People

Michael R.
Handler

Partner
Corporate, Finance and Investments

New York: +1 212 556 2286
mhandler@kslaw.com

Related Capabilities

Michael R. Handler is a partner in King & Spalding’s Financial Restructuring practice. Michael’s practice focuses on representing lenders and bondholders across the capital structure and companies in all aspects of workout, restructuring, special situation financing matters and distressed M&A transactions. Michael also has significant experience in connection with investment manager and broker-dealer liquidations and wind-downs.

Michael is at the forefront of intercreditor litigation and related issues, having led significant matters concerning the protection of minority lender rights in the Ascena Retail Group, Inc. and 24 Hour Fitness chapter 11 cases and the ongoing Boardriders, Inc. litigation in New York Supreme Court. Michael is a noted authority on such issues, having appeared on panels and/or podcasts for Debtwire and Bloomberg’s The Brink.

Michael has been recognized by Turnarounds & Workouts as a 2023 Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer and by Best Lawyers Ones to Watch for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Michael also devotes significant time and resources in support of New York philanthropic initiatives, including as an active fundraiser for Tina’s Wish and a member of the UJA Federation’s NextGen Bankruptcy & Restructuring Committee.

Michael earned his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in History, summa cum laude, from Emory University and his law degree, cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law, where he served as an Executive Articles Editor of the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology.

Publications

Third Circuit Permits Purchaser in Section 363 Sale to Make Payments to Interested Parties, Deviating from Bankruptcy Code Priority Scheme, Pratt’s Journal of Bankruptcy Law, April/May 2016, with Brad Eric Scheler and Alan Resnick.
A Law of Passion, Not of Principle, Nor Even Purpose: A Call to Repeal or Revise the Adam Walsh Act Amendments to the Bail Reform Act of 1984, 101 Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 279 (2013).

Full Bio

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Credentials

J.D., Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, cum laude

B.A., Emory University, summa cum laude

M.A., Emory University, summa cum laude

New York

Best Lawyer’s Ones to Watch

Corporate - 2021

Best Lawyer’s Ones to Watch

Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law - 2021

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Recognition

Best Lawyer’s Ones to Watch

Corporate - 2021

Best Lawyer’s Ones to Watch

Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law - 2021

01.11.2023

Speaking Engagement

Michael Handler, Arthur Steinberg to Speak on Strafford Webinar

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News

In the News · Source: Law360, The Texas Lawbook, The Texas Lawyer, Global Arbitration Review, Law.com and Global Legal Chronicle

March 25, 2024
K&S secures a $900M settlement package on behalf of Reficar in its dispute with McDermott International. The team is recognized in this week’s Law.com Litigator of the Week Runner’s Up and Shout Outs.

Cases & Deals

March 22, 2024
King & Spalding Secures $900 Million for Reficar in Its Dispute with Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I)

In the News · Source: Law360

February 6, 2024
Roger Schwartz, Richard Marooney, Michael Handler and Robbie Nussbaum represent Blue Torch on its $11M debtor-in-possession loan and $51M credit sale deal with Troika Media Group

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Matters

Representing Archegos Capital Management and the Archegos Fund, a multibillion dollar family office, in connection with its liquidation and winddown.

Represented Pareteum Corporation and its affiliated debtors as special corporate and finance counsel in connection with their Chapter 11 cases in the Southern District of New York.

Represented Joerns Healthcare, LLC in connection with its incremental priority lien financing transaction

Matters

Representing Archegos Capital Management and the Archegos Fund, a multibillion dollar family office, in connection with its liquidation and winddown.

Represented Pareteum Corporation and its affiliated debtors as special corporate and finance counsel in connection with their Chapter 11 cases in the Southern District of New York.

Represented Joerns Healthcare, LLC in connection with its incremental priority lien financing transaction

Represented Goldman Sachs Bank USA as senior lender and DIP lender in connection with the Chapter 11 case of ORG GC Midco, LLC, the parent company of GC Services, in the Southern District of Texas and out-of-court restructuring of its non-debtor affiliates.

Represented Man GLG as senior lender, DIP lender and exit lender in connection with the Chapter 11 cases of 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, Inc. and its affiliated debtors in the District of Delaware.

Represented an ad hoc group of term lenders in connection with a maturity extension amendment for Outerstuff LLC.

Represented an ad hoc group of minority term loan lenders and DIP lenders in connection with the Chapter 11 cases of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. in the Eastern District of Virginia

Represented an ad hoc group of term loan lenders in connection with the out-of-court restructuring of Production Resource Group, L.L.C. and certain of its affiliates.

Represented an ad hoc group of term loan lenders and DIP lenders in connection with the Chapter 11 cases of APC Automotive Technologies LLC in the District of Delaware

Represented Cardone Industries in connection with its out-of-court restructuring

Represented an ad hoc group of term loan lenders and DIP lenders in connection with the Chapter 11 cases of Fairway Group Holdings Corp. and its affiliated debtors filed in the Southern District of New York

Represented Goldman Sachs Specialty Lending Group, as the sole term loan lender and DIP lender, in connection with the Chapter 11 cases of Gymboree Group, Inc., and its affiliated debtors filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Represented an ad hoc group of term loan lenders in the Chapter 11 cases of Joerns Healthcare, LLC, and its affiliated debtors filed in the District of Delaware.

Represented a cross-over secured and unsecured term loan lender group in the Chapter 11 cases of Nine West Holdings, Inc. and its affiliated debtors filed in the Southern District of New York.

Represented an ad hoc group of term lenders in connection with a maturity extension amendment for MoneyGram International Inc.

Represented an ad hoc group of term loan lenders in the Chapter 11 cases of Charlotte Russe, Inc. and its affiliated debtors in the Chapter 11 cases filed in the District of Delaware.

Represented Global Brokerage, Inc. and its affiliated debtors in its Chapter 11 cases filed in the Southern District of New York.

Represented the ad hoc first lien term loan committee in the Chapter 11 cases of Payless Holdings LLC and its affiliated debtors filed in the Eastern District of Missouri.

Represented UBS AG, as agent for the second lien term loan lenders, in connection with the out-of-court restructuring of The Brock Group.

Represented Jack Cooper Enterprises, Inc. (“JCEI”) and Jack Cooper Holdings Corp. (“JCHC”) in connection with its refinancing and exchange (with a stapled prepackaged chapter 11 plan of reorganization) of JCEI’s 10.50%/11.25% Senior PIK Toggle Notes due 2019 and JCHC’s 9.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2020.

Represented Invesco and Octagon Credit Investors in the Chapter 11 cases of DACCO Transmission Parts (NY), Inc and its affiliated debtors filed in the Southern District of New York.

Represented a group of equity holders in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases of GMG, Inc. and its affiliated debtor filed in the Southern District of New York.

Represented Ascribe Capital Management and Gates Capital Management, Inc. in ION Geophysical’s refinancing and exchange of its 8.125% Senior Secured Second Priority Notes due 2018.

Represented multiple brokerage creditors in connection with the Chapter 11 Cases and SIPA Case of MF Global filed in the Southern District of New York.

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