Overview

Clients rely on Larry McMichael for seasoned judgment in high-stakes litigation, restructurings and appeals. Larry is known for guiding institutions, executives and boards through their most consequential moments with strategic clarity, trial experience and appellate depth.

Larry McMichael is Chairman of Dilworth and has spent his entire legal career with the firm. Over decades of practice, Larry has represented businesses, nonprofit institutions, officers and directors in complex litigation, bankruptcy proceedings and criminal cases and investigations. He has tried cases across the country in federal and state courts and argued significant appeals, including before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third and 11th Circuits. Clients and colleagues count on him for steady leadership, disciplined strategy and the ability to manage matters that carry significant legal and reputational exposure.

Throughout his career, Larry has developed particular depth in the representation of debtors in Chapter 11 reorganizations. He has served as lead debtor’s counsel in some of the most prominent nonprofit and corporate bankruptcies in the region and has represented executives and high-profile individuals in parallel civil, bankruptcy and criminal proceedings. His appellate experience includes successful en banc advocacy and precedent-setting decisions in complex federal matters. As a member of the firm’s newly formed Appellate Group, Larry brings decades of courtroom and appellate experience to matters requiring strategic issue preservation and review.

Larry approaches complex disputes with the perspective of someone who has guided clients through every stage of crisis and recovery, from investigation and trial through appeal. He believes that careful record building, disciplined argument and mentorship within litigation teams directly benefit clients facing high-pressure situations. When institutions or individuals confront uncertainty, they often seek his counsel not only on immediate litigation strategy, but on how best to position their case for long-term success. Larry helps them do so with clear analysis, appellate insight and decades of institutional knowledge.

Representative Experience

  • Representation of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as lead trial counsel in the successful defense of a federal civil rights case tried to a jury.
  • Representation of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in federal court in a successful challenge to the scope of a federal subpoena.
  • Representation as lead trial counsel of a leading manufacturer and distributor of recreational equipment in successful federal litigation arising from a failed acquisition.
  • Representation of the Rigas family as defendants in more than 50 securities cases arising from the collapse of Adelphia Communications, in the corresponding bankruptcy case and in criminal forfeiture proceedings.
  • Representation of John and Timothy Rigas in the defense of a federal criminal tax case, including a successful en banc argument securing a precedential double jeopardy ruling in United States v. Rigas before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
  • Representation of the Rigas criminal defendants as lead counsel in federal resentencing proceedings.
  • Representation of Sanjay Kumar, former chairman and CEO of Computer Associates, in connection with securities litigation and criminal restitution proceedings.
  • Representation of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News as lead debtors’ counsel in bankruptcy proceedings, including successful argument of the credit bidding issue before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
  • Representation of the Philadelphia Orchestra as lead debtor’s counsel in its bankruptcy proceeding and successful reorganization.
  • Representation of the family of Hassan Nemazee in connection with federal criminal forfeiture proceedings and representation of Mr. Nemazee in a successful First Step early release application.
  • Representation of the controlling shareholders of Erie Indemnity Company in policyholder derivative claims.
  • Representation of a senior official of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in connection with a grand jury proceeding and criminal investigation.
  • Representation of Wordsworth Academy as lead debtor’s counsel in bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Representation of The National Museum of American Jewish History as lead debtor’s counsel in bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Representation of Chi Fai Wong in a successful compassionate release application.
  • Representation of a major regional law firm as lead defense counsel in fiduciary and professional liability litigation.

Professional & Community Activities

  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
  • Fellow, Member, American College of Bankruptcy 
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation 
  • Member, Union League of Philadelphia 
  • Member, Supreme Court Historical Society 
  • Member, Eastern District of Pennsylvania Historical Society 
  • Member, Philadelphia Bar Association 
  • Member, American Bankruptcy Institute 
  • Member, Saint Andrew’s Society

Speeches & Presentations

  • Speaker, Global Health Conference in NYC on financial causes in healthcare inequities.
  • Speaker, 20th Annual Bankruptcy Institute, Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Institute, Philadelphia, PA,.
  • “Top Commercial Cases of the Year,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Non-Profit Insolvency presentation, American College of Trusts and Estates, New Orleans, LA.
  • Presented “Bankruptcy Appeals: Credit Bidding Under A Plan: RadLax”, American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Las Vegas, NV.
  • Presented “What’s Hot In Complex Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Practice: Credit Bidding And Strategies Post-In Re Philadelphia Newspapers, LLC”, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Presented “Operating The Entity At The Intersection of Bankruptcy And Forfeiture: “Distribution And Priority In The Bankruptcy And Forfeiture Context: Advanced Topics”, American Bar Association, Business Law Section, San Francisco, CA.
  • Presented “Keep It Interesting: Novel Issues Right Here In Philadelphia In The Inquirer Case”, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Bankruptcy Conference Fall Program.

Professional Recognition

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law category, 2006-Present
  • Listed in Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyer, 2020-Present
  • Listed in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2004-Present
    • Top 100: Philadelphia Super Lawyers, 2017, 2022, 2023,2024
    • Top 100: Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2005, 2022,2023,2024
  • Listed in Chambers USA, Lead Attorney in Bankruptcy/Restructuring, “Star Individuals”, 2019-present
  • Selected to Philadelphia Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year”, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law category, 2013, 2019, 2024

Further information on methodologies is available via these links.

Publications

  • “The Good Guys in Bankruptcy: Issues for Non-Profit Debtors”, Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice, December 2023

Representative Experience

  • Representation of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as lead trial counsel in the successful defense of a federal civil rights case tried to a jury.
  • Representation of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in federal court in a successful challenge to the scope of a federal subpoena.
  • Representation as lead trial counsel of a leading manufacturer and distributor of recreational equipment in successful federal litigation arising from a failed acquisition.
  • Representation of the Rigas family as defendants in more than 50 securities cases arising from the collapse of Adelphia Communications, in the corresponding bankruptcy case and in criminal forfeiture proceedings.
  • Representation of John and Timothy Rigas in the defense of a federal criminal tax case, including a successful en banc argument securing a precedential double jeopardy ruling in United States v. Rigas before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
  • Representation of the Rigas criminal defendants as lead counsel in federal resentencing proceedings.
  • Representation of Sanjay Kumar, former chairman and CEO of Computer Associates, in connection with securities litigation and criminal restitution proceedings.
  • Representation of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News as lead debtors’ counsel in bankruptcy proceedings, including successful argument of the credit bidding issue before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
  • Representation of the Philadelphia Orchestra as lead debtor’s counsel in its bankruptcy proceeding and successful reorganization.
  • Representation of the family of Hassan Nemazee in connection with federal criminal forfeiture proceedings and representation of Mr. Nemazee in a successful First Step early release application.
  • Representation of the controlling shareholders of Erie Indemnity Company in policyholder derivative claims.
  • Representation of a senior official of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in connection with a grand jury proceeding and criminal investigation.
  • Representation of Wordsworth Academy as lead debtor’s counsel in bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Representation of The National Museum of American Jewish History as lead debtor’s counsel in bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Representation of Chi Fai Wong in a successful compassionate release application.
  • Representation of a major regional law firm as lead defense counsel in fiduciary and professional liability litigation.

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