Michael R. Mills
Partner
Mike is a Partner in Dorsey's Trial Group and also performs work in the Business Group. Mike represents businesses facing financial difficulties who need restucturing assistance, businesses being bought or sold, and businesses (and individuals) involved in complex ownership or contract disputes.
Representative Experience
Transactional Matters:
-
Alaska Women's Health Services, Inc., 2008 (represented seller in asset sale)
-
Baker Aviation Inc., 2008 (represented seller of airport hangar assets as part of restructure/liquidation)
-
VECO Corporation Sale, 2007 (represent shareholder in $463,000,000 sale to CH2M HILL of oil and gas related engineering and construction company)
-
Universal Roofing , 2007 (represented seller of Anchorage commercial roofing company)
-
Forest Heights, Ltd., 2007 (represented shareholder group in acquisition of 40% minority shareholder’s rights)
-
Patel Enterprises, Inc., 2004 (represented seller of a chain of liquor stores in Homer, Alaska)
-
Restructure Projects/Owner Disputes (represented numerous companies and also creditors in successful restructuring of debt and/or resolution of owner disputes)
Commercial Litigation:
- Food Marketers International vs. Global Seafoods, 2007 (represented Canada-based international fish broker in dispute with Alaska fish processor over Chinese fish sales)
- Wasser & Winters Company vs. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, 2006 (obtained summary judgment for Ritchie Bros. in breach of contract case involving handling of auction)
- Chenega Management vs. Alvie Johnson Bankruptcy Estate, Fluor Alaska, Inc., Tiny Huntsman, et al., 2005 (represented Chenega Management in multi-party litigation defending collection action seeking over $1 million in unpaid amounts for lease of Johnson construction equipment related to many different construction projects)
- Tikigaq / Global Services vs. Alaska Petroleum Contractors, 2002 (obtained a jury verdict of approximately $700,000 against Alaska Petroleum Contractors in the Alaska Superior Court)
- Alltel Publishing vs. Alaska Communication Systems, 2000 (represented Alltel Publishing of Akron, Ohio, subsidiary of Alltel Corporation, in Alaska Superior Court in multi-million dollar breach of contract action over termination of yellow page contract)
- Martech Bankruptcy Estate vs. Six Sureties mid-1990's to current (recovered approximately $3.0 million for bankruptcy estate from sureties that bonded over 80 government environmental cleanup and construction projects)
- MarkAir Bankruptcy Estate vs. General Electric Capital Aviation Services, mid-late 1990's (recovered approximately $3 million for bankruptcy estate under preference theories)
Chapter 11 Matters (Debtor Counsel):
- Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska, Inc. (Diocese of Fairbanks) 2008 (current Chapter 11 case)
- Restaurants Northwest, Inc., 2004 (successfully restructured Burger King franchisee)
- Inlet Fisheries, Inc., 2003 (confirmed Chapter 11 liquidating plan of fish processor)
- Alaska Central Express, Inc., 2002 (successfully restructured air cargo/mail carrier and eventually dismissed Chapter 11 case)
- Martech, Inc. and Chapter 7 trustee, 1996 (represented NYSE listed construction/remediation company in Chapter 11 and served as special counsel for Chapter 7 trustee)
- MarkAir, Inc. and Chapter 7 trustee, 1992, 1995 (largest Chapter 11 in Alaska's history. Alaska based airline. Successfully reorganized in 1993. Second Chapter 11 case converted to Chapter 7 in 1995. Served as special counsel for Chapter 7 trustee)
Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 Cases (Trustee and Creditor Counsel):
- Era Aviation 2006 (represented Seacor Holdings, Era Helicopters; Era FBO, largest unsecured creditors Chapter 11 case and member of unsecured creditors’ committee; full payout plan confirmed)
- E. Brown, Inc. dba International Steel, 2005 (represented Dick Pacific Corporation, creditor and defendant in litigation, in Chapter 11 case)
- Alvie Johnson, 2004 (represented Chenega Management, creditor and defendant in litigation, in Chapter 7 case)
- Alaska Power & Telephone, 2002 (represented General Electric Capital Corporation, a member of the creditors' committee, in Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Seattle, Washington)
- Anchorage Aces, LLC, 2001 (represented West Coast Hockey League in league membership dispute with Aces that eventually resulted in a sale of league membership to Anchorage investor group)
Representative Clients
- B&J Investments, LLC
- Calkins & Burke, Ltd./C.B. Magnum, Inc. (Vancouver)
- Chenega Management
- Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.
- Forest Heights, LLC
- FMI Food Marketers International (Vancouver)
- Inlet Fisheries, Inc./Inlet Fish Producers, Inc.
- Janicki Industries, Inc.
- Partusch Plumbing & Heating
- Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (America), Inc.
- Seacor Holdings, Inc. (Era Helicopters, Era FBO)
- Sitnasuak Native Corporation
- Stock Building Supply
- United Freight & Transport
Admissions
Honors
- Ranked one of “America’s Leading Business Lawyers” by Chambers USA, 2007 & 2010
- Selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights Law
- Co-Chair of Bankruptcy Section of Alaska Bar, 1995-1997
- Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights
Honors
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America
Education
- University of Michigan
J.D., 1987
- University of Queensland, Australia
1984, Rotary Foundation Fellowship
- University of Notre Dame
B.A., 1983, Classics
Professional Activities