About Michael
Michael is a counsel at LARK. He is a restructuring lawyer and advises creditors, companies and financial sponsors on domestic and cross-border complex financings, refinancings and financial restructurings, with a particular focus on special situations and stressed and distressed transactions.
Prior to joining LARK, Michael was a senior associate in the restructuring practice of Kirkland & Ellis in Munich.
He studied law at the Universities of Freiburg and Heidelberg and completed his legal training at the Higher Regional Court of Nuremberg, including a stage in London. Michael holds a doctorate in law from Goethe University Frankfurt.
Michael’s practice includes advising on the restructuring and recapitalization of companies facing financial distress, the implementation of new money solutions and the negotiation of amendments and extensions of existing debt instruments.
He regularly represents lenders, noteholder groups and other creditors in complex capital structure negotiations and liability management exercises. He has significant experience with transactions involving unitranche financings and high-yield bonds.
He also advises companies and private equity sponsors on sponsor-led recapitalizations, balance sheet restructurings and strategic debt negotiations with financial creditors.
Michael has extensive experience with cross-border restructurings and international restructuring frameworks. His work includes restructurings implemented through German restructuring tools, including proceedings under StaRUG and formal insolvency proceedings, English schemes of arrangement and restructuring plans, and U.S. Chapter 11 proceedings.
Areas of expertise
Financial Restructuring
Special Situations
Distressed M&A
Insolvency
Recent Representative Matters
Creditors, including
- Unitranche lender to a healthcare service provider on the structured refinancing of the company*
- Funds advised by Fasanara Capital on the recapitalization of Grover Group under StaRUG*
- Ad hoc group of noteholders on the financial restructuring and recapitalization of Ferralum Metals Group and Metalcorp Group under the German Bond Act (SchVG)*
- Lender consortium to a transformer manufacturer on the sponsor-backed recapitalization of the company and the amendment of the company’s debt facilities under a UK restructuring plan*
- Ad hoc group of noteholders on the recapitalization of Adler Real Estate in connection with a UK restructuring plan*
- Ad hoc group of noteholders on the financial restructuring of LöwenPlay under a UK scheme of arrangement*
- Common noteholder representative in the insolvency proceedings of Wirecard*
- Unitranche lender to a travel company on its state-backed recapitalization*
- Ad hoc group of noteholders of Hertz in debt negotiations with the company*
Borrowers, including
- Sponsor-owned IT services company on its sponsor-backed recapitalization and restructuring of its unitranche facility*
- Marelli Holdings and its affiliates in their prearranged Chapter 11 cases*
- Heubach on its envisaged financial restructuring*
- Sponsor-owned fibre company on its sponsor-led recapitalization*
- Real estate group in debt negotiations with lenders*
- Avaya Holdings and its affiliates in their prepackaged Chapter 11 cases*
Sponsors, including
- Bidder on the lender-supported acquisition of a chemicals business*
- Actera on the financial restructuring and recapitalization of Standard Profil under a UK scheme of arrangement*
- Bain Capital on the bidding process for a majority stake in Condor*
*processed in previous law firm
Life beyond Lark
Michael is a proud father and can often be found taking long walks with a stroller through Munich’s Englischer Garten.