Source: Bankruptcy Insider
 
Three new engagements in three months put New York's Miller Buckfire & Co. LLC at the top of this week's ranking of investment banks. The list, generated from our database at www.BankruptcyInsider.com, ranks firms by the number of bankruptcy-related engagements in new cases filed during the three months ended Sept. 27. (See table, below.)
 
Miller Buckfire's trio of new clients include Allied Holdings Inc., Birch Telecom Inc. and Foamex International Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 protection in July, August and September, respectively.
 
The firm's first-place showing suggests that business is flowing despite the loss of name partners Martin Lewis at the end of 2004 and David Ying a few months later.
 
Second place was a three-way tie among Blackstone Group LP, Chanin Capital Partners LLC and Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, each of which picked up two cases in the period. Of the three, Blackstone can probably boast of the highest-profile — and most lucrative — engagement: financial adviser to Delta Air Lines Inc. Blackstone's proposed restructuring fee? $10.5 million — P.E. 
 
Hottest financial advisers (investment banks)
 
Ranked by the number of bankruptcy-related engagements in new cases filed during the three months ended Sept 27, 2005 
 
Rank  Firm  No. of new cases
 
1.  Miller Buckfire & Co. LLC  3
2.  Blackstone Group LP  2
2.  Chanin Capital Partners LLC  2
2.  Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin  2
 
Source: www.BankruptcyInsider.com