Ranked as a leading restructuring and bankruptcy lawyer, Michael Torkin is a Partner in the Firm’s New York office. Michael’s practice includes representing public and private companies in out-of-court corporate and financial restructurings as well as Chapter 11 proceedings, and he is called upon by boards of directors of financially distressed companies to advise on related fiduciary matters. Michael also regularly represents private equity and hedge fund clients in connection with domestic and international special situation investments and “distress-for-control” transactions as well as corporate clients in connection with distressed M&A assignments.
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Work Highlights
Michael’s practice (including prior to joining the Firm) has included the representation of:
- Corp Group Banking in connection with its Chapter 11 proceeding
- Pyxus International in connection with its prepackaged Chapter 11
- Arsenal Resources in connection with its 2020 prepackaged Chapter 11 restructuring and its 2019 comprehensive financial restructuring through an out-of-court transaction and pre-packaged Holdco Chapter 11 proceeding
- BorgWarner Inc. in connection with its disposition of Morse-Tec to Enstar Group Limited
- Angelo Gordon, Canyon Capital, TPG, MSD and AllianceBernstein in connection with Rex Energy’s Chapter 11 proceeding and related sale to PennEnergy
- PointState Capital, Serengeti Asset Management, Knighthead Capital Management and 683 Capital Partners in connection with the recapitalization of TGLT S.A.
- Ascent Resources Marcellus in connection with the structuring of its prepackaged Chapter 11 and restructuring support agreement
Accolades
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Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
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Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business
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The Legal 500 United States
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M&A Advisor, “Top 40 under 40” M&A, Financing and Turnaround Professionals (2010)
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Turnarounds and Workouts, One of 2 “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyers” (2009, 2010)
Education
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Osgoode Hall Law School, 1997 J.D.
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University of Western Ontario, 1993 B.A.
Associations
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Turnaround Management Association
Michael Torkin is a Partner in the Firm’s Restructuring Practice and founder of the Firm’s Private Capital and Special Situations Investment Group. Michael’s multidisciplinary practice includes representing companies on liability management, recapitalization and restructuring transactions, both in and out of court, domestically and internationally. Michael also routinely represents sponsors, acquirers of distressed businesses, and hedge fund and private equity fund clients in connection with a broad array of special situation investments and recapitalization transactions. During his career, Michael has been involved in numerous cross-border restructurings involving Canada, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Israel, Africa, The Netherlands and Australia.
Michael’s practice (including prior to joining the Firm) spans the representation of numerous private equity and hedge fund clients, including Angelo Gordon, The Blackstone Group, The Carlyle Group, Chambers Energy Partners, Charterhouse, First Reserve, KKR Credit, Platinum Equity, Pointstate Capital, Primavera Capital Group, Riverstone, and Silver Lake Partners as well as corporates on an array of restructuring and special situations transactions, including:
Debtor Representations:
- Corp Group Banking in connection with its Chapter 11 proceeding
- Pyxus International in connection with its prepackaged Chapter 11
- Arsenal Resources in connection with its 2020 prepackaged Chapter 11 restructuring and its 2019 comprehensive financial restructuring through an out-of-court transaction and pre-packaged Holdco Chapter 11 proceeding
- Ascent Resources Marcellus in connection with the structuring of its prepackaged Chapter 11 and restructuring support agreement
- Eastman Kodak Company in connection with its Chapter 11 reorganization, including the disposition of its intellectual property portfolio and the resolution of its legacy retiree obligations
- Remy International in its prepackaged Chapter 11 reorganization
- Smarte Carte in its prepackaged Chapter 11 reorganization
- America Online Latin America in its Chapter 11 reorganization
- Oneida Ltd. in its prenegotiated Chapter 11 reorganization
Other Select Representations:
Michael is ranked as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA, which describes him as “a very strong lawyer with a lot of credibility.” He has also been ranked by Chambers Global and The Legal 500 United States and was recognized by The M&A Advisor as one of the top “40 under 40” M&A, financing and turnaround professionals in 2010 and by Turnarounds & Workouts as one of 12 “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyers” in 2009 and 2010. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and Turnaround Management Association.
Michael received his J.D. in 1997 from Osgoode Hall Law School and his B.A. in 1993 from the University of Western Ontario. He is admitted to practice in New York.