LEGAL EXECUTIVE - ATTORNEY
$220+ Million of Book Value Increases
Helped build an $8 million business by integrating fragmented niches with $2.6 million in investments, mergers and acquisitions.
Increased the book value of multiple businesses by a total of $220 million through M&A, restructuring and operating improvements
Invented a franchise system (Patent Pending) for dominating a safety services niche and exploiting $1+ billion in under-served markets
91+% Chapter 11 success rate, taking businesses through reorganization and positioning them for sustainable operations (against a national failure rate of 85% that never make it to a confirmed re-organization and typically end in liquidation)
Wins against Internal Revenue Service, Intel, Southern Pacific Railroad, Core-Mark International, Pacific National Bank
This career path aligns with enterprises that are committed to creating and leveraging the right strategy/operating infrastructure to drive sustainable competitive leadership, high-growth and earnings
EXECUTIVE SYNOPSIS
Founded and built a business re-organization law practice turning around and repositioning 300+ businesses/clients in crisis
Took ventures from concept to go-to-market stage (trademark/tradename registration, patents pending) ... managed start-ups ... M&As ... Integrations ... Divestitures ... Operations Infrastructure Design ... Risk Mitigation
Mediated dozens of U.S. District Court business conflicts, earning a reputation for reconciling parties to disputes and producing fair, equitable outcomes
Bar Admissions: U.S. Supreme Court, Seventh & Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts (Wisconsin, Illinois, Texas, California), Wisconsin and California State Bars ... Guest Lecturer at colleges and Bar Associations
DETAILS OF KEY BUSINESS CHALLENGES & RESULTS
Since 1990, developed ventures and re-structured/turned around/rescued 300+ businesses in crisis (e.g. unmitigated risk exposure and facing dissolution, often with negative net worth)
Turnaround/Re-positioning
Guided business turnaround from a $4 million negative worth to a fair market value of $7 million ... the principal's personal and business assets were under threat of foreclosure and a non-compete agreement and restraining order paralyzed the business
Led a Chapter 11 Re-organization, terminating the non-compete, lifting the restraining order and restructuring and retiring $5+ million of debt while positioning the business for sustainable growth and a $6 million strategic divestiture in 2004, structuring it to save the principal $1+ million in taxes
Integration of Fragmented Fire Services Sector
As acting General Counsel and VP, spearheaded integration, leveraging $2.6 million ($800k of existing business and $1.8 million cost of 14 acquisitions), completed in 36 months) into an integrated fire services business with a current fair market value of $8 million
Restructuring (Preserving Control of Intellectual Property)
As interim General Counsel to $14 million software developer rapidly advancing toward zero value, dissolution and loss of control of intellectual property (sales revenues were free-falling, there were pending creditor/labor claims and a customer class-action)
Began reversing the decline (settled pending litigation, negotiated workouts with creditors, resolved the class action, customer/employee complaints) ... negotiated/closed $2 million licensing agreement and arranged $1.5 million of bridge financing as part of international JV
Advised against an ill-fated reverse merger, which killed the turnaround and threatened loss of control of the mission-critical intellectual property
Structured a sale of assets (through an Assignment for Benefit of Creditors), preserving the principal developer's control of the intellectual property ... assembled an acquisition/transition team ... structured a private placement and guided the ABC transaction, securing control of the intellectual property which ultimately has leveraged further business value in the on-line market
Venture Development (Fire Services Sector)
Took two ventures from concept to go-to-market stage and ready for round 2 financing
Accelerated UL listing of prototypes to 18 months (typically a 5+ year process), saving up to an estimated $5 million in development costs by negotiating a strategic partnership a global manufacturer.
Invented a franchise system (U.S. Patent Pending) for integrating and dominating a safety services niche and exploiting $1+ billion in under-served markets ... was instrumental in guiding development of a technology platform and proprietary database, the central intellectual property underpinning the system, the national marketing due diligence and developing/testing business systems including data collection
Venture Development (Technology)
As Founder/Principal/CEO, raised $1.75 million in start-up capital taking software company from concept through business/product development (e.g. partnering with companies like IBM) to VAR/OEM licensing to beta testing at insurance companies, law firms, city and county agencies.
SUMMARY OF OTHER BUSINESS CHALLENGES & RESULTS
In hundreds of engagements, acquired a reputation among owners/investors, attorneys and judges for carefully analyzing all sides of a business crisis, assessing risk and helping clients choose prudent courses of action ...
Guided an estimated $200+ million of asset recovery/preservation, mitigated risk exposure and debt discharge applying Federal Bankruptcy and state debtor/creditor laws as both a sword and shield in protecting client interests
Won cases against IRS (defeated tax claims), Southern Pacific Railroad (asset recovery), Big O Tires (franchisor breech), Pacific National Bank (lender liability), Core-Mark Int'l (economic extortion), Intel (Restraint of Trade)
BUSINESS HISTORY
Legal & Business Consulting Firm, Founder/Principal 2000-present
Software Company, Founder/CEO/President 1995-2000
Law Firm, Founder/Managing Partner 1990-1997
Prior to 1990, Law Office, Associate Attorney
EDUCATION & CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Juris Doctor
Bachelor of Science of Laws
Certified Mediator
Business Reorganizations/Advanced Bankruptcy
Business Management
KEY SEARCH WORDS
Independent Director CEO Chief Executive Officer President COO Chief Operating Officer GC General Counsel VP Vice President Corporate Secretary Officer Senior Legal Counsel Lawyer Attorney Consultant Mediator Enterprise Startup Contract Negotiation Business Reorganizations Corporate Governance Compliance Mergers & Acquisitions Litigation Management Intellectual Property Management IP Management Business Development Business Transactions Finance Private Placement Dispute Resolution Due Diligence Research Venture Capital Private Equity Investment Franchisor Franchisee Licensee Licensor Lease Leasing |
