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Mike T. Gustafson

Partner

Overview

Mike Gustafson represents clients in a full range of financial and corporate matters, including complex financial transactions, corporate debt restructuring, prebankruptcy contingency planning, distressed asset purchases, joint ventures and financial litigation matters. He focuses his practice on bankruptcy and distressed asset matters, regularly assisting clients with chapter 11 proceedings.

Mike believes that effectively serving his clients requires a curiosity and an interest in learning not just their legal problems but also their business and goals. Mike works hard to develop successful client relationships where clients will not only call when they have problems, but view their Faegre Drinker relationship as a valuable, on-going collaboration.

Mike has experience representing clients in many industries, including:

  • Food and agriculture
  • Financial services
  • Health care and related services
  • Mining
  • Biotech
  • Manufacturing
  • Multifamily housing
  • Arts and entertainment
  • Senior housing and care
  • Transportation

Before joining Faegre Drinker, Mike practiced in the Chicago office of an international law firm, where he cultivated high-level transactional and litigation skills in restructuring and bankruptcy. Mike counseled corporate debtors in chapter 11 proceedings, and creditors and contract counter-parties in distressed situations.

Prior to attending law school, Mike worked in public opinion research, performing quantitative and qualitative research studies for a host of corporate and nonprofit clients. He also worked for several prominent national political campaigns in Iowa, Virginia and Alaska.

Mike lives in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood with his wife, two young sons and two dogs. Hobbies sound very fun to Mike, and he fully intends to develop some once the previously mentioned sons are both sleeping through the night.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania
Illinois

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Illinois

Education

Chicago-Kent College of Law
J.D. magna cum laude; Order of the Coif (2010)

Georgetown University
B.A. in American Government, cum laude (2002)

Insights & Events

Other Perspectives
  • Confronting Restructuring: What Upstream Officers and Directors Need to Know
    Co-author, Oil & Gas Investor, September 25, 2015

Leadership & Community

Civic Activities

  • Advisory Board Member — Legal Prep Charter Academy, Chicago, Illinois 
  • National Immigrant Justice Center — Winner of the Rising Star Award, 2016 

Honors

  • Best Lawyers® — “Ones to Watch,” Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights, 2025; Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2025
  • Faegre Drinker — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2020
  • Faegre Baker Daniels — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2019
Awards Methodology
No aspect of these recognitions has been approved by the highest court of any state.