Michael J. Edelman

Michael Edelman helps debtors, creditors, financial institutions, and investors resolve complex restructuring and bankruptcy matters.

Guiding aviation industry clients and others through high-stakes financial challenges, Michael has been instrumental in many landmark Chapter 11 cases over the past two decades, including American Airlines, Delta, GM, Chrysler and United.

With a practice spanning distressed asset litigation, securitization disputes, Chapter 11 reorganizations and out-of-court restructurings, Michael counsels debtors on stabilizing operations, creditors on maximizing recoveries and financial institutions on safeguarding investments. His work often involves debtor-in-possession and other financing arrangements, negotiating creditor protections, structuring asset sales, and insurance settlements through bankruptcy. Aligning restructuring strategies with business operational realities, Michael combines courtroom-tested advocacy with practical transactional solutions, particularly in highly regulated and capital-intensive industries.

Experienced in transactions and litigation, Michael focuses on his clients’ business objectives, enabling continued business operations while addressing financial obligations. He structures complex financings and asset dispositions and has advised major lenders, lessors and banks in numerous airline and transportation restructurings and leveraged lease and mortgage transactions. Michael authored the U.S. Chapter in Aircraft Repossession and Enforcement, Practical Aspects (2009) and co-authored a forthcoming airline industry reorganizations chapter for Colliers.