Michael P. Coury
Member
901.576.1886
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Michael P. Coury concentrates his practice in bankruptcy and creditors’ rights law, business reorganizations, workouts, and business and commercial litigation. He also serves on the panel of Small Business (SBRA) Chapter 11 Trustees for the Western District of Tennessee.
Coury is a Fellow with the American College of Bankruptcy and has been honored by The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights, Bankruptcy Litigation and Commercial Litigation, by the Mid-South Super Lawyers in the field of Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights, and by Chambers USA as a leading Bankruptcy/Restructuring lawyer in Tennessee. He has been named to Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers. Coury is a Board Certified Specialist in Business Bankruptcy Law.
EDUCATION
- Vanderbilt University, J.D., 1980, Associate Editor, Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law
- Rhodes College, B.A., with honors, 1977
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
- Tennessee
- Mississippi
- U.S. District Courts
- Tennessee: Western and Middle Districts
- Arkansas: Eastern District
- Mississippi: Northern District
- U.S. Court of Appeals,
- 5th Circuit
- 6th Circuit
- 11th Circuit
HONORS/AWARDS
- Fellow, American College of Bankruptcy- Sixth Circuit Regent (2018-21)
- Fellow, Tennessee Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Memphis Bar Foundation
- Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers (2020-2024)
- The Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy, and Commercial Litigation – 1993-2024
- The Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation- Bankruptcy (2025)
- The Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Litigation- Bankruptcy (2014)
- The Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2012)
- Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers For Business (named to Leading Lawyers in Litigation-Bankruptcy, Tennessee), 2016-24
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights – 2006 -2024
- Top 50 Memphis Area Super Lawyers, 2006, 2011 – 2018, 2020- 2024
- Top 100 Tennessee Super Lawyers, 2011-2018, 2020- 2022
- Best 150 Lawyers in Tennessee, Business TN magazine
- Certified Specialist in Business Bankruptcy Law, American Board of Certification, 1994
- Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating- AV
PROFESSIONAL/CIVIC/CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
- Member of Panel of Small Business (SBRA) Chapter 11 Trustees for the Western District of Tennessee
- American Bar Association, Business Bankruptcy Section
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Mid-South Commercial Law Institute, Director 2001-2006
- Memphis Bar Association, Director 1993-94, Bankruptcy Section Chair 1992-93
- Tennessee Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section Chair 2002, Executive Council 2002-2011
- Turnaround Management Association (TMA), President (Tennessee Chapter) 2015-16
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- In re Blasingame – Successfully defended trusts and related corporations in suit seeking to reverse pierce corporate veil.
- In re EAS Graceland, LLC – Served as lead counsel for debtor in hotel bankruptcy case. Successfully obtained confirmation of plan in contested plan confirmation proceeding;
- In re Aubrey Bruce Wring & Virginia A. Wring– Served as Chapter 11 Trustee and lead counsel for Trustee in complex real estate bankruptcy cases involving approximately 400 rental properties and commercial real estate. Reorganization plan confirmed in contested confirmation hearing. Plan provides for 100% payment to unsecured creditors.
- In re Wisper II, LLC-Lead debtor’s counsel in Chapter 11 reorganization of wireless internet service provider serving rural West Tennessee. Reorganization plan confirmed and debt restructured.
- In re LPV Southaven, Inc.-Lead debtor’s counsel in Chapter 11 reorganization of senior housing assisted living facility with memory care unit. Reorganization plan confirmed in contested confirmation hearing.
- In re Response Oncology,– Representation of major physician practice group in Chapter 11 case of publicly traded physician practice management company. Successfully negotiated repurchase of physician practice by client at favorable price;
- In re 165 Madison, Inc.- Lead debtor’s counsel for owner of landmark high rise office building in downtown Memphis which served as national headquarters for the state’s largest Tennessee based bank. Resolved favorably by selling property to national bank tenant;
- In re Allstate Financial, Inc.- Lead counsel for Chapter 7 Trustee in litigation to avoid transfers made by Debtor engaged in Ponzi scheme. Resolved favorably with settlements with defendants;
- In re Creative Foods, LLC– Lead debtor’s counsel in Chapter 11 case of contract manufacturer and co-packer of consumer food products. Resolved favorably with sale of company as a going concern and maximizing recovery for creditors;
- In re Tenn-Fla Partners, 226 F.3d 746 (6th Cir. 2000)- Lead trial counsel for bond indenture trustee in litigation to revoke confirmation of a Chapter 11 plan. Successfully revoked plan confirmation resulting in substantial recovery to secured bondholders;
- In re Snyder Homebuilders, LLC– Served as Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 trustee for 8 substantively consolidated debtor entities and individuals with ownership interests in approximately 30 related partnerships and joint ventures;
- In re C&W Manufacturing Co.d/b/a Fencemasters– Represented petitioning creditors in involuntary bankruptcy petition against manufacturing company and subsequently the official unsecured creditors committee when case converted to Ch. 11. Successfully objected to Debtor’s initial attempt to sell company without competitive bidding. Case resolved by establishing auction procedure which substantially increased recovery to unsecured creditors;
- Sigma Corporation v. Island Industries, Inc., 2023 WL 2290793 (W.D. Tenn. 2023), affirmed 2024 WL 869858 (6th February 29, 2024);
- Church Joint Venture, L. P. v. Blasingame, 947 F.3d 926 (6th 2020)
- In re Cannon, 277 F.3d 838 (6th Cir. 2002);
- In re Shelton Harrison Chevrolet, Inc., 202 F.3d 834 (6th Cir. 2000).
- Da Hua Non-Ferrous Metals Co., Ltd. v. W.D. Mask Cotton Co., 113 F.3d 1234 (Table)(6th Cir. 1997).
- Orr v. I.C.C., 912 F.2d 119 (6th Cir. 1990).
- Seaboard System R.R., Inc. v. U.S., 794 F.2d 635 (6th Cir.1986).
- Matter of Braniff Airways, Inc., 783 F.2d 1283 (5th Cir. 1986);
- In re Blasingame, 597 B.R. 614 (6th B.A.P. 2019);
- In re West, 474 B.R. 191 (Bankr. N.D. Miss 2012);
- In re Thorne, 466 B. R. 73 (Bankr. N.D. Miss 2011);
- In re Allstate Financial Corp 2007 WL 7273998 (Bankr. W.D. Tenn. 2007);
- In re Jeans, 326 B.R. 722 (Bankr. W.D. Tenn. 2005);
- In re 5877 Poplar, L.P., 268 B.R. 140 (Bankr. W.D. Tenn. 2001);
- In re American Crop Services, Inc. 258 B.R. 699 (Bankr. W.D. Tenn. 2001);
- In re McGinty, 276 B.R. 489 (Bankr. N. D. Miss. 2000);
- Quasem Group, Ltd., v. W.D. Mask Cotton Co., 967 F. Supp. 288 (W.D. Tenn. 1997);
- Rebel Motor Freight, Inc. v. Freeman Drywall Co., 914 F.Supp. 1516 (W.D. Tenn. 1994);
- In re Microwave Products of America, Inc., 118 B.R. 566 (Bankr. W.D. Tenn. 1990);
- In re Flowers, Deverell & Crawford, 66 B.R. 607 (Bankr. W.D. Tenn. 1986);
- Tennessee Farmers Mut. Ins. Co. v. Evans, 814 S.W. 2d 49 (Tenn.1991)
PRESENTATIONS & PUBLISHED ARTICLES
- Presenter, “Current Issues in Subchapter V,” Memphis Bar Association (July 2022)
- Presenter, “Gambling on Turnaround Success With Employees,” Turnaround Management Association Southeast Regional Conference & Capital Mall (June 2016)
- “Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Proofs of Claim and Proposed Rule Changes,” Best of ABI 2011: The Year in Consumer Bankruptcy, American Bankruptcy Institute (December 2011)
- Co-Author,”Municipal Bankruptcy: A Guide for Public Finance Attorneys,” National Association of Bond Lawyers (October 2011)
- “Sweat Equity Redux: Does the Absolute Priority Rule Survive Individual Chapter 11 Cases,” Norton Bankruptcy Law Adviser, Issue No. 2 (February 2011)
- Co-Editor, American Bankruptcy Institute Volo Sixth Circuit Court Opinion Update
- Presenter, ABI First Annual Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Conference (May 2011)
- Presenter, “Chapter 11 Boot Camp,” Memphis Bar Association (December 2010)
- Presenter, “Chapter 11 Recent Developments: A Judicial Perspective,” American College of Bankruptcy, Sixth Circuit Fellows Meeting (September 2010)
- Presenter, “Recent Developments in Avoidance Litigation,” Chapter 7 Panel Trustee Annual Seminar, W.D. Tennessee, Office of United States Trustee (September 2010)
- Presenter, “Anatomy of a Turnaround,” 6th Annual Bankruptcy Forum, Tennessee Bar Association (April 2009)
- Presenter, “Bankruptcy Law & Litigation,” National Business Institute (December 2008)
- Presenter, “Assignments and Subrogation of Tort Claims in Bankruptcy,” Chapter 7 Panel Trustee Annual Seminar, W.D. Tennessee, Office of United States Trustee (September 2008)
- Presenter, “Real Estate Law: Advanced Issues and Answers,” National Business Institute (August 2007)
- Presenter, “Bankruptcy Reform Update: One Year Later,” National Business Institute (December 2006)