40+ Years of History

Forman Holt members have a rich history in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area practicing in the fields of insolvency and commercial litigation. Rooted in the late 1970’s with Rodino & Forman, Charles M. Forman has evolved iterations of the firm as Forman Holt & Eliades in the mid-1990s and Forman Holt Eliades & Youngman in the 2000s. After migrating with several members of that firm to practice under the roof of LeClairRyan in 2016, the Forman Holt firm was established in June 2017.

Managing Member Charles M. Forman has served as counsel to major national corporations, debtors in insolvency proceedings and, for more than four decades, has resided as a Panel Trustee by the United States Department of Justice.

Erin Kennedy obtained a solid reputation in the mid-1980s  as a commercial litigator and as counsel for trustees. In the late 1980s, Forman and Kennedy moved to Newark and connected with Michael E. Holt, who became well known for his skills in the liquidation and reorganization of complex insolvency matters.

Meanwhile, Forman’s stature as a trustee continued to grow and he received the Director’s Award for Outstanding Achievements by a Private Trustee. Along the way was a move to Bergen County, New Jersey where our client base expanded into the areas of telecommunications, manufacturing, real estate, employee benefits, health care and securities law.

Members of the firm have achieved enviable status among their peers. It is no small feat that all members of the firm have been recognized as Super Lawyers in the Bankruptcy area for more than a decade.  Forman was named to the top 100 for 2022, 2023 and for 2024.

Read more about the firm’s Practice Areas here.

Three Forman Holt Members Recognized as Best Lawyers® 2025 Award Recipients

Forman Holt is thrilled to announce that three members of the firm have been included in the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers in America ®, regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

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Three Forman Holt Members Recognized as Best Lawyers® 2025 Award Recipients Three Forman Holt Members Recognized as Best Lawyers® 2025 Award Recipients

Charles M. Forman Recognized by Chambers in 2024

The firm congratulates Charles M. Forman for his inclusion in Chambers, his tenth consecutive year receiving the honor in the Band 2 Bankruptcy / Restructuring category

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Charles M. Forman Recognized by Chambers in 2024 Charles M. Forman Recognized by Chambers in 2024

Forman Law Attorneys Honored as 2024 New Jersey Super Lawyers

Charles M. Forman, Michael E. Holt, and Erin J. Kennedy have once again been recognized in 2024. Charles M. Forman has been named to the coveted Super Lawyers Top 100 List.

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Forman Law Attorneys Honored as 2024 New Jersey Super Lawyers Forman Law Attorneys Honored as 2024 New Jersey Super Lawyers

Forman Holt Named to "Best Law Firms" 2024

Forman Holt has been named to the prestigious 2024 Tier 1 Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms list for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law in New Jersey.

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Forman Holt Named to Forman Holt Named to

Trustee Charles Forman Makes Additional Distributions to Asbestos Claimants in NSI Case

Pursuant to an order of the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Charles M. Forman, the Chapter 7 Trustee for NSI, Inc., has issued an additional distribution of $8 million to claimants.

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Trustee Charles Forman Makes Additional Distributions to Asbestos Claimants in NSI Case Trustee Charles Forman Makes Additional Distributions to Asbestos Claimants in NSI Case

Forman Holt Members Confirm Ammon Labs Chapter 11 Plan

Erin Kennedy and Michael Holt confirmed the Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization for Ammon Analytical Laboratories LLC in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey on March 28, 2023.

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Forman Holt Members Confirm Ammon Labs Chapter 11 Plan Forman Holt Members Confirm Ammon Labs Chapter 11 Plan

NJBLF Receives the William J. Brennan, Jr. Citation for Justice

The NJ Bankruptcy Lawyers Foundation, led by the Foundation’s President Charles M. Forman, received the award from Legal Services of NJ for providing emergency funds that support LSNJ’s clients through challenging times.

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NJBLF Receives the William J. Brennan, Jr. Citation for Justice NJBLF Receives the William J. Brennan, Jr. Citation for Justice

Charles M. Forman Appointed to NJIT Board of Overseers

The New Jersey Institute of Technology has appointed Forman Holt attorney Charles M. Forman, an alumnus of the University, to the distinguished position on its Board of Overseers.

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Charles M. Forman Appointed to NJIT Board of Overseers Charles M. Forman Appointed to NJIT Board of Overseers

Charles M. Forman Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

The NJ Law Journal named Charles Forman as recipient of their 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. The committee considers which individuals helped to shape the law in NJ, through their work on the bench, in-house or building a firm.

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Charles M. Forman Receives Lifetime Achievement Award Charles M. Forman Receives Lifetime Achievement Award