Robert H. Skilton III

Of Counsel | rskilton@wnj.com | V-Card Grand RapidsT 616.752.2119F 616.222.2119 Robert Skilton concentrates his practice in the areas of bankruptcy and creditors' rights. He served as Chair of the Restructuring and Insolvency Practice Group for more than 15 years at the Firm. Bob was also chair of the Bankruptcy Department at the Gardner, Carton & Douglas law firm in Chicago from 1990-1996.
Robert Skilton concentrates his practice in the areas of bankruptcy and creditors' rights. He served as Chair of the Restructuring and Insolvency Practice Group for more than 15 years at the Firm. Bob was also chair of the Bankruptcy Department at the Gardner, Carton & Douglas law firm in Chicago from 1990-1996.
  • Experience
  • Biography
  • News
  • Publications
  • Leadership
  • Speaking Engagements
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Experience

  • Represented the holder of $50 million of bonds in the Orange County, California, Chapter 9 Case
  • Represented banks as secured creditors in bankruptcy cases
  • Represented companies acquiring assets in bankruptcy cases
  • Represented the debtor in the following reorganization cases:
    • In re Detroit Cold Rolling Lc. Wayne County, Michigan. 2005 Served as counsel to the lien holders' committee and subsequently as counsel to the Receiver in this receivership action which resulted in a sale of the plant and equipment for $20,000,000
    • In re Second Chance Body Armor, Ind. Grand Rapids, Michigan 2004. Served as counsel for the Debtor in this Chapter 11 case which resulted in sale of substantially all of the Debtor's operating assets for the sum of $45,000,000
    • In re Bill Knapp's. Grand Rapids, Michigan 2002 Served as counsel to the Debtor in this Chapter 11 case
    • In re Auto Specialties Manufacturing Company. Served as counsel to the creditor's committee
    • In re Action Auto Stores, Flint, Michigan, 1990-93. Case involved the eventual confirmation of a liquidating plan of reorganization. Company was publicly held and owned a number of sites that had environmental problems. Negotiated an agreement with the State of Michigan which called for the sale of the properties safeguards to the purchaser concerning environmental problems and an allocation of funds to the State of Michigan for cleanup   
    • In re Bofors Nobel, Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1986-89. Case involved the sale of a chemical plant and the confirmation of a liquidating plan of reorganization. Case was unique in that it involved one of the first covenants not to sue given by the U.S. EPA and the State of Michigan to the purchaser of assets in a bankruptcy proceeding. The covenant enabled the sale of a noncontaminated portion of what has become a Superfund site
  • Represented secured parties and indenture trustees in a number of foreclosure, workout or reorganization cases including those involving a gypsum mine, several hotels, a foundry, a food processor, and a steel wholesaler

Industries

Practices

Education

  • University of Wisconsin J.D. 1966    
  • University of Wisconsin B.A. 1963    

Admitted

  • 1966, Wisconsin
  • 1971, Michigan
  • 1991, Illinois

Honors and Awards

  • Named the Best Lawyers' 2013 Grand Rapids Bankruptcy, Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Lawyer of the Year
  • Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2003-Present
  • Named to Michigan Super Lawyers 2006-Present
  • Rated a leader in the field of bankruptcy law in Michigan by Chambers USA 2009-Present
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Board Certified--Business-Bankruptcy--American Board of Certification
  • Note Editor, Wisconsin Law Review 1966
  • Order of the Coif

Bar Associations

  • American Bar Association
  • State Bar of Michigan
  • State Bar of Wisconsin
  • State Bar of Illinois

Teaching and Lecturing

  • Adjunct Professor, Bankruptcy Law, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 2007-Present
  • Business Law and International undergraduate courses for the University of Maryland's overseas program, 1968-70  

News

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Panel Member for ABA Business Law Section presentation at ABA 1995 Annual Meeting on the topic "Bankruptcy–Which Chapter Should You Recommend and What If You Are Wrong?"
  • Panel Member for ABI Central States Workshop "New UCC Article 9 – It's Here and You can Not Avoid It Any Longer"
  • Panel Member for FBA West Michigan Chapter Bankruptcy Section "Deepening Insolvency"
  • Participated in a series of lectures sponsored by the Michigan Bankers Association in 1980 on the then-recently adopted Bankruptcy Code
  • Speaker for the Michigan State Bar’s Institute for Continuing Education on bankruptcy topics in the 1980's
  • Speaker for the Federal Bar Association of West Michigan Section on bankruptcy topics
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