Harris KC.