Focus Areas
Creditor Committee Representation
- Summitville Tiles, Inc. (Northern District of Ohio). Committee representation in the Chapter 11 case of a manufacturer of ceramic tiles.
- Pak-Mor Manufacturing Company (Western District of Texas). Committee representation in the Chapter 11 case of a manufacturer of garbage and refuse trucks.
- Atlantic Metal Products, Inc. (District of New Jersey). Committee representation in the Chapter 11 case of a metal fabrication and processing company.
Lender Representation
- Representation of Chapter 7 trustee in connection with the liquidation of an oil and gas operator.
- Concord Steel, Inc. (Northern District of Ohio). Representation of secured lender in bankruptcy of manufacturer of steel counterweights.
- A.B. Dick Company (District of Delaware). Representation of senior secured lender in the Chapter 11 of a manufacturer of printing equipment.
- R.I.A. Melbourne L.P. (Northern District of Ohio). Representation of senior secured lender in Chapter 11 of Florida shopping center.
- Deaconess Hospital LLC (Northern District of Ohio). Representation of secured lender in Chapter 11 of acute care hospital.
- Level Propane Gases, Inc. (Northern District of Ohio). Representation of major equipment financiers in Chapter 11 of large propane gas distributor.
- Midland Food Services III, LLC (Northern District of Ohio). Representation of secured lender in Chapter 11 of restaurant franchise operator.
- Solar Cosmetic Labs, Inc. (Southern District of Florida). Representation of secured lender in bankruptcy of manufacturer of sun and skin care products.
Debtor Representation
- GEO Specialty Chemicals, Inc. (District of New Jersey). Chapter 11 representation of multi-state manufacturer of specialty chemicals.
- H.L. Crouse Construction Company, Inc. (Northern District of Ohio). Chapter 11 representation of large pipeline construction company.
Other Bankruptcy Representation
- WL Homes LLC (District of Delaware). Representation of buyer of assets at 363 sale in bankruptcy of national home builder.
- Regional Diagnostics, LLC (Northern District of Ohio). Representation of multiple defendants in adversary proceeding alleging fraudulent transfers.
- Securities Investor Protection Corp. v. NEBS Financial Services, Inc. (Northern District of Ohio). Representation of court-appointed trustee for SIPC liquidation of broker-dealer under the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA).
- CEP Holdings, LLC (Northern District of Ohio). Representation of major auto manufacturer in bankruptcy of automotive parts supplier.
- Weirton Steel Corp. (Northern District of West Virginia). Representation of lessor of steam generation facility in bankruptcy of steel manufacturer.
- Co-Author: Chapter 23, “Special Focus: Toll Charges or Free Access? Must a Secured Creditor Pay to Play in Chapter 11?” Commercial Bankruptcy Litigation, 2d (2025 ed. West®)
- Co-Author: “Move Quickly: Supreme Court Holds that Bankruptcy Court’s Denial of Motion for Relief from the Automatic Stay is a Final Appealable Order,” The Bankruptcy Strategist at Volume 37, Number 4, February 2020
- Co-Author: “Ninth Circuit Reignites Debate over Interplay of Sections 363, 365,” L.J. Newsletter, October 2017
- “Ninth Circuit Reignites Debate Over the Interplay of Sections 363 and 365 of the Bankruptcy Code,” Thompson Hine Business Restructuring, Creditors’ Rights & Bankruptcy Update, August 2017
- Co-Author: Chapter 23, “Special Focus: Toll Charges or Free Access? Must a Secured Creditor Pay to Play in Chapter 11?” Commercial Bankruptcy Litigation, 2d (2016 ed. West®)
- Co-Author: “Debtor’s Power to Reject Executory Contract Trumps Counter-Party Debtor’s Power To Assume Same Agreement,” The Bankruptcy Strategist at Volume 33, Number 9, July 2016; LJN’s Equipment Leasing Newsletter at Volume 35, Number 6, July 2016
- Co-Author: “The Article 8 Opt In: A Potential Minefield For the Unsuspecting Lender; LJN’s Equipment Leasing Newsletter at Volume 35, Number 7, August 2016; The Bankruptcy Strategist at Volume 33, Number 11, September 2016
- Co-Author: “Supreme Court Provides Answer Regarding Extent of Federal Judiciary’s Powers,” AIRA Journal, August 2015
- Co-Author: “Caulkett: Debtors May not Strip off Wholly Unsecured Junior Mortgages in Chapter 7,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, August 2015
- Co-Author: “Supreme Court Leaves Key Question on Extent of Bankruptcy Court Authority Unanswered for Now,” AIRA Journal, Winter 2015
- Co-Author: Chapter, “Special Focus: Toll Charges or Free Access? Must a Secured Creditor Pay to Play in Chapter 11?” Commercial Bankruptcy Litigation, 2d (2014 ed. West®)
- Co-Author: “Fourth Circuit Upholds Extension of Protections to Intellectual Property Licensees in Chapter 15 Case,” AIRA Journal, Winter 2014
- Chapter author, “Defending Creditors in Bankruptcy Litigation: New Strategies and Concerns,” Strategies for Consumer Bankruptcy Litigation, 2013 Thomson Reuters/Aspatore
- Co-author, “Sixth and Ninth Circuits Split on Constitutional Conundrum Involving Authority of Bankruptcy Courts,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, May 2013
- Co-author, “Settling the Municipal Landscape: How Pre-Plan Settlements in Chapter 9 May Sidestep the Traditional Claims-Resolution Process,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, May 2013
- “Bankruptcy Court Upholds Plan Provision Allowing Payment of Fees to Members of Creditors’ Committee,” Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law, April/May 2013
- Co-author, “Post-Stern Split Emerges over Consent to Bankruptcy Court Authority,” Bankruptcy Law Review, April 2013
- Co-author, “Post-Stern Split Emerges over Consent to Bankruptcy Court Authority,” Westlaw Journal Bankruptcy, March 2013
- Co-author, Chapter 23, “Special Focus: Toll Charges or Free Access? Must a Secured Creditor Pay to Play in Chapter 11?”, Commercial Bankruptcy Litigation, 2d, 2013 ed. West
- Co-author, “Lender Beware: Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals Allows TOUSA Decision to Stand,” AIRA Journal, October 2012
- Co-author, “Secured Creditors Secure Win: Supreme Court Upholds Credit Bidding Rights,” The Bankruptcy Strategist, July 2012
- Co-author, “Growing Trend? Recent Cases Say That Electricity is a Good,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, July 2012
- Co-author, “Secured Creditors Win Right to Credit Bid,” LJN’s Equipment Leasing Newsletter, July 2012
- Co-author, “Lender Beware: Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals Reinstates TOUSA Bankruptcy Court Holding,” ALI-ABA Course of Study, Commercial Real Estate Financing: Strategies for Changing Markets and Uncertain Times, June 2012
- “The Mighty Sword of PACA in Bankruptcy,” The Bankruptcy Strategist, December 2011
“Litigation Strategy, Cost-Shifting and Offers of Judgment: The Underutilized Rule 68 Device,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, April 2011 - Co-author, “Retention and Payment of Bankruptcy Professionals: Don’t Become a Donor to the Estate,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, November 2010
- “The ABCs of Proofs of Claim,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, April 2010
- Co-author, “Chapter 11’s Costs of Admission,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, September 2009
- Co-author, “Buying Assets from a Bankruptcy,” Scrap magazine, July/August 2009
- “Must a Secured Creditor ‘Pay to Play’ in Chapter 11,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, March 2009
- Co-author, “Withdrawing Your Lawsuit from Bankruptcy Court and Depositing It into District Court,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal, February 2009
- Co-author (with Curtis L. Tuggle), “The Benefits Priority Cap of § 507(a)(5): Chalk One Up for Statutory Plain Meaning,” The Bankruptcy Strategist, June 2008
- Co-author, “Preserving Estate Claims Post-Confirmation: A Need for Uniformity from the Circuit Courts,” American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, March 2008
- “School Principals and New York Times: Ohio’s Narrow Reading of Who is a Public Official or Public Figure,” Cleveland State Law Review, 2000
- Co-Presenter: “Lien on Me: Updating the Uniform Commercial Code,” 2017 William J. O’Neill Great Lakes Regional Bankruptcy Institute, May 5, 2017
- Co-Presenter:”Catch Me if You Can: Pinning Down Security Interests in Highly Mobile Assets,” Federal Bar Association Webinar CLE Program, April 1, 2015
- “Introduction to Commercial Bankruptcies with a Focus on the Debtor’s Perspective,” The Cleveland Law Library Association, December 2012
- “Loan Forbearance Options and Waivers After Default: Crafting Effective Forbearance Agreements that Minimize Lender Liability and Bankruptcy Risks,” Strafford webinar, September 2012
- Lightning Round Panelist, 2012 William J. O’Neill Regional Bankruptcy Institute, May 2012
- “Impact of the MF Global Collapse,” ISRI webinar, December 2011
- “Loan Forbearance Options and Waivers After Default: Crafting Effective Forbearance Agreements,” Strafford webinar, November 2011
- “Bankruptcy Before “Bankruptcy”: Where Did It Come From And What Did We Do Without It?”, Federal Bar Association, Northern District of Ohio Chapter, July 2011
- “Basic Bankruptcy Considerations for Environmental Practitioners,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, November 2010
- “Market Responses to Distressed Assets Issues,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, November 2009
- “Loan Documentation: Lessons Learned and What We Can Do Now in Ohio,” Lorman Education Services, November 2008
- “Bankruptcy Considerations in Loan Documents,” Lorman Education Services, September 2006/2007
- Inducted into The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s Time Well Spent Honor Society, 2024
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2014 to 2025 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Litigation-Bankruptcy
- Selected to the Ohio Rising Stars list
- Awarded 2012 ABA Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award
Education
- Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, J.D., 2001, summa cum laude,
managing editor, Cleveland State Law Review,
Award for Outstanding Editor for the 2000-2001 Academic Year
- Youngstown State University, B.A., 1988
Bar Admissions
- Ohio
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio