Michael A. Hanin’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts and in proceedings involving the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. His practice includes advising investment funds on potential litigation and other issues relating to their investments, particularly with respect to complex financial products, securitizations, financing, securities, real estate and accounting.
Mike is counsel of record to multiple investment funds – including Waterfall Asset Management, Serengeti Asset Management, One William Street Capital, Angelo Gordon, Davidson Kempner Capital Management and Deer Park Road Corporation – in ongoing public litigation relating to commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities, CDOs, CLOs, and other structured products.
Mike has been recognized as a leading litigator by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 and Benchmark Litigation. He was named a Plaintiffs’ Lawyers Trailblazer by the National Law Journal. He has also been named an MVP of the Year for Structured Finance by Law360, a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation and recognized by Lawdragon as a Leading Litigator and a Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer in America.
Work Highlights:
- A group of noteholders in the multi-billion dollar National Collegiate Student Loan Trusts, including Angelo Gordon, Waterfall Asset Management, One William Street Capital Management, and Libremax Capital, in litigations nationwide concerning the management and control of the Trusts, and as interested parties in CFPB enforcement proceedings against the Trusts.
- Cascade Funding, LP-Series 6, an affiliate of asset manager Waterfall Asset Management, in securing summary judgment on Cascade’s breach of contract claim against The Bancorp Bank relating to Cascade’s valid exercise of a “market out” clause in connection with the purchase of a pool of $900 million in mortgage loan assets for securitization in a CRE CLO.
- Investment vehicles associated with Carl Icahn, one of Wall Street’s most successful investors and activists, in a case in Nevada state court against Rialto Capital Advisors for breach of contract and fraud in connection with Rialto’s servicing of a commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) trust secured by the Prizm Outlets mall in Primm, Nevada, which resulted in a loss of almost $73 million, plus almost $13 million in fees, the largest loss on a CMBS conduit loan since the 2008 financial crisis. Kasowitz successfully defeated Rialto’s motion to dismiss on all counts alleged in the complaint, and the case is proceeding with discovery.
- Davidson Kempner Capital Management, Cowell & Lee, Autonomy Capital, Hutch Capital, and other holders of $550 million in senior notes issued by China Fishery Group in connection with disputes arising from the bankruptcy of certain entities related to China Fishery Group, one of the world’s largest fishing companies.
Updated Sep 2023
