Kilpatrick Continues Growth in New York

Firm Adds Partner to Complex Commercial Litigation Team

NEW YORK (October 19) – Kilpatrick announced today that George Soumalevris has joined as a partner on the Firm’s Complex Commercial Litigation Team in the New York office. Mr. Soumalevris previously practiced at Venable LLP.

Mr. Soumalevris’s addition to Kilpatrick’s New York office comes after Michele Alexander joined the Firm’s Employee Benefits & Tax Team in New York as a partner on September 29.

“George is a standout addition to the Complex Commercial Litigation Team,” said Gwendolyn Payton, Co-Leader of Kilpatrick’s Complex Commercial Litigation Team. “His deep understanding of the commercial real estate finance and structured finance markets, coupled with his experience representing sophisticated institutional clients in high-stakes disputes, will enhance our ability to serve clients facing increasingly complex issues in these areas. George also brings a highly specialized practice that complements our existing strengths across litigation, real estate, finance, and restructuring. His arrival strengthens our ability to serve capital markets clients in New York, one of the most important jurisdictions for commercial real estate and structured finance litigation, while expanding the Firm’s capabilities nationally.”

Mr. Soumalevris focuses on structured finance litigation, commercial real estate finance disputes, and distressed debt disputes. He represents financial institutions, lenders, collateral managers, special servicers, and other sophisticated market participants in high-stakes litigation involving complex financial instruments, including commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), credit default swaps (CDS), and other securitized products.

Mr. Soumalevris has litigated high-profile structured finance disputes involving hundreds of millions of dollars in contested proceeds. His matters frequently involve novel legal issues and cases of first impression that shape the interpretation of complex securitization transaction documents.

In addition to commercial real estate and structured finance litigation, Mr. Soumalevris has previously advised clients in Chapter 11 restructurings and Chapter 15 cross-border insolvency proceedings, as well as bankruptcy-related litigation involving distressed financial assets and securitized debt structures. As a holder of Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program, Mr. Soumalevris brings a rigorous understanding of both legal frameworks and the financial mechanics underlying securitization structures.

“Kilpatrick has an exceptional platform for serving sophisticated participants across the commercial real estate and structured finance markets, and I am excited about the opportunity to help expand the Firm’s litigation capabilities in those areas, particularly in New York,” said Mr. Soumalevris. “I look forward to collaborating with colleagues across the Firm to deepen client relationships, develop new opportunities, and continue building an integrated practice around complex financial disputes.”

Mr. Soumalevris has practiced law internationally in Greece, France, and Belgium, bringing a global perspective on cross-border financial disputes. He speaks Greek and French.

Mr. Soumalevris earned an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center and an LL.B. from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Law. He is admitted in New York and the District of Columbia and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute.

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Media Contact:

Lauren Thompson | Director, Strategic Communications
LThompson@ktslaw.com