
Education & Credentials
Education
Michigan State University
B.A., 1986American University's Washington College of Law
J.D., 1989Bar Admission
Acknowledgements
- Litigation Counsel of America
- Fellow
- Member, Trial Law Institute
- Member, Diversity Law Institute
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business
- Banking and Finance: Bankruptcy
- The National Register of Who's Who
- Life Member
- BTI Client Service
- All-Star Team, 2014
- Best Lawyers in America®
- "Lawyer of the Year," Bet the Company - Litigation, 2021, 2023
- "Lawyer of the Year," Litigation- Bankruptcy, 2018, 2020, 2023
- "Lawyer of the Year," Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2016, 2023
- Michigan Super Lawyers®
- Creditor-Debtor Rights, 2006-2022
- DBusiness Magazine
- "Top Lawyer," Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law, 2023
- Michigan Lawyers Weekly
- "Leaders in the Law," 2010
Representative Clients
- Adient
- Advics North America, Inc.
- Apotex Inc.
- Callidus Capital Corporation
- Caterpillar Inc.
- Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation
- Detroit Electric, Inc.
- Detroit Thermal Systems, LLC
- FCA US LLC f/k/a Chrysler Group LLC
- Irvin Automotive
- Joyson Safety Systems
- Magna International Inc. and its affiliates
- Mitsubishi International Corporation
- Piston Group and its affiliates
- Sumitomo Electrical Wiring Systems, Inc. and its affiliates
- Visteon Corp.
- Yanfeng Global Automotive Interiors Systems Co., Ltd.
Prominent Assignments
Counsel to FCA US LLC f/k/a Chrysler Group LLC in supplier and bankruptcy matters.
Counsel to Adient in supplier and bankruptcy matters.
Counsel to Yanfeng in supplier and bankruptcy matters.
Counsel to Magna International Inc. and its affiliates in supplier and bankruptcy matters.
Counsel to Visteon Corporation in supplier and bankruptcy matters.
Represented more than 15 suppliers in General Motors' bankruptcy.
Represented numerous suppliers in Lear Corporation's bankruptcy.
Represented the Piston Group, a private investment platform, in the acquisition of Irvin Automotive, formerly part of Takata Corporation.
Represented FCA US LLC f/k/a Chrysler Group LLC in all aspects of the Metaldyne Corporation matter.
Represented FCA US LLC f/k/a Chrysler Group LLC in the Collins & Aikman bankruptcy.
Represented FCA US LLC f/k/a Chrysler Group LLC in the Chassix, Inc. bankruptcy.
Represented Apotex Inc. in the PRACS Institute, LLC bankruptcy.
Represented Callidus Capital Corporation, an all asset secured lender, in the Esco Marine, Inc. bankruptcy in Houston, Texas.
Represented Callidus Capital Corporation, an all asset secured lender, in the Fortress, Inc. bankruptcy in Lexington, Kentucky.
Represented Callidus Capital Corporation, an all asset secured lender, in the Harvey Industries Federal Court Receivership in Detroit, Michigan
Represented Meadville Forgings Co. in the Iverson Industries, Inc. liquidation.
Counsel to Bristol Myers Squibb in the Dow Corning bankruptcy.
Counsel to the Unsecured Creditors Committees in Windward Industries, Inc. (Micro Manufacturing), Caribbean Telephone & Telegraph, Inc., D&C Industries, Inc., and Global Technovations, Inc. bankruptcies.
Have represented numerous insurance companies with regard to workout, foreclosure and bankruptcy matters such as Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Travelers Insurance Company, and Nationwide Insurance Company.
Counsel to numerous secured lenders, unsecured lenders, bankruptcy trustees, debtors, shareholders, and investor groups in all nature of bankruptcy, restructuring, and workout proceedings, including corporate and individual reorganization and liquidation proceedings.
Professional Involvement
- Michigan Bar Association
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association for the Eastern District of Michigan
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Federal Bar Association (Tennessee)
Community Involvement
- Past Board Member for the Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club
- Past President, Trenton Rotary Club
- Leadership Detroit Class XXVIII
- Advisory Board to the Michigan State University Economics Department
- Past Board Member of Access to Bankruptcy Court
Publications/Presentations
- Author, “Right-to-Repair Orders Issued by Federal Trade Commission", Dickinson Wright Client Alert, Nov 2022
- Co-Author, "Managing Uncertainty Through Financial Crisis Requires Proactive Guidance," Dickinson Wright Client Alert, March 2020
- Author, “Distressed Suppliers: How Your Company Can Deal with the Problem” Equipment Leasing Newsletter, December 2016
- Co-Author, “A Tale of Two Industries and the Bankruptcy Code,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, August 2016
- Author, “Business Triage: Can Your Company Survive?” The Bankruptcy Strategist, August 2016
- Closing, Reorganizing or Selling the Business (ICLE), co-author, November 1993
- Strategies for Secured Creditors in Workouts and Foreclosures, 2004