Best Lawyers in Michigan, United States for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
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Mr. Bakst represents clients in the areas of creditors' rights, bankruptcy, reorganization, and insolvency. He regularly represents secured and unsecured creditors, debtors, trustees, and creditors' committees in loan workout and other negotiations and in state and federal courts. Upon graduation from Wayne State University Law School, Mr. Bakst clerked for a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan. He is a former two-term board member of the Detroit Chapter of the Turnarou...
Robert D. Mollhagen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Robert D., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jay L. Welford is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy. Jay L., who practices law in Southfield, Michigan, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jay L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Floyd Gates heads Bodman’s Grand Rapids office. He is an experienced litigation, banking and corporate attorney. He has represented financial institutions throughout the country in connection with workout and related litigation along with the investigation of complex fraud schemes involving hundreds of millions of dollars in claims. Floyd has also handled significant real estate related litigation including representing numerous owners, contractors and suppliers in connection with multi...
Doron provides a broad range of business advisory, bankruptcy, litigation, and collection services to automotive suppliers, banks and other secured lenders, mortgage servicers, and a variety of other businesses, big and small. In the automotive arena, Doron’s experience covers day-to-day legal counseling, contract review, contract disputes, troubled suppliers, workouts, stop-ship threats, tooling recovery, and supply-chain litigation and bankruptcies. He works with other attorneys at th...
Steve Howell has been practicing for over 40 years as a bankruptcy and insolvency lawyer providing a broad range of services in the distressed business context. A significant part of Steve’s practice is spent counseling lenders in troubled loan matters throughout the workout process, including exit strategies, refinancings, restructures, sales, out-of-court and court proceedings, bankruptcy and liquidation. Steve has also represented borrowers, creditors’ committees, creditors and...
Michael (Mike) Hammer was elected Dickinson Wright’s Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2019. As CEO, Mike oversees all aspects of the Firm’s professional service and business operations, and develops and implements the Firm’s strategic direction, working closely with his management group, elected governing board, practice leaders and administrative officers. Mike is a 30-year veteran of the Firm, and previously served as Deputy CEO for ten years. As Deputy CEO, M...
Greg J. Ekdahl is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Greg J., who practices law in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Greg J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mr. Burgess currently serves as Dickinson Wright’s Chairman. From 2010 through 2018, Mr. Burgess served as Dickinson Wright’s Chief Executive Officer, overseeing all aspects of the Firm’s professional and business operations, strategic planning, client relations and business expansion. For more than 20 years, served as counsel to secured lenders (including banks, insurance companies, lending syndicates, administrative agents, collateral agents and loan servicers) in all aspe...
Kimberly Ross Clayson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Kimberly Ross, who practices law in Southfield, Michigan, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kimberly Ross is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Norman D. Orr is a shareholder at Kemp Klein in Troy, Michigan, focusing his practice on corporate and commercial matters, including Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Corporate Law. With more than forty years of experience advising businesses, lenders, and other stakeholders, he assists clients with the purchase and sale of businesses, entity formation, financing transactions, shareholder and partner disputes, and the negotiation and preparation of ...
Ted Sylwestrzak has more than thirty-five years’ experience representing lenders. As a member of both Dickinson Wright’s Banking and Finance Group and Bankruptcy Group, he advises lenders in all areas of lending and in all aspects of their lending relationships. He is well-known by clients for his proactive approach, practical business judgment, and getting the deal closed with creative solutions. His representation includes structuring and documenting secured loans (with an empha...
Robert D. Wolford is a member of the Firm’s Management Committee and has been practicing law since 2001. He is a corporate lawyer who represents automotive suppliers and other manufacturers ranging from publicly traded to closely held as well as nonprofit. He has significant experience in mergers and acquisitions as well as workouts and bankruptcy. Mr. Wolford serves as the Legal Counsel to several groups including the Economic Club of Grand Rapids. He is one of the founders of the West...
Ralph E. McDowell assists clients primarily in the areas of commercial bankruptcy, debtors’ and creditors’ rights, and workouts. He has represented the interests of banks and other financial institutions in pre-bankruptcy workout situations, commercial bankruptcy cases, and troubled credit situations. His work with banks and financial institutions includes representation in court proceedings, sale of debt transactions, foreclosures, liquidation of assets, and forbearance arrangeme...
Brian R. Trumbauer focuses his practice in the area of debtor-creditor rights and bankruptcy, with a particular emphasis on representing banks and other financial institutions in loan workouts, commercial bankruptcy cases and troubled credit situations. He has represented secured and unsecured creditors, debtors, trustees, creditors’ committees and other interested parties in bankruptcy cases and debtor-creditor disputes. Mr. Trumbauer has served as a member of a standing Advisory Commi...
Attorney J.D. Praasterink joined Kuhn Rogers as a partner in April of 2019. Prior to becoming a member of the firm, J.D. headed a thriving general law practice in Saint Ignace. J.D.’s practice with Kuhn Rogers is concentrated in the areas of business, real estate, probate, estate planning, family law, and general civil litigation. J.D. enjoys serving the needs of the Traverse City community and appreciates the opportunity to spend time getting to know his clients and their needs while a...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.