Experience

Successfully defended Blue Fin Steel Corp., in two simultaneous bankruptcy avoidance actions, persuading trustees to accept defenses without requiring expensive expert engagement.

Represented Citrofrut USA in the Dean Foods bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas, helping to form an ad hoc committee to negotiate better terms for an administrative expense protocol proposed by the debtors. Revised terms required debtors to disclose additional information to creditors so that many were able to determine that opting out of the protocol would save them significant funds. Resolved a disputed administrative expense claim by brokering a resolution whereby the client received $230,000, and settled a $1.7 million preference claim for $95,000 without litigation.

Miller Canfield serves as Community Partner (Monitor) in a landmark case involving the ACLU Bail Project, 36th District Court and individual plaintiffs, facilitating significant reforms to Detroit’s cash bail system. Our team worked closely with all parties to develop practical solutions and played a key role in finalizing a historic settlement agreement. This agreement largely eliminated the imposition of unaffordable cash bail in misdemeanor and most felony cases.

Led discovery efforts in a complex employment litigation matter, securing key admissions that resulted in dismissal of all discrimination and harassment claims on summary judgment.

- Represented an investment advisory company and its affiliates as sole transactional, regulatory and tax counsel in the indirect acquisition of 75% of the equity of the company by an asset and wealth management firm and its affiliates.

- Represented a national registered investment advisory firm in its acquisition by another national registered advisory firm, overseeing the structuring, legal due diligence, and negotiation of the definitive agreements for the transaction.

- Represented the management group of an independent investment management firm’s business unit in its spin-off to the unit’s management group

- Represented a registered investment advisory firm in its acquisition by another firm, overseeing the structuring, legal due diligence, and negotiation of the definitive transaction agreements.

Defended the Charter Township of Clinton, Michigan in a class action lawsuit alleging that the Township had misused millage funds collected for police operations by allegedly spending millage proceeds on police retiree health care benefits

Served as lead counsel in successfully defending the City of St. Clair Shores in a landmark class action, securing a published decision that upheld municipalities’ ability to use Act 345 funds for retiree healthcare benefits alongside pensions.

Successfully defended a publicly traded bank in connection with a federal class action seeking a class-wide refund of overdraft fees imposed on transactions

Miller Canfield served as bond counsel to Detroit Public Schools (DPS) in connection with a long forward delivery current refunding bond issue refinancing the callable maturities of the School Building and Site Improvement Bonds issued by DPS in 2012.

Defended a municipality in a class action lawsuit requesting water and sewer fee refunds in excess of $30 million, obtaining summary judgment in favor of the municipality.