Michael A. Brandess, Associate

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• Practice Areas: BANKRUPTCY REORGANIZATION AND CREDITORS’ RIGHTS
  
  
  
• MICHAEL A. BRANDESS is an associate in the Bankruptcy, Reorganization and Creditors’ Rights practice at Sugar, Felsenthal, Grais & Hammer LLP. Michael has considerable experience representing both secured and unsecured creditors in chapter 11 proceedings across the country.
  

  In addition to Michael’s extensive restructuring and insolvency experience with secured and unsecured creditors, Michael has established a well earned reputation for his efforts assisting trustees in the wind-down of post-confirmation trusts. He has represented both trustees and defendants in complex bankruptcy matters before the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern District of New York, the District of Delaware, the Southern District of Florida and the Northern District of Illinois.

  Michael received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law. While in law school, he received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Pre-trial Litigation; Negotiations; and Counseling and Fact Investigations. In addition, he was awarded Best Brief in the University of Illinois Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition. Michael received his B.A. in English from the University of Michigan.

• Bar Admissions:
  
  Illinois
  United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  
  
• Memberships:
  
  American Bankruptcy Institute
  Illinois State Bar Association
  Turnaround Management Association, Chicago/Midwest chapter, Co-Chair of Future Leaders Committee (2012)
  
  
  
• Publications:
  
  Co-Author of “UBP: Has the Pendulum Swung Too Far?” published in the October 2011 issue of the ABI Journal (republished in Best of ABI 2011: The Year in Business Bankruptcy)

  Co-Author of “Claims Trading: the Wild West of Chapter 11’s” published in the July/August 2010 issue of the ABI Journal (cover story)
  
  Co-Author of “Enron and the Bravado Sherriff of Claims Trading,” published in the December/January 2011 issue of the ABI Journal