Michael A. Jones
I am an attorney with Allen, Jones & Giles, PLC where I regularly serve as counsel for secured and unsecured creditors, creditors’ committees, franchisors, landlords, leaseholders, trustees, and debtors in loan workouts and in all chapters of bankruptcy proceedings, including trials and appeals.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Certified Specialist in Business Bankruptcy Law, American Board of Certification
Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law, Arizona Board of Legal Specialization
AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated™, Martindale-Hubbell®
Super Lawyer (Bankruptcy Law), 2020; Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2014-2019
The Best Lawyers in America®: Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2020
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Maricopa County Bar Association: Bankruptcy Section Board, Chair
State Bar of Arizona: Bankruptcy Section
Arizona Bankruptcy American Inn of Court: Barrister
Community Legal Services’ Volunteer Lawyers Program
CLERKSHIPS/EXTERNSHIPS
Judicial Extern, Hon. James A. Teilborg, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 2008
PRESENTATIONS
“Code Section 523 Nondischargeability and Trial Issues,” Maricopa County Bar Association, May 2016
“Recent Developments in Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Law” (panelist), Maricopa County Bar Association, February 2015
“An Overview of Fraudulent Transfers and Preference Actions,” Bankruptcy Ambush Series, May 2014
“Ethics for the Bankruptcy Practitioner,” State Bar of Arizona Convention, June 2013
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- Regularly serves as counsel for secured and unsecured creditors, creditors’ committees, franchisors, landlords, leaseholders, trustees, and debtors in loan workouts and in all chapters of bankruptcy proceedings, including in over 350 bankruptcy cases and bankruptcy adversary proceedings
- Representation has included successful Chapter 11 reorganizations of numerous individuals and businesses
- Conducted a multi-day trial in Bankruptcy Court resulting in client’s $1 million+ claim deemed non-dischargeable, and client was awarded all attorneys’ fees and costs
- Represented unsecured creditors’ committee in successfully prosecuting claims exceeding $40 million and served as liquidating trustee for unsecured creditors’ trust in bankruptcy of largest grower and distributor of palm trees in the country, resulted in recovery of 50% to unsecured creditors when minimal recovery was anticipated due to secured lenders’ blanket liens
- Briefed and argued successful motion for summary judgment avoiding secured creditor’s liens encumbering over $2 million in bankruptcy estate assets
- Represented a group of nine commercial landlords in a significant Chapter 11 case in pursuing lease rights to the fullest extent, and negotiated entry of $2 million in non-dischargeable judgments against debtor’s principals
- Successfully conducted a trial to confirm a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization of an Arizona land developer and defended against an appeal
- Prevailed in defending against an appeal of a favorable ruling in a contested bankruptcy matter: Jones v. Mullen (In re Jones), 2014 Bankr. LEXIS 488 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. Feb. 5, 2014)
COURT ADMISSIONS
Arizona, 2009
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 2009
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2013
EDUCATION
J.D., Arizona State University, 2009: Business Editor, Arizona State Law Journal, 2008-2009
B.A., Michigan State University, 2006
BIRTHPLACE
Walled Lake, Michigan
