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Mr. Baker has extensive receivership experience involving regulatory matters, real estate and operating companies in special or troubled circumstances. Over the past 15 years, he has tackled complex cases involving small and large real property portfolios, regulatory actions, and operating companies alike—with each facing their own unique challenges. Mr. Baker has been appointed on or served as lead agent on 150+ Receiver, Provisional Director, Trustee, Partition Referee matters and regulatory receivership assignments originating from traditional banks, private equity funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Department of Justice, among many others.
Since 1990, Mr. Donell has administered and/or been appointed as a federal and state court receiver in over 900 cases in both state and federal court. He has extensive experience involving asset and business liquidations and operations, gas stations, restaurants, residential, retail and commercial real estate. In addition, Mr. Donell has administered cases involving commercial and residential owners’ associations, post judgment enforcement actions, marital dissolution cases, single family and condominium construction completion/entitlements, accounts receivable collections, collateral seizure cases, including medical practices and coin laundry facilities, truck stops, parking operations, skilled nursing facilities and/or Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE), intermediate care facilities, entertainment, ATM, EB-5, equipment rental, apparel and other types of business receivership appointments. Mr. Donell has also administered and/or been appointed in federal court as receiver in United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and other government enforcement actions. These cases have involved over 25,000 investors/consumers and invested funds totaling more than $750 million and involve the recovery of assets in multiple foreign jurisdictions. Mr. Donell has also served as court appointed dissolution manager, provisional director, provisional manager and distribution agent. Mr. Donell is an industry leader serving as an equity receiver, where he is appointed as receiver over the receivership entity itself.
My experience in managing, building, accounting for, acting as court appointed receiver, and selling real estate and individual businesses encompasses over 35 years in various positions. I have worked with multifamily, commercial & retail, hotels, land and single family/tract homes, operating businesses, cannabis related operations, and liquidation of varied assets in receivership. The properties/cases in my portfolios were located in a wide variety of areas in the country; California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and others. During my career I have worked for different types of employers; financial institutions, licensed contractors, property management firms, real estate sales offices, and I have also been self-employed. I have been appointed receiver in courts in the following counties: Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, Imperial, San Bernardino, San Louis Obispo, Ventura, Kern and Santa Barbara. I am a member of the California Receiver’s Forum and am a director of the San Diego Chapter and was past Chair for the state board of directors of the Forum.
Selective, founded in 1996, currently owns and manages 2 million square feet of industrial and retail properties for its own account. Selective focuses on value-added opportunities in California and Nevada and experience with workouts, lenders and the foreclosure process. Prior to entering real estate, Mr. Fagan earned an MBA with honors from UC Irvine, a Master of Science in Engineering from Caltech, and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Magna Cum Laude from UC Irvine. Mr. Fagan has held several community leadership positions including: Chair, Real Estate and Construction Division of LA Jewish Federation; Chair, Building Committee, deToledo High School; Member, Executive Board of LA Jewish Federation; Chair, Board of Directors and Chair of Finance Committee YMCA.
Michael Gomez focuses his practice in the areas of bankruptcy, restructuring, debtor and creditor rights, commercial litigation, and business litigation; debt workout negotiations, restructuring, and documentation of commercial lending transactions, and personal property and real estate-secured credits. He has represented various entities, including debtors, creditors’ committees, hedge funds,
indenture trustees, equipment lessors, receivers, landlords, bankruptcy trustees, judgment creditors, private lenders, and institutional lenders in out of court workouts, federal and state court litigation, and chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13 bankruptcy cases.
Attorney Richardson Griswold of Griswold Law, APC acts as a court-appointed Receiver and court-appointed Partition Referee in California. Mr. Griswold has been appointed by more than one hundred ninety (190) California courts in twenty-one different California counties. He served on the Board of Directors of the California Receivers Forum for several years and was the 2019 President of the California Receivers Forum. Mr. Griswold is a member of the California State Bar and licensed to practice law in all California state courts, as well as the United States District Courts in the Southern, Eastern and Central Districts of California. Mr. Griswold earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis and his law degree, magna cum laude, from California Western School of Law in San Diego. Mr. Griswold is also a licensed California Real Estate Broker. He currently co-owns a property management company in San Diego (Red House Property Management) and also previously served as Vice President of a commercial and residential property management company in Los Angeles.
Further, Mr. Griswold acts as an expert witness regarding receiver duty of care, management/operations of multi-family and hospitality properties and habitability standards. He is consistently invited to speak at conferences and seminars in California and across the nation on the use of the receivership remedy.
Michael Kasolas is uniquely qualified to serve multiple roles in a liquidation or restructuring process. As a CPA with over 30 years of experience he has resolved complex management, employment, financial, tax, and operational issues of small, mid-size and large companies. At PricewaterhouseCoopers he was a senior manager in Tax and Legal Consulting Services. As a former CFO and COO of start-up technology companies, he has experienced the challenges of a small business trying to grow in a competitive and fast-changing market. As a real estate broker with over 35 years of experience he is fully aware of the challenges facing buyers and sellers of commercial and non-commercial real property. As a Probate Referee in his 25th year, he has developed an expertise in real property and business entity valuation. As a member of the Chapter 7 panel of trustees for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, he has vast experience in liquidating a broad array of assets. As a chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee, he has operated and liquidated businesses as going concerns in effort to maximize value, including hotels, gas stations, wineries, real property and business entities. As a state court equity receiver, he has successfully managed litigation, administered the recovery of financial assets, sold real and personal property. As a successor trustee, he manages and administers private family trusts to afford the timely distribution of estate assets to beneficiaries. As a court-appointed asset manager, he has managed and sold multiple multi-family residential and commercial properties in California. His forensic accounting and asset management skills have supported legal action in multiple Ponzi scheme cases in the U.S.
Benjamin King is a commercial litigator and creditors’ rights attorney who has particular expertise in protecting creditors’ interests through the use of prejudgment remedies such as attachment, receiverships, and injunctive remedies. He has represented national financial institutions, a number of California lenders, and receivers in, among other matters, actions involving the exercise of loan remedies, workouts of troubled loans, and actions for foreclosure upon loan collateral. Benjamin has litigated matters on behalf of creditors in both pre-bankruptcy and bankruptcy contexts, including lender liability actions, real-estate loan disputes, contract disputes, judicial foreclosures, receivership actions, fraudulent conveyance matters, adversary proceedings (including preference actions), non-dischargeability actions, and a variety of business tort disputes.
In addition to his representation of lenders, other creditors and receivers, Benjamin has represented firm clients in a variety of litigation matters including, among other things, class actions, unfair trade practices disputes, FTC actions, Lanham Act claims, copyright disputes, and publicity rights lawsuits. He has developed particular expertise assisting firm clients in ensuring that their websites are accessible to disabled persons in compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Benjamin’s pro bono efforts include work for Children’s Rights, a national organization that utilizes class action lawsuits and other methods to affect positive change for abused and neglected children and to bring much needed reform to state foster care systems.
Theodore Lanes has served as a Receiver for over 100 Federal and Superior court cases cases, specializing in operating companies while in receivership, corporate & partnership disputes, forensics, asset identification and liquidation. Mr. Lanes has a broad background with over 30 years of operating experience across a variety of industries.
In addition to his Receivership practice, Lanes is currently a special advisor to a $2.5B AUM debt fund and previously served as the interim CFO of MedMen, a vertically integrated cannabis company with operations in 3 states. Prior to MedMen, Lanes served as CFO of energy drink Company Xyience, the “center of the mat” sponsor to the UFC, and Girl Skateboards, a leading skateboard and apparel brand focused on the action sports industry.
Prior to his career as a Receiver, Mr. Lanes served as CFO and a Director of Heuristic Development Group, Inc. (“HDG”). Mr. Lanes was CFO at the time of HDG’s initial public offering on the NASDAQ and led the restructuring and ultimate profitable sale of HDG in a public transaction. Lanes was also employed in finance and operating positions at Xerox Corporation, and as CFO of Optinetrics, a venture backed developer of optical networking components.
Mr. Lanes earned his MBA from the Marshall Business School at the University of Southern California in 1989 and his BS in Finance from California State University, Long Beach in 1985.
Ms. Lutz is an associate in Lubin Olson’s Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Real Estate Litigation, and Creditor’s Rights, Receiverships, & Insolvency service groups, with an emphasis on commercial, real property, and financial institutions litigation in state trial and appellate courts. Ms. Lutz’s litigation experience includes wrongful foreclosure defense and enforcing creditors’ rights, including seeking prejudgment remedies and receiverships. Ms. Lutz also has experience representing property owners, real estate professionals, and title insurance companies in an assortment of general commercial matters. Additionally, she has experience in construction defect actions.
Daniel Miggins is responsible for developing and growing client relationships to support the advancement of Hilco Real Estate’s business channels. From receiverships and workouts, UCC foreclosures and 363 Sales, to lease restructuring and appraisals, Dan is closely involved with Hilco’s clients, partners, and assignments from inception through disposition. Hilco Real Estate is a national commercial real estate firm that provides strategic advisory and transactional services designed to minimize costs and maximize the value of commercial real estate assets.
Dan’s expertise within Hilco involves working closely with CRE stakeholders to maximize their recovery and preserve collateral value. This includes, Special Servicers, Creditor’s Rights and Bankruptcy Attorneys, Balance Sheet Lenders, Asset Managers, Special Asset Groups, B-Piece Investors, Hedge Funds, Private Equity Firms, Life Insurance Companies, as well as, Accounting, Consulting, and Advisory Firms.
Mr. Miggins is a graduate of Lehigh University and currently sits on the Membership Committee of CREFC and ULI’s Capital Markets Product Council for Orange County. Mr. Miggins is also a Board Member of the Turnaround Management Association for Southern California, the California Receiver’s Forum, and the Delbarton Alumni Association.
Eric Pezold is the managing partner of Snell & Wilmer’s Orange County office and is a partner in the bankruptcy, insolvency and business reorganization group. He concentrates his practice in bankruptcy, reorganization, creditor’s rights, foreclosure, unlawful detainer, receivership, Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors, and workout law. Eric has extensive litigation experience including federal and state court commercial and business litigation. He represents financial institutions, including federal and state chartered banks and credit unions, private investment companies, private investors, public and private companies, special servicers, loan servicers, accounts receivable lenders, commercial and industrial lenders, creditor committees, receivers, trustees and debtors.
Kathy Bazoian Phelps has been a lawyer since 1991 and is currently a partner at Raines Feldman Littrell LLP in the Los Angeles office. Kathy practices in the area of insolvency law, fiduciary representation, and fraud litigation, and she serves as a fiduciary herself. Her practice includes representing federal equity and state court receivers and bankruptcy trustees. She also frequently serves as special litigation counsel for fiduciaries and interested parties in fraud-related litigation or cases arising out of receivership and bankruptcy cases. She is particularly knowledgeable about the administration of Ponzi schemes.
Kathy has lectured widely and written on bankruptcy and receivership matters, with a focus on Ponzi schemes. Her book entitled The Ponzi Book: A Legal Resource for Unraveling Ponzi Schemes, co-authored with Hon. Steven Rhodes, has garnered national and international attention as the authoritative work on Ponzi scheme law. She is also the author of The Ponzi Scheme Blog, and the co-author of The Depths of Deepening Insolvency: Damage Exposure for Officers, Directors and Others, and Fraud and Forensics: Piercing Through the Deception in a Commercial Fraud Case.
Cooper leverages his public and private accounting background to support Stapleton Group’s senior management on complex restructuring and receivership engagements. He helps take control of the finance function, analyzes significant transactions, investigates financial records and internal controls, and provides stakeholders with financial reporting and operational projections for data-driven decisions. Cooper began his professional career at Deloitte, earning the position of Manager.
Nicholas Prouty is the Chairman & CEO of Putnam Bridge, a private firm engaged in the acquisition and management of distressed landmark properties in the United States and abroad. Within the last decade, Mr. Prouty’s firm has made a number of nine figure investments, including the acquisition of Ciudadela, the largest mixed use real estate development in San Juan, Puerto del Rey, the third largest marina in the world (recently sold to Safe Harbor), Miralomas a 1,000 acre residential community in Boerne, Texas, La Casa, an independent living facility for active adults and a number of other projects in Florida.
Most recently, Putnam Bridge finished completion of the first phase of its utility scale solar projects in Puerto Rico valued at $1.5 billion. Mr. Prouty is a Board Member of the Luis A. Ferre Foundation, the Sila Calderon Foundation, The Fund for the West Palm Beach Police and the Chairman of Santirce Park Conservancy, a $25 million urban park in San Juan and that he and his partners are giving to the people of Puerto Rico. Mr. Prouty received a Bachelor of Arts in 19th Century European History from the Claremont Colleges in Claremont, California.
Anne Redcross Beehler is a partner in Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP’s Business & Commercial Disputes group who represents corporate and individual clients in a wide range of civil and criminal matters across California and New York. Anne’s civil experience includes matters of all types, including partnership disputes, corporate governance disputes, complex contract and fraud matters, theft of trade secret cases, claims under the state and federal securities laws, and qui tam and whistleblower actions. Much of Anne’s litigation practice focuses on the real estate industry. Anne has represented lenders, landlords, tenants, developers, investors, REITs, and individuals in a range of disputes concerning real property. Anne handles her cases from start to finish and has substantial experience trying cases in federal and state court. Anne has successfully represented creditors seeking appointment of a receiver and receivers in state and federal matters in California.
Christopher E. Seymour is a shareholder of Gilmore Magness Janisse. His practice includes all phases of state and federal court litigation, general commercial and real property transactions and litigation, secured and unsecured lending, and creditor representation in bankruptcy and other insolvency matters. Mr. Seymour also is experienced in design liability litigation, construction litigation, and agricultural litigation including PACA disputes. Mr. Seymour has also served as a panelist for federal and state practice and procedure, collection practice, secured transactions, receiverships, and other continuing education courses. Mr. Seymour has been practicing commercial litigation and transactions in Fresno since July 1989.
Sharmi Shah, Esq. is a transactional and regulatory compliance attorney based in Santa Clara County, California. Ms. Shah has been practicing law in the Bay Area since 2005. Ms. Shah has extensive transactional and litigation experience. Ms. Shah represents individuals, small businesses and multi-national companies, including many in the cannabis industry. Ms. Shah has been at the forefront of the cannabis industry since 2009. She assists local and State agencies in regulating cannabis businesses and has advised Court-Appointed Receivers in over a dozen receivership matters involving cannabis businesses. Ms. Shah graduated from The University of Texas (Finance) in 1999 and Baylor Law School (Juris Doctorate) in 2002. Ms. Shah became licensed to practice law in Texas in 2002 and California in 2004.
Annie is an experienced restructuring and bankruptcy attorney who advises a wide variety of companies and high-net worth individuals in both litigation and transactional matters. Her practice focuses on all aspects of insolvency matters, including debtor and creditor representation in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and distressed asset sales in bankruptcy, receivership, or assignment for benefit of creditors proceedings. She has represented clients in a variety of industries, including cannabis, finance, and real estate. Annie’s significant engagements include representing the court-appointed receiver in the first-time sale of cannabis licenses in a California receivership; obtaining dismissal of all claims brought by the bankruptcy trustee against litigation financing clients; and successfully prosecuting Chapter 5 actions in Chapter 11 and 7 proceedings.
Todd Wohl is the Senior Partner of Braun International and Premiere Estates International Organization. Todd has valued, brokered, and auctioned over $8 Billion of business assets, commercial, industrial, multifamily, hospitality, residential properties. Todd has been seen on FOX Television for The Complex – Malibu television show, HGTV’s “Real Estate Confidential” show, Walls Street Journal, CNBC and been quoted in regional and national newspapers. Todd is a licensed real estate professional, certified appraiser, and auctioneer. Todd and his team of nearly 3800 agents/brokers in 46 states, Mexico, Caribbean and the U.K sells real estate from unique to run of the mill properties using our Hybrid Brokerage, Worldbid Auction and Minority Interest Market Exchange platforms “MIMX”. Todd’s valuation expertise includes of Real Estate, Minority Interests, Personal Property, Business Assets, IP and he serves as an expert in state and federal courts, litigation, bankruptcy, M&A, Estate, Tax. Todd’s clients include Shell Oil, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Comerica, US Trust and many Fortune 500 companies.