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Overview
Mike's practice emphasizes general corporate counseling, debtor-creditor matters, and mergers and acquisitions. He has extensive experience representing private and public companies, shareholders, receivers, borrowers, lenders, debtors, and creditors.
Mike regularly handles mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy and receivership proceedings, secured and unsecured transactions, and formation of LLCs and corporations. He also provides general business counseling.
Prior to joining Tonkon Torp, Mike served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable John R. Gibson of the United States Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit. Mike also worked as Vice President of Affordable Equity Partners, Inc. (a company specializing in syndicating tax credits and providing gap financing to real estate developers) and also as a CPA for PricewaterhouseCoopers in St. Louis, Missouri.
Mike regularly handles mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy and receivership proceedings, secured and unsecured transactions, and formation of LLCs and corporations. He also provides general business counseling.
Prior to joining Tonkon Torp, Mike served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable John R. Gibson of the United States Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit. Mike also worked as Vice President of Affordable Equity Partners, Inc. (a company specializing in syndicating tax credits and providing gap financing to real estate developers) and also as a CPA for PricewaterhouseCoopers in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Featured Representative Matters
Franchisee Sale
Represented franchisee in $200 million sale of multiple franchises.
Automobile Dealerships
Represented buyer in $20 million acquisition of multiple automobile dealerships.
Automobile Dealership
Represented seller in $10 million sale of automobile dealership.
Manufacturing Company
Represented shareholders in $150 million sale of controlling interest of privately-held manufacturing company.
Christensen Shipyards, Inc.
Represented the General Receiver in Christensen Shipyards, Inc., including the sale of all assets of Christensen Shipyards, the resolution of multiple disputes, and the administration of over 500 chains.
In re C & K Market, Inc.
(Bankr. D. Or.) — Headquartered in Brookings, Oregon, C & K Market is an independently-owned grocery store chain located primarily in small communities in southern and central Oregon and northern California. Tonkon Torp represented the company in its Chapter 11 case, which recapitalized the company through a debt-for-equity exchange and enabled the company to emerge with a strong balance sheet and solid earnings. During the seven-month reorganization, the company sold its 15 pharmacy operations, sold or closed 20 of its original 60 grocery stores, and refinanced its secured debt. A team comprised of bankruptcy lawyers Mike Fletcher, Al Kennedy, and Ava Schoen led extensive negotiations with the grocer’s secured and unsecured creditors to ensure the uninterrupted support of trade creditors, manage PACA liabilities, and confirm and implement the plan.
Williams, Love, O'Leary & Powers, P.C.
In re Williams, Love, O'Leary & Powers, P.C. (Bankr. D. Or.) — Williams, Love, O'Leary & Powers, P.C. ("WLOP") is a nationally recognized plaintiffs' medical products liability firm that represents clients who suffer injuries caused by dangerous or defective medical products. Tonkon represented WLOP in its Chapter 11 case, which resulted in a confirmed Plan of Reorganization through which all creditors were paid in full and the firm emerged viable and recapitalized. We believe this is the only law firm Chapter 11 in the United States in which the firm emerged intact as an operating firm continuing to serve its clients.
In re Total Mechanical, Inc.
(Bankr. D. Or.) — Total Mechanical, Inc. is a design-build mechanical contractor. When a large judgment was entered against it, Total Mechanical turned to Tonkon to file a Chapter 11 case on its behalf. Within 10 weeks of the filing of its bankruptcy case, the judgment was settled, Total Mechanical was recapitalized, and the bankruptcy case was dismissed.
In re Roman Catholic Archbishop of Portland
(Bankr. D. Or.) — On behalf of the Tort Claimants' Committee, Al Kennedy led a team of Tonkon lawyers in the first-ever bankruptcy filing by a Catholic Archdiocese. Tonkon successfully navigated numerous issues of first impression arising from the intersection of real estate, corporate, constitutional, bankruptcy, charitable trust, and religious institutions law. All claimants were paid in full, with interest, after each claim was individually mediated.
In re Beall Corporation
(Bankr. D. Or.) — Beall Corporation manufactured truck tanks and trailers at multiple factories, and operated sales and service branches across the western United States. Tonkon represented Beall in its Chapter 11 case. The company's divisions were sold as going concerns to four different purchasers and a Plan of Liquidation is scheduled for confirmation in September of 2013.
In re HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc.
(Bankr. D. Or.) — HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells a line of wound care products throughout the world. When faced with a disastrous patent infringement judgment, HemCon turned to Tonkon to represent it in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Through its bankruptcy case, HemCon was able to sell certain non-core product lines, attract new equity investment, restructure its secured and unsecured debt, including the judgment debt, and emerge from bankruptcy as a viable, operating, recapitalized business.
In re Western Communications, Inc.
(Bankr. D. Or.) — Western Communications, Inc. owns eight newspapers, including the Bend Bulletin, La Grande Observer, Baker City Herald, Redwood Spokesman, Curry Coastal Pilot, Central Oregon Nickel Ads, Daily Triplicate, and Sonora Union Democrat. Tonkon represented the company in its Chapter 11 case, through which the company restructured its debts and emerged within nine months.
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Featured Work
Tonkon in the Driver’s Seat for Fast Dealership Purchase Ride
Auto dealership sales are generally straightforward affairs that frequently involve both business and real estate assets. In 2015, Tonkon Torp got involved in a purchase transaction that took a unique turn. Find details and more featured cases here.
Tonkon Torp Leads Oregon Grocery Chain Out of Bankruptcy
In one of the quickest and most successful conclusions of a grocery chain bankruptcy proceeding, Tonkon Torp secured court approval of a reorganization plan for C&K Market, Inc., to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy just seven months after filing. Find details and more featured cases here.
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Professional Memberships
Turnaround Management Association
Multnomah Bar Association
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Recent News
8.20.2020
Best Lawyers in America® Includes 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys on 2021 List
Forty-nine Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 36 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021. A majority of attorneys have been named to the peer-review list in past years, and most have been recognized for more…
10.14.2019
Michael Fletcher and Justin Denton Speak at Northwest Dealerships Seminar
Tonkon Torp partners Michael Fletcher and Justin Denton spoke at the 2019 Northwest Dealerships Seminar.
8.15.2019
2020 List for Best Lawyers in America® Includes 48 Tonkon Torp Attorneys
Forty-eight Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 39 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2020. A majority of attorneys have been named to the list in past years, and most have been recognized for more than five…
8.17.2018
Best Lawyers in America® Names 51 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2019 List
Fifty-one Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 41 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2019. Nearly all attorneys have been named to the list in past years, and have been recognized for more than five years
8.16.2017
Best Lawyers in America® Names 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys to 2018 List
Forty-nine Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 39 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2018. Nearly all attorneys have been named to the list in past years, and have been recognized for more than five years…
1.31.2012
Leveraged Buyout Borrowers Face a Refinancing 'Cliff'
Tonkon Torp business attorney Michael Fletcher is quoted at length in a January 27th article in the Portland Business Journal. The article discusses the impending refinancing 'cliff' tied to billions of dollars in loans and bonds from the leveraged…