Hon. Nancy A. Peterman

Nancy A. Peterman was appointed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in Chicago, Illinois. She succeeds Bankruptcy Judge Carol A. Doyle who retired in 2023. Nancy will take the oath of office and join the bankruptcy bench in Chicago on February 19, 2026. 

Nancy earned her bachelor’s degree with high distinction and her law degree, cum laude, from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She began her legal career at Winston & Strawn in Chicago, Illinois representing clients on bankruptcy and restructuring matters and later joined Holleb & Coff.  After leaving Holleb & Coff, she opened Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s Chicago office along with some of her colleagues and was with the firm for twenty-seven years. Nancy’ experience has focused on corporate restructurings and M&A transactions involving distressed businesses with a specific focus on healthcare restructurings.   She has appeared in bankruptcy courts in Chicago and around the country as well as in district courts and state courts representing clients in healthcare receiverships.  Nancy assisted in drafting the healthcare bankruptcy provisions that were added to the Bankruptcy Code in 2005.  She is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy and an active member in the American Bankruptcy Institute, having served on the board, executive committee and as chair of various committees.