Michael T. Delaney

Counsel

Cleveland
T +1.216.861.7478
F +1.216.696.0740

Overview

Michael Delaney represents and advises clients throughout the country on matters pertaining to corporate financial distress and insolvency. Michael focuses on the representation of corporate debtors, creditor committees, fiduciaries and directors and officers in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. He also has experience negotiating and facilitating Section 363 sale transactions, distressed transactions, out-of-court debt and equity restructuring, assignments and receiverships.

Michael holds leadership positions with several professional organizations, including the American Bankruptcy Institute and Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and previously held leadership positions with the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum, the California Bankruptcy Journal and the Insolvency Law Committee of the California Bar Association.

Michael frequently speaks on insolvency-related issues and contributes articles to publications relating to insolvency and bankruptcy-related issues. He has been recognized by The Legal 500 USA, Chambers USA for California bankruptcy and restructuring and as a “Southern California Super Lawyer” for business bankruptcy.

As part of his practice, Michael strives to serve the community—providing pro bono representation to veterans in appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims as part of the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program.

Prior to entering private practice, Michael served as law clerk to the Honorable Ernest M. Robles of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.

Select Experience

  • Limetree Bay Refining, LLC. Represented one of the ten largest petroleum refineries in the world and affiliated entities in connection with their Chapter 11 bankruptcy and restructuring of more than $1 billion in debt and Section 363 sale of substantially all assets of the refinery entities in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
  • Advantage Holdco, Inc. Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the bankruptcy of national car rental company and its affiliates in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
  • Relativity Media, LLC. Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Relativity Media, LLC and 57 affiliates in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of the international media and entertainment company in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
More »

Experience

  • Limetree Bay Refining, LLC. Represented one of the ten largest petroleum refineries in the world and affiliated entities in connection with their Chapter 11 bankruptcy and restructuring of more than $1 billion in debt and Section 363 sale of substantially all assets of the refinery entities in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
  • Advantage Holdco, Inc. Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the bankruptcy of national car rental company and its affiliates in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
  • Relativity Media, LLC. Represented the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Relativity Media, LLC and 57 affiliates in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of the international media and entertainment company in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
  • Entrust Energy, Inc. Represents one of the largest retail energy providers in Texas and affiliated entities in connection with their Chapter 11 bankruptcy and restructuring of more than $300 million in debt, and litigation pertaining to termination of more than $100 million in hedging positions following the collapse of the Texas power grid in 2021, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
  • Americore Holdings, LLC. Represents the Chapter 11 trustee in the bankruptcies of acute care hospitals located throughout the southern U.S. in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
  • VER Technologies Holdco, LLC. Represented the former owners of an international audio and visual equipment design and rental company in the Chapter 11 bankruptcies of the successor entities in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and associated investigation of leveraged buyout and potential liability resulting therefrom.
  • Weinstein Company Holdings LLC. Represented multiple studios and production companies, including Visiona Romantica, Inc., the production company of Quentin Tarantino, and OWN LLC, in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of the Weinstein Company in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
  • Open Road Films, LLC. Represented studio and production company in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Open Road Films in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
  • Hashfast Technologies LLC. Represented Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of a  developer and manufacturer of application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for Bitcoin mining—one of the first cryptocurrency-related bankruptcy filings in the U.S.—and proposed and confirmed a Chapter 11 plan of liquidation for the benefit of the creditors.
  • In re Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations, LLC. Represented an oil and gas exploration and production company in connection with its Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
  • Exide Holdings, Inc. Represented multiple creditors in connection with the resolution of adversary proceedings asserting liability for allegedly avoidable transactions.
  • Verity Health System of California, Inc. Represented creditor in connection with the resolution of an adversary proceeding asserting liability for allegedly avoidable transactions.
  • Fred’s Inc. Represented creditor in connection with the resolution of an adversary proceeding asserting liability for allegedly avoidable transactions.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • The Legal 500 USA (2021) 
  • Recommended for Restructuring (including Bankruptcy): Corporate
  • Chambers USA: Bankruptcy and Restructuring in California (2018 to 2020)
    • Associate to Watch (2018 to 2020)
  • Southern California "Super Lawyer" (2019)
    • Southern California Super Lawyers "Rising Star" (2016, 2017)

Memberships

  • American Bankruptcy Institute
    • Bankruptcy Litigation Committee Newsletter Editor (2021 to present)
    • Bankruptcy Battleground West: Advisory Board Member (2018 to 2020)
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
    • The William J. O'Neill Great Lakes Regional Bankruptcy Institute: Co-Chair (2022)
  • Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum: Board Member (2018 to 2020)
  • California Bankruptcy Journal: Editorial Board Member (2016 to 2020)
  • State Bar of California ◦Insolvency Law Committee (2015 to 2018)

Prior Positions

  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Ernest M. Robles of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California

Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • California
  • Ohio

Education

  • LL.M., Intellectual Property Law, The George Washington University Law School, 2009
  • J.D., Chapman University School of Law, 2008
  • B.A., University of Southern California, 2005