Overview

She’s an excellent practitioner and has a wonderful ability to approach legal matters with a business mindset. - Chambers USA, 2025

Christine A. Okike is a restructuring partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She represents public and private companies, sponsors, investors, creditors and purchasers in high-stakes, liability management transactions, recapitalizations and restructurings. She also advises boards of directors and senior management on fiduciary duties and corporate governance. Christine has a broad range of experience across a number of industries, including cryptocurrency, automotive, sports, entertainment, retail, energy, real estate, financial services, technology, transportation, travel, health care, media and telecommunications.

Most recently, Christine was recognized in the 2025 edition of Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, as an “excellent practitioner” who “has a wonderful ability to approach legal matters with a business mindset” and is “very thoughtful, thorough and practical.” Sources have previously noted that Christine is “someone who executes plans perfectly” and “is very responsive and has a great command of the legal issues.” Christine was also recognized as a “Rising Star Partner” by IFLR1000 for Restructuring and Insolvency and as a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500 United States for Restructuring: Corporate, 2023–2025. Christine was named a “Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyer” by the 2023–2025 Lawdragon 500 and selected to the 2024 New York Metro Super Lawyers list. Bloomberg Law recognized Christine in their 2023 “They’ve Got Next” series and Law360 selected Christine as one of six “Bankruptcy MVPs” for 2022. Corporate Counsel selected Christine as an honoree in the “Collaborative Leadership” category as part of the 2022 Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards. The Deal also selected Christine as one of its 2022 “Top Women in Dealmaking.” Christine was selected by Global Restructuring Review in its 2022 “40 Under 40” list of the world's top young restructuring professionals and Savoy recognized Christine as one of its “Most Influential Black Lawyers” in 2022 and 2024. The New York Law Journal also honored Christine at its New York Legal Awards in 2023 as a “Rising Star” and in 2022 for “Best Diversity Initiative.”

Christine was named as one of Crain’s New York Business’ 2021 “Notable Women in Law,” as well as an “Emerging Leader” by The M&A Advisor in 2019 and “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer” by Turnarounds & Workouts in 2018. In 2017, Christine was inducted into the International Insolvency Institute NextGen Leadership Program and selected as an “Emerging Leader” in the American Bankruptcy Institute’s inaugural 40 Under 40 initiative. Christine was admitted as a new member to The International Insolvency Institute (III) in 2023.

Christine is a member of the New York Office Recruiting Committee.

Christine represents a number of nonprofit organizations and individuals on a pro bono basis.

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Thought Leadership

Speaking Engagements

Guest Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School/Wharton School – JD/MBA Capstone Program, April 2024

Panelist, “The Great Crash: Crypto Bankruptcy,” Practising Law Institute, December 2023

Moderator, “Chief Legal Officer Roundtable,” Corporate Counsel Women of Color Career Strategies Conference, September 2023

Moderator, “Promoting Women of Color Leaders: A Fireside Chat with Perry Siatis,” Corporate Counsel Women of Color Career Strategies Conference, September 2023

Panelist, “The Crypto Winter: Key Takeaways,” Global Restructuring Review Live: Restructuring in the Americas, September 2023

Panelist, “Recent Developments in Crypto Bankruptcy Cases,” New York City Bar Association, July 2023

Panelist, “The Road to Partnership,” Corporate Counsel Women of Color Law Firm Associates Conference, May 2023

Guest Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School/Wharton School - JD/MBA Capstone Program, April 2023

Panelist, “Crypto Bankruptcies,” International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation Hot Topics Series, March 2023

Guest Lecturer, “Distressed M&A,” University of Michigan Law School, March 2023

Panelist, “Crypto in Crisis,” The Wharton School, Initiative on Financial Policy & Regulation, January 2023

Facilitator, “Crypto & Bankruptcy,” 2022 Stanford Crypto Policy Conference, November 2022

Moderator, “The Role of a Bankruptcy Judge,” 2022 National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, October 2022

Panelist, “Bankruptcy & Reorganizations 2022: Turning It Around - Hot Topics in Contested Plan Issues,” Practising Law Institute, May 2022

Guest Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School/Wharton School - JD/MBA Capstone Program, April 2022

Moderator, “The Evolution of the Distressed Investing Market,” 2022 Wharton Restructuring and Distressed Investing Conference, February 2022

Panelist, “Nuts & Bolts of Corporate Bankruptcy – Basic Ethical Considerations in Corporate Bankruptcy,” Practising Law Institute, December 2021

Panelist, “Clearing the Last Hurdle in Chapter 11 – Evolving Confirmation Issues That May Trip the Unwary,” New York City Bar Association, June 2021

Panelist, “Chapter 15 at 15,” New York City Bar Association, May 2021

Recognition

Chambers USA, Bankruptcy/Restructuring, 2023–2025

“Rising Star Partners,” IFLR1000, Restructuring and Insolvency, 2024

“Next Generation Partner,” The Legal 500 United States for Restructuring: Corporate, 2023–2025

“New York Metro Super Lawyers,” Super Lawyers, 2024

“Rising Star,” New York Law Journal, 2023 

“Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyer,” Lawdragon 500, 2023–2025

“They’ve Got Next,” Bloomberg Law, 2023

“Bankruptcy MVP,” Law360, 2022

“Collaborative Leadership Honoree - Women, Influence & Power in Law,” Corporate Counsel, 2022

“Best Diversity Initiative,” New York Law Journal, 2022

“Top Women in Dealmaking,” The Deal, 2022

“40 Under 40,” Global Restructuring Review, 2022

“Most Influential Black Lawyers,” Savoy, 2022 and 2024

“Notable Women in Law,” Crain’s New York Business,2021

“Emerging Leader,” The M&A Advisor, 2019

“Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer,” Turnarounds & Workouts, 2018

“NextGen Leadership Program,” International Insolvency Institute, 2017

“40 Under 40 - Emerging Leader,” American Bankruptcy Institute, 2017

Memberships & Affiliations

Member, The International Insolvency Institute

Member, New York City Bar Association Committee on Bankruptcy and Corporate Reorganization

Member, National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges 2023 Education Committee

Member, Law360’s 2022 Bankruptcy Editorial Advisory Board

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • New York
  • California

Courts

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

Education

  • Columbia Law SchoolJ.D.2008
  • Brown UniversityB.A.2005