Michael Solow has more than 35 years of experience representing creditors, trustees and governmental agencies and other parties in the bankruptcy and insolvency area. He has represented these clients in cases throughout the United States.
Mr. Solow is the author of Lease Terminations and Mortgage Foreclosures as Fraudulent Conveyances and co-author of Buying Assets in Bankruptcy: A Guide to Purchasers and Considerations in Dealing with the Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corporation in Chapter 11 and Lender Liability and Equitable Subordination in the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education's Secured Transactions 2001. He is also a frequent lecturer on various topics relating to dealing with insolvent entities.
Mr. Solow has served on numerous boards of directors for both public and private companies, including TransWorld Entertainment (former non-executive Chairman) and the Western Golf Association.
Mr. Solow has been recognized as a Leading Individual in Chambers USA since its inception. In Chambers USA 2016, he is recognized as a leading practitioner in Bankruptcy & Restructuring who has "longstanding experience in bankruptcy and restructuring and is well known and highly regarded by peers and clients in the field." In Chambers USA 2015, his clients note that he "is always about five moves ahead of everyone else and good at finding solutions that others might not see." In Chambers USA 2014, he was described as "maintain[ing] an active practice advising on bankruptcy proceedings for household-name clients. Interviewees highlight that he is 'very smart and a great business attorney.'" In the 2013 edition, he was recognized as "a very smooth character and very influential in the way he puts a case forward in negotiations." In 2012, a client praised Mr. Solow's expertise, noting, "He offers opinions on strategy and offers many suggestions to be sure we have weighed all options." Mr. Solow is recognized in Legal 500 2015 for his work in corporate restructuring. He is ranked in Best Lawyers (2008-2016) for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights, and Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy. Mr. Solow was also named as one of the leading practitioners in Who's Who Legal: Restructuring & Insolvency 2016.
Experience
- Debtor corporations in Chapter 11 cases including GSC Group, Inc., Insight Health, JHT Transportation, Pappas Telecasting, Maax Corp., Spinnaker Industries, Nutritional Sourcing Corporation and Questhaven/Runningbrook Venture.
- Numerous entities acquiring insolvent companies, including the purchasers of Ganton Technologies, Colfor Manufacturing Co., Colmach Manufacturing Co., Domore Corporation, Alma Desk Co. and Medcare HMO's assets in its Chapter 11 case.
- Management groups in the sale of operations, including the Worldwide Business Consulting practice of Andersen Worldwide SC and related partnerships, STS Consultants and Kotler Industries.
- Senior lender groups and agents in workouts and Chapter 11 cases including The Hertz Corporation, Cineworld Group, PLC, WCI Communities, Aladdin Gaming, Pioneer Corporation of America, Formica Corporation and the Holmes Group.
- Van Kampen Funds throughout the United States, including Vencor, Inc., Breed Technologies, MobileMedia, Decision One, Camelot Music, Marvel Entertainment, Color Tile and the London Fog restructurings.
- Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the PG&E National Energy Group bankruptcy case.
- Bondholders and creditor committees, including those represented in the Reliance Acceptance and We Care Chapter 11 cases.
- Chapter 11 Trustee in the Grabill, and related corporate Chapter 11 cases, in the sale of the debtors' operating companies, for an amount in excess of $72,000,000, as well as appeals to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on various matters.
- Balcor in its successful appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in In re Windsor on the River, which rejected a confirmed plan of reorganization because it artificially impaired the accepting creditor class.
Perspectives
Recognition
Litigation: Bankruptcy (IL) (2008-2025)
"Chicago Lawyer of the Year" Litigation: Bankruptcy (2016)
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 1984
- B.A., University of Illinois, 1981, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Bronze Tablet
Admissions
- Illinois
- New York
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Activities
- Member, Board of Directors, Western Golf Association