Practicing commercial law in Alaska’s diverse business community is nothing short of exciting! As a commercial and creditor’s rights attorney I’ve enjoyed dealing with lien rights in vessels, airplanes, mining claims, oil rigs, timber, seafood processing plants, real property and leases of every kind. Every day I enjoy the challenges our big state has to offer.
Michelle has been practicing in Alaska since 1986 and focuses on commercial litigation, lender representation, and creditor’s rights in complex bankruptcy matters. Before entering private practice, she clerked for U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Herbert A. Ross from 1986 – 1988, and served as head of FDIC’s Alaska legal department for four years (1989 – 1993). Michelle has represented creditors and bank creditors in Alaska’s largest bankruptcy cases, and has also served as trustee counsel. She is currently representing creditors in Alaska’s first “mega” Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, actively defending of preference claims and other complex issues.
Admitted to Practice
- Alaska
- United States District Court, District of Alaska
- United States Court of Appeals, Ninth circuit
Education
- J.D., Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, MN
- B.S. with honors, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Outstanding Justice Student of the Year in 1983
Memberships & Recognition
- Super Lawyers
- Best Lawyers
- Recipient of Alaska Bar Association, Board of Governors, Professionalism Award in 2014
- Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in Alaska Bankruptcy Litigation category in 2012
- Past attorney representative to the 9th Circuit Judicial Conference
- Current Chair of the Bankruptcy Section of the Alaska Bar Association
Additional
Presentations
Alaska Annual Construction Law Conference, sponsored by the Seminar Group, 2011, 2013, and 2015, “What Happens When Someone in in the Chain Goes Bankrupt” and general bankruptcy and insolvency in construction projects.
ALTA (Alaska Land Title Association) convention February 3, 2017, presentation on judicial foreclosures in Alaska.
