Peter J. Roberts

Member

Recent News:

Peter J. Roberts To Be Inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy

Peter J. Roberts, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s nationally recognized Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring Practice, has been selected for induction as a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.

Pete represents clients in all matters of commercial insolvency, including bankruptcies, workouts, receiverships, assignments for the benefit of creditors, UCC Article 9 sales, and related litigation. He develops workout strategies for debtors and creditors, formulates and executes plans of reorganization, navigates asset sales in distressed situations, and litigates cases in state and federal courts. He has extensive trial and appellate experience, including several appeals before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Pete typically works with debtors, creditors’ committees, trustees, equity receivers, assignees for the benefit of creditors, prospective buyers of distressed assets, financial institutions, equipment lessors, landlords, and trade creditors. His clients come from a range of industries, including construction, health care, lending, manufacturing, real estate, retailing, wholesaling, collectibles, jewelry, furniture, trucking, and biotechnology.

Pete has been recognized by Chambers and Partners USA, Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers in America. He has an AV rating from Martindale Hubble and has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company.

Pete earned his J.D. from Duke University School of Law and his A.B. cum laude from Boston College. 

Experience

News

Peter J. Roberts To Be Inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy

October 14, 2024

Peter J. Roberts, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s nationally recognized Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring Practice, has been selected for induction as a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Nearly 100 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 27 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2024 Guide

June 10, 2024

Chambers USA rankings are based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.” In order to be ranked in the guide, lawyers and firms must demonstrate “sustained excellence.”

Leading Lawyers Network Recognizes 19 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers as Top Illinois Practitioners

March 05, 2024

Ira Bodenstein, Jack Carriglio, Janet Davis, John Dunn, Mitch Edlund, Wendy Enerson, Gary Gassman, Tia Ghattas, Jeremy Glenn, Erin Bolan Hines, Mark Rabinowitz, Peter Roberts, Brian Shaw, Joseph Tilson, Julie Trester, Peter Valeta, Anna Wermuth, and Brian Williams were recognized as Leading Lawyers, Christina Sanfelippo was recognized as an Emerging Lawyer.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2024 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 29, 2024

The Cozen O’Connor attorneys who have been recognized by their peers in Illinois as Super Lawyers are Jack Carriglio, Janet Davis, Jeremy Glenn, Allen Guon, Peter Roberts, Brian Shaw, Joe Tilson, and Anna Wermuth. Amy Doig, David Doyle, and Corey Hickman were named to this year’s Illinois Rising Stars list. This is Hickman’s first year on the Rising Stars list.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Eighty-eight Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 23 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2023 Guide

June 05, 2023

Of the 88 lawyers ranked, 17 lawyers have been recognized nationally, and eighteen were recognized in Band 1. Eight of the firm's practice areas have been recognized nationally, and nine were ranked Band 1.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2023 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 26, 2023

Super Lawyers has named 11 attorneys at Cozen O’Connor to its 2023 lists of top practitioners in Illinois.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Chambers Ranks 86 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 22 Practice Areas in Chambers USA 2022 Guide

June 02, 2022

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 86 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2022 edition.

Leading Lawyers Network Recognizes 23 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers as Top Illinois Practitioners

March 02, 2022

The Leading Lawyers Network has named 22 Cozen O’Connor lawyers to its annual list of Illinois’ top practitioners and named one other as an Emerging Lawyer in its 2022 survey results.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2022 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 28, 2022

Nine were recognized as Super Lawyers and two were named to its list of "Rising Stars," a list that recognizes attorneys under the age of 40.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2021 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 29, 2021

Super Lawyers has named eleven attorneys at Cozen O’Connor to its 2021 lists of top practitioners in Illinois.

Leading Lawyers Network Recognizes 26 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers as Top Illinois Practitioners

January 26, 2021

The Leading Lawyers Network has named 24 Cozen O’Connor lawyers to its annual list of Illinois’ top practitioners and named two others as Emerging Lawyers in its 2021 survey results.

With Global Bankruptcy Filings Increasing, Cozen O’Connor Adds Eight Veteran Attorneys to its Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring Practice

September 01, 2020

Hires Expand Offerings in Chicago and Add Depth to the firm’s Corporate Bankruptcy Practice

Publications

Litigation Concerning the Automatic Stay

March 20, 2023

Peter Roberts co-authored “Litigation Concerning the Automatic Stay,” chapter 6 of the 2023 edition of Commercial Bankruptcy Litigation & Strategic Alternatives For And Against Distressed Businesses.

2022 Business Bankruptcy Practice

May 11, 2022

David Doyle, Allen Guon, and Peter Roberts each authored a chapter of the 2022 edition of Business Bankruptcy Practice, a book published by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education.

Education

  • Duke University School of Law, J.D., 1990
  • Boston College, A.B., cum laude, 1987

Awards & Honors

Chambers and Partners USA, 2022-2024

Martindale Hubbell, AV Rating

Illinois Leading Lawyer, Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2018

Super Lawyers, 2005-2022

Best Lawyers in America, 2012-2025

  • Massachusetts
  • Illinois
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. District Court -- Colorado
  • U.S. District Court -- Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court -- Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Illinois

American Bar Association

American Bankruptcy Institute

Chair, Bankruptcy Committee of the Seventh Circuit Bar Association 

The Lawyers Club of Chicago

Turnaround Management Association