Michael R. Lastowski is the managing partner of Duane Morris' Wilmington office. Mr. Lastowski practices in the areas of bankruptcy law and commercial litigation.
Admitted to practice in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York, Mr. Lastowski is a member of the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association and is the former chair of the Bankruptcy Subcommittee of the Corporation, Banking and Business Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He is also a member of the Unsecured Trade Creditor Subcommittee of the American Bankruptcy Institute.
Mr. Lastowski is a 1980 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a graduate of Brown University. He speaks French.
The listing of areas of practice in the foregoing profile does not represent official certification as a specialist in those areas.
Representative Matters
· Represented Sleep Innovations Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of specialty sleep products, in its chapter 11 case and was co-recipient of the 2010 Turnaround of the Year Award in the Large Company category from the Turnaround Management Association.
· In re Archway Cookies, LLC (Counsel to the Debtors)
· In re Borden Chemicals & Plastics Operating Limited Partnership (Counsel to the Debtors)
· In re Buffets Holdings, Inc. (Co-counsel to the First Lien Lenders)
· In re CareMatrix Corp. (Counsel to the Debtors)
· In re Comfort Co., Inc. (Counsel to the Debtors)
· In re Cone Mills Corp. (Counsel to Asset Purchaser)
· In re Digital Broadband Communications (Counsel to the Debtor)
· In re Dura Automotive Systems, Inc. (Co-counsel to the First Lien Lenders)
· In re Lids Corp. (Counsel to the Debtor)
· In re Safety-Kleen Corp. (Counsel to Asset Purchaser)
· In re Spansion Inc. (Co-counsel to the Debtors)
· In re Tropicana Entertainment, LLC (Co-counsel to the First Lien Lenders)
· In re USG Corporation (Co-counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors)
· In re VF Brands Inc. (Co-counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors)
· In re Video Update, Inc. (Co-counsel to the Debtor)
· In re Vitts, Inc. (Counsel to the Debtor)
· In re W.R. Grace & Co. (Co-counsel to the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors)
· In re White Energy, Inc. (Counsel to the Debtors)
Professional Activities
· American Board of Certification
- Member, Board of Directors
· ABI Certification in Business Bankruptcy, 2005-2010
· American Bar Association
- Section of Litigation
· Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Corporation, Banking and Business Law Section
-- Bankruptcy Subcommittee
--- Chair, 1998-2000
· American Bankruptcy Institute
- Unsecured Trade Creditor Subcommittee
· Law360 Editorial Advisory Board
- Bankruptcy Section, 2010
Experience
· Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2000-present
· Saul, Ewing, Remick & Saul LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Partner, 1988-2000
- Associate, 1984-1988
· Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Associate, 1980-1984
Honors and Awards
· Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2010 and 2011
· AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Selected Speaking Engagements
· "Second Lien Lenders and Intercreditor Issues," PBI Bankruptcy Forum, October 2009
· "Post-Confirmation Trusts," AIRA New York Symposium, September 2008
· ABI Trial Advocacy Symposium, 2003
· "Creditor's Committee Strategies," PBI Business Forum, September 2002
· "Fundamentals of Bankruptcy Law and Procedure in Delaware," NBI Forum, September 2001
· "Acquiring Assets Through Bankruptcy," Pennsylvania Bar Institute's Business Lawyers' Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 10, 2000, and November 28-29, 2001