New York – September 12, 2026 -- Zaiger Linden Roberti & Pepe LLC (ZLRP) has hired retired U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert E. Gerber as Of Counsel, adding a jurist whose docket carried a combined case value exceeding $1 trillion during his tenure on the Southern District of New York bench.
Gerber presided over ten Chapter 11 cases exceeding $1 billion in debt
Appointed to the bankruptcy bench in 2000 and reappointed in 2014, Gerber served on recall status from 2015 until his move to private practice. He issued roughly 200 published opinions on complex bankruptcy and corporate governance matters, presiding over landmark cases including Global Crossing, Adelphia, Ames Department Stores, Lyondell Chemical and General Motors.
New role targets mediation, arbitration and fiduciary work in insolvency disputes
At ZLRP, Gerber will focus on mediation, arbitration, consulting and fiduciary services in complex insolvency and corporate governance matters, alongside litigation in those and other disputes. He joins from Joseph Hage Aaronson, where he spent a decade as Of Counsel following his retirement from the bench.
Co-founders cite 27-year relationship in recruiting the retired judge
Co-Founding Partner Douglas J. Pepe said he has known Gerber for 27 years, dating to their time together at Joseph Hage Aaronson. "I have missed having the ability to consult with him on complex bankruptcy issues," Pepe said.
Gerber will be principally based in ZLRP's Stamford, Connecticut office, though the firm said his practice will extend nationally and internationally. He remains an Adjunct Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, where he has taught the Advanced Bankruptcy Seminar since 2012, and is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.