Justin Bickle makes a reappearance in The Lawyer Hot 100 following his reincarnation in September 2005 from stellar bondholder and restructuring partner at Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft to influential vice-president of principal investments at client Oaktree Capital Management.

In his new business role Bickle has had crucial input into the US investment company's interests in European high-yield securities and distressed debt. Oaktree, which holds bank debt in Eurotunnel, has most notably been waging a court battle with the channel tunnel operator's management to avoid being bound by the debt-laden group's restructuring plan. Under the complex proposal, Eurotunnel would create a new company, Groupe Eurotunnel, to acquire the existing business and debts of around £6.18bn, which would then be slashed and replaced with a £2.84bn loan.

Bickle has also been key to Oaktree's acquisition of the $575m (£311.4m) European packaged meats business of Sara Lee Corporation in September 2006 and its £182.2m acquisition of Nestlé and Treats ice-cream maker Richmond Foods in May 2006.