Creditor Claims Against Distressed Companies

Mike Riela is a partner in Tannenbaum Helpern’s Creditors’ Rights and Business Reorganization practice. With more than 15 years of experience, Mike advises companies on complex restructuring, distressed M&A, loan transactions and bankruptcy related litigation matters. Mike has in-depth experience in advising clients on corporate and real estate bankruptcies, workouts, Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases, debtor-in-possession (DIP) and bankruptcy exit loan facilities, secondary market trading of distressed debt and trade claims, Section 363 sales and bankruptcy retention and fee agreements and disputes. His clients include banks, administrative agents, indenture trustees, hedge funds, private equity firms, professional services firms, trade creditors, contract counterparties, shareholders, debtors and investors.

Mike has represented buyers of assets in Section 363 and out-of-court sales from sellers such as Evergreen Solar, Inc., Sonic Telecommunications International, Ltd, Urban Communicators PCS Limited Partnership, US Aggregate, Inc., and Vectrix Corporation, as well as representing lenders, trustees and administrative agents in major Chapter 11 cases and workouts such as Delta Air Lines, Inc., Extended Stay Inc., Buffets Inc., Legends Gaming LLC, Nortel Networks, Premier International Holdings Inc., and many others.

Mike also works with clients on cybersecurity and data privacy issues, including the assessment and investigation of information security and data breach incidents. Before any data breaches occur, Mike prepares and helps clients implement written information security programs, systems access policies, and incident response plans. After clients suffer a breach, Mike assists with their response and advises on their legal duties, including clients’ duties under various security breach notification laws.

Prior to joining Tannenbaum Helpern, Mike was a shareholder at Vedder Price and was a counsel at Latham & Watkins. He has been recently selected to serve on the 2016 Bankruptcy editorial advisory board for the Law360 publication.

Richard Trotter is an associate in the Tannenbaum Helpern’s Litigation and Bankruptcy Departments. Richard’s diverse practice includes litigating a wide variety of complex commercial litigation and bankruptcy disputes in state, federal and bankruptcy court. Such disputes have involved issues of contract, securities, real estate and bankruptcy law. He has experience with both commercial and municipal bankruptcy context and has worked to preserve and enforce the rights of different parties at all stages of bankruptcy.

Richard has also overseen and managed cases outside of bankruptcy in defending clients against fraud and breach of contract claims. He has been instrumental in the resolution of lawsuits through motion practice, including cases involving complex expert opinions and analysis.