Our Bankruptcy Attorneys

For nearly two decades attorney Todd Duffy has helped individuals and businesses work through financial difficulties to get their affairs back on track. Leveraging many approaches – including the protections offered by the bankruptcy process – he restores order to situations that may seem out of control.

With extensive experience on both debtor and creditor sides of the equation, Mr. Duffy has a uniquely strategic perspective and an ability to maneuver skillfully and quickly, both of which are essential to businesses and people facing restructuring.

The goal is always to help clients get the outcomes they want, from continuing in business to retaining valued personal property to recovering monies owed. To this end, Mr. Duffy devotes an unusual amount of personal attention to each client, and also serves as a valued resource for other professionals.

Mr. Duffy's focus on bankruptcy and restructuring issues began at a prestigious Philadelphia law firm. Later, Mr. Duffy served as law clerk to the Honorable Stephen D. Gerling, Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of New York. He is a veteran of several major New York firms, including Greenberg Traurig LLP and Rosenman & Colin (now Katten, Muchin Rosenman LLP). In 2005 he co-founded Duffy & Atkins LLP.

• Admitted in:
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • State and Federal Courts of New York and New Jersey
• Professional Organizations:
  • Co-Chair, Bankruptcy Law Committee, New York County Lawyers Association
  • Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
• Academics:
  • J.D., St. John's University (Dean's List; editorial board of St. John's Journal of Legal Commentary; Corpus Juris Secundum for scholastic excellence in Contracts and Property)
  • B.A., Ursinus College, Psychology

James E. Atkins is a restructuring attorney and co-founding partner of Duffy & Atkins, LLP. Mr. Atkins’ practice centers on helping small and mid-sized businesses adapt strategically to difficult financial circumstances. These can be brought on by a combination of factors, including poor economic conditions, disputes with customers or vendors, underperforming product and service lines and tax claims.

Mr. Atkins collaborates closely with his clients, identifying the underlying issues, and devising an effective, practical plan for addressing them. After beginning his career as a law clerk to the Honorable Jeffry H. Gallet, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York, Mr. Atkins went on to work as a bankruptcy associate in three New York firms, including Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, where he had significant responsibilities for advising companies and boards of directors on insolvency-related issues. In 2005, Mr. Atkins became a co-founding member of Duffy & Atkins, LLP.

• Admitted in: New York, Connecticut
• Professional Organizations:
  • Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
  • Member, International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Professionals
• Academics:
  • J.D., cum laude, Brooklyn Law School (Dean’s Merit Scholarship; Dean’s List; Moot Court Honor Society; Journal of Law and Policy; Corpus Juris Secundum).
  • B.A., University of Maryland, Government & Politics.

In 15 years of experience as an attorney and paralegal, Mr. Nolan has worked on many complex legal matters, ranging from bankruptcy to antitrust to medical malpractice. He also had responsibility for claims filed with the September 11th Victims’ Compensation Fund.

This varied experience has given Mr. Nolan an unusual grasp of the details upon which legal strategies typically succeed or fail. At Duffy & Atkins, he leverages this expertise to provide clients with guidance on a broad range of litigation issues and on finding practical solutions to resolve their concerns.

• Admitted in: New York
• Professional Organizations:
  • Member, New York County Lawyers Association
  • Member, American Bankruptcy Institute
• Academics:
  • J.D., Fordham University School of Law (Dean’s List)
  • B.A., Fordham University College of Rose Hill, History