A reason that so many lawyers are needed is that the reorganization, as envisioned by the automaker with support from the federal government, is complex.

The plan is to split G.M.’s good assets from the bad assets, with the idea that the part owning the good assets would be a viable company because it would not be burdened with the other businesses. G.M. would sell desirable brands like Chevrolet and Cadillac to a new company, which would emerge from bankruptcy protection in a few months’ time. Less-attractive assets and liabilities would remain with the old G.M., and eventually be liquidated.

For the last several months, G.M. had retained the services of two of the biggest bankruptcy players to help guide it into Chapter 11: Harvey R. Miller of Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Martin Bienenstock of Dewey & LeBoeuf.

Mr. Miller and his team are the company’s principal legal counsel for its bankruptcy filing; but it will not represent the new version of G.M. once that is created, as there is a potential conflict between parties with an interest in the existing company and those with interests in the new company. Mr. Bienenstock, a former partner of Mr. Miller’s at Weil, was brought in last fall to help create the company’s restructuring plan. He may end up representing the new G.M., although the decision has not been made.

The law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, meanwhile, is representing G.M.’s board.

The restructuring also will provide work for many professional groups other than lawyers. G.M., for example, has retained the services of Jay Alix, the co-founder of AlixPartners, the consulting firm. Mr. Alix, who came out of retirement to help G.M., worked with Mr. Bienenstock on the plan for a new G.M., according to people briefed on the matter.

For financial and restructuring advice, the carmaker has turned to investment bankers at Evercore Partners, led by a cofounder, Roger Altman, and the restructuring co-head, William Repko, and to Morgan Stanley.

Image Martin Bienenstock of Dewey & LeBoeuf helped with a G.M. restructuring. At right is Judy G. Z. Liu, another lawyer. Credit... Mike Segar/Reuters

The government’s auto task force has its own advisers, led by the former investment bankers Steven Rattner and Ron Bloom. The team also has brought in several restructuring veterans, notably Matthew Feldman, formerly a partner at the law firm Willkie, Farr & Gallagher, and Harry Wilson, formerly an executive at the distressed-debt-focused hedge fund Silver Point Capital.