Wolfson Bolton Kochis advises businesses, creditors, and stakeholders navigating financial distress, bankruptcy, and complex restructuring matters. Our Corporate Restructuring & Bankruptcy practice is led by Scott A. Wolfson, a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy. Scott brings decades of experience guiding companies through Chapter 11 reorganizations, out-of-court restructurings, distressed transactions, and related litigation.
Financial distress is not just a legal issue; it is a business crisis with operational, financial, and reputational implications. We work closely with leadership teams, boards, lenders, and advisors to stabilize operations, preserve value, and develop strategies aligned with long-term business objectives. Whether restructuring debt, enforcing creditor rights, or navigating bankruptcy proceedings, we deliver practical, business-focused guidance at critical moments.
Clients rely on our restructuring and bankruptcy practice because we bring experience representing both companies and creditors, combined with practical business judgment and a clear understanding of how distressed situations evolve.
Our restructuring work is closely integrated with the firm’s finance, commercial litigation, automotive & supply chain, and corporate counseling practices—allowing us to anticipate issues, coordinate strategy across disciplines, and manage risk holistically.
We represent clients in a broad range of bankruptcy and insolvency matters, tailoring strategy to each client’s role, objectives, and industry context.
We assist clients across the country with:
Our attorneys guide clients through complex proceedings with clarity and efficiency.
Not all distressed situations require a bankruptcy filing. We help clients evaluate and implement out-of-court solutions designed to stabilize operations and preserve value.
We assist with:
These approaches can often resolve issues more efficiently and avoid the cost and disruption of formal insolvency proceedings.
We represent secured and unsecured creditors in enforcing and protecting their rights in distressed situations.
Our work includes:
This work is closely integrated with our litigation, finance, mergers & acquisitions, and corporate counseling and practices, allowing us to manage disputes efficiently and pursue practical outcomes.
We advise buyers, sellers, and lenders in distressed acquisitions and asset sales, including transactions conducted through bankruptcy proceedings.
We assist with:
Our restructuring team works closely with our M&A and finance practices to coordinate transaction strategy with the legal, financial, and operational considerations shaping each deal.
We bring deep industry knowledge to restructuring matters, including:
This experience allows us to tailor restructuring strategies to operational realities, financial pressures, and stakeholder dynamics unique to each situation.
When liquidity constraints, creditor pressure, or operational challenges cannot be resolved through out-of-court solutions, Chapter 11 may provide a structured process to stabilize operations and restructure obligations.
No. Many distressed situations can be resolved through negotiated workouts, forbearance agreements, or other out-of-court restructuring solutions, depending on liquidity, creditor dynamics, and business objectives.
The automatic stay is an injunction that halts most collection and enforcement actions against a debtor upon the filing of a bankruptcy case.
Yes. In most cases, the debtor continues operating as a “debtor in possession,” subject to court oversight, reporting obligations, and financial and operational constraints. For example, a Chapter 11 debtor must obtain court approval for transactions outside the ordinary course of business.
A Section 363 sale is a court-approved sale of assets in bankruptcy that allows the buyer to acquire assets free and clear of liens, claims, and encumbrances, subject to court approval and competitive bidding procedures.
Certain contracts may be assumed, assigned, or rejected in bankruptcy, subject to court approval. These decisions can significantly impact counterparties, including vendors, landlords, and customers.
As early as possible. Early involvement allows creditors to assess risk, preserve rights, and improve leverage in negotiations or formal proceedings.
Secured creditors generally have rights to their collateral, including the ability to seek relief from the automatic stay or adequate protection of their interests.
In most cases, the automatic stay halts litigation against the debtor. Certain actions may proceed with court approval or fall within exceptions, depending on the nature of the claim.
Preference claims are actions to recover payments made to creditors before a bankruptcy filing that may be deemed to unfairly favor one creditor over others.
Timelines vary depending on the complexity of the case, but Chapter 11 proceedings typically last from several months to over a year, with some cases extending longer.
Scott A. Wolfson advises businesses, creditors, and other stakeholders in financial distress, creditor disputes, and restructuring matters. He is available to discuss practical strategies and next steps in complex situations.
PRACTICE LEAD – Corporate Bankruptcy & Business Restructuring
Scott brings decades of experience guiding companies through Chapter 11 reorganizations, out-of-court restructurings, distressed transactions, and related litigation. He advises businesses, creditors, and stakeholders navigating financial distress and complex insolvency matters.
Contact our Corporate Bankruptcy & Business Restructuring team in Troy, MI.