Hon. Melanie L. Cyganowski (Ret.)

The Honorable Melanie L. Cyganowski’s career includes a 14-year term as a Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of New York where she served with distinction until her retirement in 2007. Upon leaving the bench, Judge Cyganowski re-entered the private sector as a partner for one of the nation’s premiere insolvency firms, specializing in the representation of stakeholders in connection with insolvency disputes throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Throughout her career, Judge Cyganowski has successfully conducted numerous arbitrations and mediations. As a neutral, she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to NAM specializing in bankruptcy disputes that encompasses insolvency, debt recovery and restructuring.

Following her graduation from the School of Law at the State University of New York at Buffalo, magna cum laude, she served as a law clerk to the late Hon. Charles L. Brieant, former Chief Judge in the Southern District of New York.

Judge Cyganowski has testified as an expert witness in the Cayman Islands in connection with transnational bankruptcy proceedings. She is also an adjunct professor of law at St. John’s University, School of Law, in the LL.M. program in Bankruptcy, where she teaches bankruptcy related courses.

She has authored numerous articles and is active in the Commercial & Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association, and as a member of the Executive Committee, and Chair of the Section’s Nominating Committee since 1993. She was appointed as Co-Chair of the NYSBA Special Task Force on Courts in 2008, and is a member of the Committee of Legal Specialization. Judge Cyganowski is also a Fellow of the American and New York State Bar Foundations, and a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the American Bar Association, the Bar Association of the City of New York and the Federal Bar Council.

She has taught numerous programs on mediation and is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education (CLE) events on bankruptcy, sponsored by the American Bankruptcy Institute, the New York State Bar Association, the Judicial Institute of the State of New York, the Georgetown University School of Law, the Women’s Bar Association for the State of New York, and the Bar Association of the City of New York.

Judge Cyganowski has enjoyed a stellar reputation, respect and admiration from bankruptcy attorneys who have practiced before her over the years. She has been described as “fair, extremely intelligent and a thoughtful jurist who always maintained an expert grasp of the law and understanding of the cases before her”; “very approachable and willing to engage in conversation”; “she is extremely bright, articulate, always polite and considerate of counsel, always prepared on the bench and has an incredible ability to listen to complex oral arguments”; “she has a brilliance that has been recognized by the bankruptcy bar”.

Judge Cyganowski is available to arbitrate and mediate bankruptcy cases throughout the United States.