Eight years ago, we founded our firm to realize our vision of how an insolvency practice should be run.  We started the firm to concentrate most of our efforts on selected engagements in various forms of representations, including the representation of debtors, committees, and post-confirmation entities. In 2007 we expanded our vision to include a litigation department that focuses on engagements in general civil litigation matters, including complex commercial litigation, election law, and litigation that arises out of our representations in the insolvency department. 

Our goal is to always create an underlying infrastructure that will allow us to staff each large matter in a manner appropriate to the particular client's needs and to manage cases efficiently from beginning to end.  This approach is particularly useful in large cases, which often fail to emphasize client objectives.  Too often, we have seen case strategy driven by a law firm's needs rather than the client's needs.

One example of the firm's ability to focus on the client's objectives is MLG's representation of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors and post-confirmation Trustee in the At Home case (see Representative Clients).  At Home was a major multinational corporation that provided cable modem services and internet content.  Debtor's counsel, a major national firm, employed over 120 of its attorneys on the At Home matter.  A separate Bondholders' Committee engaged two national firms that together employed over 90 of their firms' lawyers on the At Home matter.  At the time, MLG employed only seven attorneys, but was able to secure excellent results in the At Home case. In only 18 months, MLG's client, the post-confirmation entity, has paid similarly situated creditors over twice the distribution projected in the Disclosure Statement and has done so in record time.  These results flowed directly from the firm's focus on the client's primary objective: distributions on an aggressive timetable.

To realize our vision of producing beneficial results for our clients, we have taken several steps.  First, MLG has sought to embrace the potential of technology.  Technology allows us to provide superior service in a practice often driven by accounting, finance, communications and data management issues.  Second, MLG only employs attorneys experienced in these areas of insolvency and litigation and has developed expertise in hiring and managing outside firms when needed.  When we need specialists, such as securities or intellectual property litigation expertise, we hire attorneys with whom we have relationships.  These attorneys are employed by other firms and are not on the MLG payroll.  We supervise these attorneys, acting essentially as general counsel, and achieve a high level of client responsiveness and billing control.  Although MLG does not benefit financially from this arrangement, we have the advantage of being able to select the best lawyers available, lawyers who trust us as valuable clients and are responsive to our clients' priorities.  Finally, MLG has designed itself to "let lawyers be lawyers," taking maximum advantage of non-lawyers, such as bookkeepers, CPA's, and a large non-lawyer staff. 

 

All this leads to our philosophy of packing light and moving fast, and to our firm motto:

 

"We strive to provide the best insolvency and litigation services – client-focused and flexible."

 

MLG appropriately staffs larger cases with teams of attorneys and other staff, such as paralegals, clerical staff and accountants.  We limit the number of core team members to only those reasonably necessary to get the job done.  We hold the team members accountable for reporting to the supervising attorney on how their tasks further the overall case objectives and timetable, and for performing excellent, effective work on the timetable. 

MLG bills at competitive hourly rates absent some other arrangement.  Of course in creditors' committee and debtor representations, payment of compensation is dependent on whether the debtor has funds available and the success of the firm's work.  Additionally, MLG is aware that hourly billing often puts in conflict the interests of client and lawyer and is willing to explore incentive arrangements that bring into economic alignment the interests of the client and the lawyer. We are always willing to discuss, at the outset of a transaction, alternative billing arrangements in light of the client's business objectives and ideal timetable, which allows the firm and the client to reach a shared definition of "success."

Insolvency

McNutt Law Group's practice focuses on providing superior legal services to its clients in all phases of insolvency.  We represent troubled companies in insolvency workouts outside of bankruptcy and purchasers of assets of troubled and bankrupt entities.  We represent creditors' committees, debtors, creditors, post-confirmation entities, and trustees, as well as clients in business transactions, commercial litigation matters and bankruptcy litigation matters.  We specialize in the types of litigation that commonly arise in bankruptcy:  contested plan confirmations, fraudulent transfer actions, preference actions, relief from stay actions and other contested matters.

 

We have extensive experience in cases in the following insolvency areas:

• e-Commerce/ Technology
• Telecommunications
• Restaurants/ Services Industry
• Franchise
• Real Estate Issues/ Commercial Landlord: Tenant, Acquisition, Foreclosure, and Other Areas
• Patents/ Other Intellectual Property
• Biotechnology

 

Litigation
 
McNutt Law Group's practice provides top-quality, client focused services for all stages of litigation.  From initial case intake through final disposition our focus is on achieving the client's objectives economically and efficiently while providing the highest quality work product.  Our attorneys have represented businesses and individuals in State and Federal courts in matters ranging from commercial disputes to intellectual property, unfair competition/false advertising, class actions, election law matters and real estate.

 

Current and prior clients include:

• Financial Institutions
• Technology Companies
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Agricultural Enterprises
• Small Businesses
• Real Estate Owners and Developers
• Company Executives
• Restaurants
• Elected Officials