USC Gould School of Law 3L Fletcher Warren has been named the 2025 Distinguished Bankruptcy Law Student for the Ninth Circuit by the American College of Bankruptcy, marking the second time in three years a USC Gould student has earned this prestigious recognition.
Warren, who is graduating on Friday, was honored at the College’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., where he met with top bankruptcy judges, scholars and practitioners from across the country.
“It’s an immense honor to be recognized by the American College of Bankruptcy with this award,” Warren said. “The fact that this is the second time a Trojan has taken the award for the Ninth Circuit speaks strongly to the quality of Gould’s instruction in restructuring and creditor-debtor law. I’m grateful to have an opportunity to meet many of the country’s leading bankruptcy practitioners and excited to connect with this year’s other Distinguished Students from around the country.”
The Distinguished Bankruptcy Law Student program was established by the American College of Bankruptcy “to identify and promote prospective leaders in the insolvency and bankruptcy profession.”
Warren’s recognition builds on a strong tradition of excellence in bankruptcy and commercial law at USC Gould. Faculty including Professors Robert Rasmussen and Warren Loui — both of whom Warren said were influential in shaping his legal path — have cultivated a rigorous and practice-focused learning environment.
“In his Chapter 11 class, Professor Rasmussen took a very commercial approach, teaching not only the Code but also explaining the larger ecosystem and players that surround modern restructuring,” Warren said. “We were able to follow some of the largest filings almost in real time throughout the semester — for example, reviewing in class the First Day slide deck and Motions from Joann Fabric & Crafts mere days after the initial case was filed… (His) enthusiasm and approach really crystalized my interest in restructuring and distressed credit issues.”
Warren also credited Professor Rebecca Brown, under whom he took two constitutional law courses, as being key in helping develop how he thinks about the law. “While her area is (mostly) unrelated to my future work, Professor Brown’s consummate grasp of constitutional theory is hugely inspirational… She really instilled an appreciation for the suppleness of constitutional law while at the same time anchoring the enterprise in a deep commitment to ordered liberty.”
Outside the classroom, Warren gained firsthand teaching experience as a TA for secured transactions with Professor Loui, and deepened his scholarly perspective as a research assistant to Professor Nomi Stolzenberg.
“Beyond the friends I’ve made and the opportunity to live in sunny Los Angeles for three years, it’s some of the unique academic experiences that Gould offers that I’ll remember most,” he said. “The one that stands out most is probably an intensive weekend practicum class on syndicated lending … taught by Andy Kaufman, the founder and former chair of Kirkland’s debt finance practice group. … To my knowledge, Gould is the only law school in the country that offers anything even remotely like this.”
Following graduation, Warren will join the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis, where he plans to practice in the firm’s debt finance group with the aim of delving into liability management. It’s “an immensely creative and fast-paced space that has grown up in the shadow of the Bankruptcy Code over the past few years,” he said. “Kirkland is consistently on the bleeding edge in this area … so I’m happy to be able to start my career by learning from some of the best.”
As he prepares to graduate and transition to the next phase of his career, Warren’s recognition as the Ninth Circuit’s Distinguished Student underscores the strong foundation built at USC Gould — and the promise of an impactful career ahead.
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