Michael L. Cook, Esq.
Michael Cook served as a partner in the New York office for 16 years, devoting his practice to business reorganization and creditors’ rights litigation, including mediation and arbitration. His clients include professional firms, lenders, acquirers, trustees, creditors’ committees, troubled companies and other parties.
Michael’s representative engagements include the following: counsel to five law professors (Illinois, Columbia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee) as amici curiae supporting prevailing party in City of Chicago v. Fulton, 141 S.Ct. 585 (Jan. 14, 2021); counsel to prevailing secured lender and reorganized debtor in In re Patriot National, Inc., 2020 WL 5821754(D. Del. Sept. 30, 2020) (affirmed bankruptcy court’s confirmation of reorganization plan on jurisdictional and good faith grounds); counsel to prevailing law firm in In re Renaissance Radio, Inc., 805 Fed. Appx. 319 (5th Cir. May 18, 2020), cert. denied, _U.S._ (Dec. 7, 2020) (affirmed denial of former shareholder's motion to revoke reorganization plan confirmation order and to reopen closed case for purpose of disallowing lender's legal fees; also affirmed enjoining of shareholder's further filings as “vexatious litigant.”); counsel to prevailing law firm defendants in Kaplan v. Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., Inc., 2019 N.Y. App. Div. Lexis 2157 (1st Dept. March 21, 2019) (affirmed dismissal of lease breach, fraudulent transfer, conversion and breach of fiduciary duty claims); counsel to prevailing defendant in Enron Creditors Recovery Corp. v. Alfa SAB, 651 F.3d 329 (2d Cir. 2011) (reversed bankruptcy court; fraudulent transfer and preference complaint dismissed); counsel to prevailing law firm in In re Quigley Co., 500 B.R. 344 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. 2013) (fee application granted over U.S. Trustee objection); counsel for prevailing debtor in In re Quigley Co., 676 F.3d 45 (2d Cir. 2012) (affirmed propriety of injunction staying litigation against insurance assets); counsel for prevailing law firm in In re United Merchs. & Mfrs., Inc.,198 F.3d 235 (2d Cir. 1999) (affirmed denial of sanctions and of creditor’s application for fees and costs); counsel for prevailing debtor in Dalkon Shield Claimants v. A.H. Robins Co., 828 F.2d 239 (4th Cir. 1987) (affirmed denial of motion for reorganization trustee); counsel for prevailing debtor in Grady v. A.H. Robins Co., 839 F.2d 198 (4th Cir. 1988) (affirmed judgment that creditor’s claim subject to automatic stay); counsel for prevailing acquiror in In re Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific R. Co., 756 F.2d 508 (7th Cir. 1985) (affirmed judgment that acquiror could bid for assets months after bidding deadline); counsel for prevailing defendants in fraudulent transfer suit, Scherling v. Ehrenkranz, 121 B.R. 961 (S.D.N.Y. 1991) (affirmed judgment dismissing complaint after trial); counsel to prevailing creditor in Andy Warhol Foundation v. Hayes, 183 F.3d 162 (2d. Cir. 1999) (reversed lower court; held creditor’s claim for debtor’s breach of fiduciary duty survived debtor’s bankruptcy discharge); counsel to prevailing law firm in In re Ames Dept. Stores. Inc., 76 F.3d 66 (2d Cir. 1996) (fee application granted, reversing district court); counsel to prevailing lenders in Flushing Savings Bank v. Parr, 81 A.D.2d 655 (2d Dept. 1981) (reversed lower court and granted summary judgment, finding fraudulent transfer by borrower with actual intent to hinder and delay); counsel to prevailing creditor in Columbia Pictures Inds., Inc. v. D.H. Overmeyer Telecasting Co., Inc., 470 F.Supp. 1250 (S.D.N.Y. 1979) (reversed bankruptcy court’s denial of attorney-client privilege; struck compelled responses from record).