Michael J. Small is a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP, where he is a member of and has led the Bankruptcy & Business Reorganizations Practice. He also practices with the firm’s Food & Beverage and Sports Industry Teams.
Mr. Small focuses his practice on bankruptcy, creditors’ rights and commercial litigation. He has represented financial institutions, creditors’ committees, trustees, secured and unsecured creditors, asset purchasers and debtors in reorganization cases, liquidations, workouts, transactions, and a variety of federal and state court litigation.
Notable engagements include: In re Los Angeles Dodgers LLC (acquisition of L.A. Dodgers); In re Chicago National League Ball Club, LLC (acquisition of Chicago Cubs); In re Texas Rangers Baseball Partners (acquisition of Texas Rangers); In re Borders Group, Inc. and In re Blockbuster, Inc. (landlord representations); In re McEnery (sale of public golf course); In re Giordano’s Enterprises, Inc. (largest ingredient supplier); In re Gas City, Ltd. (secured lender); In re General Growth Properties (representation of Las Vegas lessee); In re Standard Forwarding (DIP lender); In re Pilgrim’s Pride (secured lender); In re Commissary Operations, Inc. (503(b)(9) claimant and preference defendant); In re Grede Foundries (supplier and pension trustee); In re Kaiser Aluminum et al (subsidiary distribution trustee); In re Murray, Inc. (creditors committee); In re Farmland Industries (bondholder committee and liquidating trustee); In re Bridge Information Systems, Inc. (creditors committee); In re River West Plaza (equity holders); In re Corcoran Hospital District (chapter 9 debtor).
Mr. Small is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School (J.D., 1991), received a master’s degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (M.A., 1988), and earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1985).
Mr. Small teaches Corporate Reorganizations as an adjunct professor at Northwestern University Law School and has done so previously at Washington University in St. Louis.
Mr. Small has lectured and participated in panels at conferences throughout the United States and in Europe and Japan. His publications include:
- “7th Circ. Does The Math, Settlement Upheld,” Bankruptcy Law360 (January 6, 2012)
- "Learning From Recent Insider Preference Cases," Bankruptcy Law360 (October 2011)
- Co-authored, "‘Unequivocal And Specific’ Claim Preservation," Bankruptcy Law360 (July 2011)
- Co-edited "Involuntary Bankruptcy" as a chapter within Business Bankruptcy Practice for Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (2011 Edition)
- Co-authored "Protecting the Value of Potential Tax Refunds for Secured Creditors" Bankruptcy Law 360, (June 8, 2010)
- Co-authored, "Financing Renewable Energy," Commercial Lending Review, Volume 23, Number 2 (March – April 2008)
- "A Bankruptcy and Restructuring Conversation: From Alchemy to Taxidermy," chapter in The Roles and Motivations of Key Players in Bankruptcy Cases, Aspatore Books (2006)
- "Healthcare and Insolvency: The Lender’s Perspective," Commercial Lending Review (Winter 1999–2000)
- Co-authored, "Key Issues in Chapter 11 Retailer Inventory Sales: The Lender’s Perspective," Commercial Lending Review (Winter 1997–98)
Mr. Small is admitted to practice in Illinois, before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Ninth Circuits, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where he is a member of the Trial Bar, and the United States Supreme Court. He has also appeared in federal and state courts in Delaware, Wisconsin, California, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado and Texas.
Mr. Small has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell's peer review rating system. He was also selected for inclusion in the 2011 – 2013 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the 2007 – 2013 Illinois Super Lawyers® lists.*
*The Illinois Supreme Court does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.