Charles M. Forman

Practice Areas

Debtor Representation

Mediation

Real Estate & Transactional

Trustee & Fiduciary

Career

Charles M. Forman, senior member of Forman Holt, is a nationally recognized leader in the field of insolvency and bankruptcy law in the region with more than 40 years of experience as an attorney for the debtors and creditors in addition to his service as a member of private panel of trustees appointed by the United States Department of Justice. Mr. Forman also has served as attorney for other trustees and as a fiduciary in numerous state and federal court proceedings.

In his capacity as a trustee, Mr. Forman has administered more than 20,000 Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 cases, including many of the most complex cases that have been filed in this region during the past four decades. The cases he has overseen include household names such as Linens ’n Things, Workbench Furniture, Russ Berrie Toys and Upsala College. In addition, his assignments have included serving as trustee for NJ Affordable Homes, a $100 million real estate Ponzi scheme, and Omne Staffing, a $350 million per year employee staffing company.

During the course of his 40 year career he has administered approximately one-half billion dollars in assets and distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to creditors in order to satisfy their claims against the various bankruptcy estates which Mr. Forman has administered.

Named “Master of Disaster” by The Bergen Record for his skill and achievements in handling complex and challenging bankruptcy cases.

The United States Department of Justice recognized the excellence of Mr. Forman’s performance as a trustee when it awarded him the Director’s Award for Outstanding Achievements by a Private Trustee. Mr. Forman is the only panel trustee ever to be recognized by the Department of Justice for his service.

In addition to serving as a Trustee in Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 cases, Mr. Forman has been selected to serve as Liquidating Trustee, Plan Administrator, Independent Director, and Member of the Oversight Committee for confirmed plans. In the State Courts Mr. Forman has served as the Assignee and as Assignor for the Benefit of Creditors, and as a Special Fiscal Agent with broad oversight over Debtors’ operations.

In 2016, Charles M. Forman received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Jersey Law Journal. In 2020, he was recognized by Best Lawyers of America as Lawyer of the Year for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization. In 2021, he was recognized by Best Lawyers of America as Lawyer of the Year for Bankruptcy Litigation. In 2012, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Mr. Forman was selected among the Top 100 New Jersey Super Lawyers.

Mr. Forman’s efforts and accomplishments have been reported in publications such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine.

Mr. Forman is founder of the firm. His combined background in business, law and engineering and his creative approach to problem solving have served him well in connection with the many varied and complex assignments he has handled including matters in the areas of telecommunications, manufacturing, real estate, employee benefits and health care, retail operations, securities law and other complex areas.

In addition to serving as an attorney and a fiduciary, Mr. Forman also has been a court-approved mediator on the panel of mediators for the Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. In that capacity he has been called upon to mediate numerous complex matters for the courts in New Jersey.

Professional Memberships

NJ Bankruptcy Lawyers Foundation - President

New Jersey Institute of Technology - Member of University's Board of Overseers

New Jersey Institute of Technology Alumni Association – Past President

Independent Alumni of NJIT – President

New Jersey Bankruptcy Inn of Court – Past Master

Federal Bar Association of New Jersey – Past President

American Bankruptcy Institute – Advisory Committee for the Mid-Atlantic Section

New Jersey State Bar Association

New York State Bar Association

District of Columbia Bar Association

Essex County Bar Association

Bergen County Bar Association

American Bankruptcy Institute

Turnaround Management Association

Commercial Law League of America

Mensa: Scholarship and Nominating Committees

New York Institute of Credit

American Bar Association

Education