Michael M. Schmahl
mschmahl@mps-law.com
312-312-5531 (office)
312-498-1477 (cell)
Michael M. Schmahl
Mr. Schmahl represents parties in commercial transactions and litigation with a specialty in commercial insolvencies and circumstances involving financially troubled businesses, including Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcies, assignments for the benefit of creditors, out of court workouts, receiverships, and secured loan modification and enforcement proceedings. Previously he practiced with one of the world’s largest business law firms and, for a number of years, was the general counsel for a technology and e-commerce company. He regularly advises businesses with respect to a wide variety of operational, employment, and corporate matters. He is admitted to the bars of numerous courts, has represented clients in courts across the country, and argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Mr. Schmahl has been chosen as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and has been an adjunct professor of bankruptcy law at Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Admissions:
State of Illinois
State of Wisconsin (currently inactive)
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (including the trial bar)
United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois (including the trial bar)
Mr. Schmahl has also been admitted in specific cases in state and federal courts across the nation, including in cases in New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Missouri, Nevada, and California.
Practices
Commercial Litigation and Appeals
Restructuring and Insolvency
Cross Border Matters
Corporate Matters and Transactions
Secured Transactions
Representative Matters
Represented a sophisticated individual with significant, non-traditional assets in a complex, multi-million dollar out-of-court debt restructuring and workout, including structuring a plan, negotiating with numerous creditors, and defending loan enforcement and foreclosure actions involving both real and personal property collateral.
Represented a professional services corporation and its affiliates in settlement of multi-million dollar judgment and restructuring of its bank debt.
Represented owners of large commercial real estate project and what is believed to be the largest solar power facility in the Midwest in complex, multi-million dollar litigation with multiple parties and multiple lawsuits.
Represented doctors, lawyers and other professionals in professional shareholder disputes, litigation and arbitration, and business separations in and out of court.
Represented investors in early stage and financially troubled businesses.
Structured the management takeover of a financially troubled printing business and created and implemented strategy to resolve all creditor claims and litigation.
Represented principal of the debtor in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of a major housing developer, including settlement of litigation and negotiation of protective plan provisions.
Represented Chapter 11 Trustee of a debtor in the printing and book binding business encumbered by significant secured debt and confirmed Chapter 11 plan.
Represented Trustees in all aspects of Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases and related adversary proceedings in the liquidation of debtors from diverse industries, including, auto-parts manufacturing, complex real estate, technology and digital or alternative currency.
Represented investors in resolving shareholder disputes, including matters related to corporate governance, fiduciary duties, and a dispute involving a business whose corporate structure spread across the United States, China, and Tibet.
Represented defendants in complex commercial litigation involving in state and federal courts, including obtaining dismissals of a fraud action seeking about $31 million in damages, a mutli-million professional negligence, conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duty action against a professional services corporation, and non-dischargeable fraud claim.
Represented secured creditors, lenders, and judgment creditors in foreclosure and replevin actions, judgment enforcement proceedings, exercising rights under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, and out-of-court workouts of troubled loans.
Advised several companies as outside general counsel or special counsel with respect to numerous business, employment and corporate matters, including an international trade service enterprise, printing companies, technology driven companies, commercial landlords, and a multi-faceted food product development and supply business.
Represented parties in multiple transactions, including buying and selling businesses, financial assets, and real estate, secured financing transactions and unsecured loans.
Education
University of Wisconsin-Madison, J.D., 2001
Bowdoin College, A.B. (with honors), 1997