Michael (Mick) M. Lauter

Front End Finance

• Represented lender in nine figure marketable stock secured loan.
• Represented lender in loan to finance a seed fund for start up portfolio companies.
• Represented lender in nine figure loan secured by apartment buildings in California. 
• Represented lender in nine figure loan secured by shopping centers in Arizona.
• Represented lender in numerous real estate secured loans in and out of California.
• Represented lender in numerous unsecured bridge loans and cash-out refinances.

Agricultural Finance

• Represented private credit fund in extending multiple loans secured by agricultural property in California.
• Represented national lender in real estate secured term loan and operating line of credit to almond processor.
• Represented national lender in connection with a series of real estate and personal property secured loans to almond grower.
• Represented national lender in connection with crop line of credit to pistachio grower.
• Represented national lender in restructuring of related loans to grower and processor.

Chapter 11 Debtor

• Represented toy company debtor through chapter 11 sale process in In re Imperial Toy LLC, Bankr. N.D. Cal.
• Represented waterpark debtor in chapter 11 restructuring in In re Rexford Properties LLC, Bankr. C.D. Cal.
• Represented furniture company debtor in chapter 11 liquidation in In re Easy Life Furniture, Bankr. C.D. Cal.
• Represented biotech debtor in chapter 11 restructuring in In re Arriva Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bankr. N.D. Cal.
• Represented creamery debtor in chapter 11 sale and restructuring in In re Humboldt Creamery, LLC, Bankr. N.D. Cal.
• Advised various debtors and potential debtors in out of court restructurings.

Chapter 11 Creditors Committee

• Committee counsel in law firm bankruptcy in In re Sedgwick, LLP, Bankr. N.D. Cal.
• Committee counsel in steel foundry bankruptcy in In re Pacific Steel Casting Company, Bankr. N.D. Cal.
• Committee counsel in asbestos bankruptcy in In re Plant Insulation Company, Bankr. N.D. Cal.
• Committee counsel in bankruptcy of financier convicted of securities fraud in In re Del Biaggio, Bankr. N.D. Cal.

Receivers, Trustees, Plan Administrators, Assignees, and other Fiduciaries

•  Represented plan administrator in confirmed chapter 11 case in Oakland.
• Represented receiver appointed by an Austrian court in the liquidation of a solar company in litigation in federal district court in San Francisco.
• Represented federal court receiver appointed by U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands in various related bankruptcy cases in Southern California.
• Represented assignee in the sale of the intellectual property of a defunct tech company with a presence in the U.S. and Canada.
• Represented state court receiver in the marketing and sale of a bed and breakfast in Napa.
• Represented a state court receiver in the partial completion and unit-by-unit sale of a residential subdivision in King City, CA.

Secured Lender Creditor’s Rights Enforcement Actions

• Represented secured lender in connection with two related financings to entities in the aggregate amount of over $500 million secured by public company stock, and guaranteed by a series of entities and irrevocable trusts, which trusts had governing documents dating back to the 1940s.

• Represented the primary secured lender in the chapter 7 bankruptcy of Golden Gate Community Health, f/k/a Planned Parenthood Golden Gate.
• Represented secured lender in obtaining state court judgment and non-dischargeable judgment and confirming a creditor’s plan in bankruptcy of a guarantor in a winery-related case in Northern California.
• Represented secured lender in appointing receiver over residential project in Sonoma County.
• Represented secured lender in the workout of a mobile home timeshare resort in Northern California.
• Represented secured lender in the appointment of a receiver who marketed and facilitated the sale of a 129 unit condominium complex in Roseville, CA.
• Represented secured lender in the workout of a series of long-defaulted loans with mixed collateral in multiple states.

Representation of Asset Purchasers, Plan Funders, and Other Strategic Investors

• Represented plan funder in chapter 11 bankruptcy case involving Silicon Valley real estate development.
• Represented plan funder in chapter 11 bankruptcy case involving high tech IP assets.
• Represented purchaser of special servicing rights out of bankruptcy in workout of acquired loans.

Creditor Representations

• Represented various buyers and sellers of proofs of claim in multiple chapter 11 cases.
• Local counsel to group of unsecured lenders in PG&E bankruptcy case.
• Represented various trade creditors in protecting interests and becoming critical vendors in various chapter 11 cases.
• Represented film distribution companies in assignment and assumption issues in Weinstein Company bankruptcy.

• Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers, 2018-2027
• Northern California Super Lawyer, Super Lawyer, 2020-2025
• Northern California Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2013-2019
• Corporate Restructuring, Legal 500, 2013, 2015

Conference Co-Chair, California Bankruptcy Forum (2017)

Education Co-Chair, California Bankruptcy Forum (2015, 2016)

Program Book Chair, California Bankruptcy Forum (2012)

Session Producer, California Bankruptcy Forum (2011, 2013)

Member, Bench-Bar Liaison Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California (2014 – 2018)

Co-Chair, Bench-Bar Liaison Committee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California (2015 – 2016)

Conference Chair of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Judges’ Conference (2017)

Member, Insolvency Law Committee of the California State Bar Association (2015 – 2018)

Board Member, Bay Area Chapter of the California Receiver’s Forum (2013 – Present)

President, Bay Area Chapter of the California Receiver’s Forum (2016, 2017)

• "Prying Jurisdiction Away From Bankruptcy Courts," Law360, June 28, 2011