Practice Areas
Education
Detroit College of Law
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., 1977
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
B.A., 1972
Honors College with high honors, B.A., 1979
Bar Admissions
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Court Admissions
All Michigan state courts
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Indiana
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Restructuring and Finance Attorney
Bob is a member of the Banking, Finance and Restructuring Team concentrating on commercial and real estate finance, loan restructurings and workouts, receiverships, bankruptcy sales and acquisitions, Chapter 11 bankruptcy case representations, including serving as counsel for debtor, secured creditor, creditors’ committee and other interested parties. Bob also provides federal tax advice in bankruptcy cases and to real estate investors.
Experience
Represented buyer in bankruptcy 363 sale-purchase of manufacturing company assets in Dallas, Texas.
Bankruptcy counsel to affiliated debtors in 363 bankruptcy sale of farm leases, machinery and equipment for 25,000 acre grain farm operation.
Advised partner in liquidating real estate limited partnership on tax basis issues and related tax planning.
Represented unsecured creditors’ committee and liquidating trustee in Chapter 11 hospital case, including negotiating and obtaining confirmation of creditors’ committee plan of liquidation.
Expert witness for liquidating trustee in bankruptcy lien avoidance adversary proceeding relating to real estate perfection issues.
Counsel to lender to mixed use nursing home facility and loan sale to facilitate HUD guaranteed refinancing of facility loan.
Counsel to receiver for 90,000 acre grain farming operation.
Corporate and tax counsel to affiliated corporate automotive supplier group.
Counsel to insider senior secured creditor in successful golf course resort Chapter 11 reorganization case.
Certifications
Certified Public Accountant, Michigan, 1974
Honors and Recognitions
Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, since 2018
C. Robert Wartell Distinguished Service Award recipient, State Bar of Michigan, Real Property Law Section, 2008
Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
Professional Affiliations
Illinois State Bar Association
Indiana State Bar Association
State Bar of Michigan: Business Law Section; Real Property Section; Bankruptcy, Debtor/Creditor Rights Committee, past chair; Council of the Real Property Law Section; Land Title Standards Committee, past chair
Presentations
Grand Valley State University: Master of Science in Taxation instructor – Partnership Taxation; Estate Planning; Estate and Gift Taxation
Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School, instructor – Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganizations; Real Estate and Civil Procedure
Frequent lecturer and continuing legal education instructor – Commercial, Asset-Based and Real Estate Loan Documentation; Leveraged Buyouts, Loan Workouts and Bankruptcy