Sidney Levinson of Debevoise & Plimpton. Courtesy photo.

Sidney Levinson has left Jones Day to serve as co-chair of Debevoise & Plimpton's restructuring group.

Debevoise announced Tuesday that he joined the firm as a partner in New York. He was co-head of Jones Day's New York restructuring practice.

Levinson's hiring comes amid widespread concern about slowing economic growth and the potential for more corporate bankruptcies on the horizon. In an interview with Law.com, he said, "Companies that have found themselves overleveraged and able to refinance their way through the years [will find it] more challenging …to be able to continue to do so."

He said his business depends on what matters come through the door, but has skewed toward creditors in recent years.

"I hadn't been looking to move and Debevoise reached out to me," he said. Debevoise's brand and his experience with the firm in the past left a good impression, he said, adding that its talented lawyers in other practices like private equity, capital markets, banking and finance, tax and white collar would be useful because of the broad array of legal issues that can arise in restructuring.

Levinson has represented bondholders, lenders, debtors and trustees in a variety of bankruptcy cases and restructurings over his more than three decades as a lawyer. He will co-chair Debevoise's restructuring group alongside M. Natasha Labovitz.

"His arrival further positions Debevoise to assist our clients through any economic cycle," said Debevoise presiding partner Michael Blair in a statement. "Sid's proven track record in handling complex restructuring matters makes him an exceptional addition to the team."

Both Debevoise and Jones Day have represented a lengthy who's who of debtors and creditors, including prominent industrial concerns, retailers, entertainment companies and automakers on the debtor side and major hedge funds and insurers on the creditor side.

Debevoise's restructuring group is smaller than Jones Day's, though; Debevoise lists 19 partners and counsel on its website, three of whom are retired, whereas Jones Day lists 90. Levinson said that number wasn't the best measure of Debevoise's strength, however, adding that size wasn't really a factor in his decision to move.

Levinson had been at Jones Day since 2012, according to his LinkedIn profile. He had been at Hennigan, Bennett & Dorman for 11 years, then moved with other bankruptcy lawyers to Dewey & LeBoeuf before that firm failed in 2012. From 1992 to 1995, he was a trial attorney in the commercial litigation branch of the Justice Department's Civil Division.

Labovitz, the restructuring group co-chair, said in a statement that Levinson's experience "representing all sides of a bankruptcy or workout transaction" and his litigation experience broaden the firm's ability to lead significant restructuring matters.

Levinson said his departure wasn't driven by anything at Jones Day and said he believed it was an excellent law firm. A Jones Day spokesman didn't respond to a comment request.