Akerman today announced the appointment of Michael Goldberg as co-chair of the Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice Group, effective immediately. Nationally recognized for his work on high-profile bankruptcies, fraud, and insolvencies, Michael will lead the team alongside Andrea Hartley, who has served as chair for eight years. Together they will guide the group’s strategic growth as it continues its nationwide expansion.
Goldberg, who was recently named on Forbes’ inaugural Top 200 U.S. Lawyers list, most recently served as chair of the Fraud and Recovery Practice since its launch in 2015, leading an experienced team of lawyers focused on unraveling high-profile investor fraud, including Ponzi schemes and EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program wrongdoing. That role followed his three years as chair of the Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice Group, and prior to that he was office managing partner — as well as a founding member — of Akerman's Fort Lauderdale office.
"Mike is an outstanding and longstanding leader within Akerman and the community at-large. There are many levels to his talent as a lawyer, and he has an exceptional capacity to inspire others and get things done," said Akerman Chairman and CEO Scott Meyers. "We are thrilled to have Mike join Andrea in leading our national bankruptcy and reorganization practice. They both possess the professional excellence, technical sophistication, and strategic vision necessary to guide this successful and ambitious practice forward.”
Goldberg, also named Bankruptcy MVP by Law360 and Attorney of the Year by the Daily Business Review in 2023, is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. He is a trusted advisor to multinational companies involved in bankruptcies. In 2023, he led the Akerman team representing Monster Energy as co-counsel in the bankruptcy, and ultimately the acquisition, of a competitor. He also was chosen to serve as Plan Administrator for the Chapter 11 plan of Bed Bath & Beyond.
Goldberg has served as court-appointed receiver in many cases over the past two decades. He is well known for serving in this capacity for the Champlain Towers South Condominium Association, Inc., following the horrific collapse of the building in Surfside, Florida, in June 2021, guiding compensation of the victims and homeowners based on a $1.1 billion class action settlement.
Some of Goldberg’s significant fraud cases include the Jay Peak Resort matter, the largest fraud case in Vermont’s history. He also serves as liquidating trustee of The Woodbridge Group of Companies, a group of entities accused of defrauding thousands of investors out of $1.2 billion through the sale of bogus notes. More recently, Goldberg was appointed litigation trustee of the GWG Holdings, Inc., litigation trust, which is pursuing litigation arising out of an alleged $1.3 billion Ponzi scheme. He also was appointed receiver in the bankruptcy of an alleged cryptocurrency fraud, and trustee of the Special Needs Trust Administration. The nonprofit, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, has accused its founder of taking half of the $200 million in trusts that it oversees for disabled individuals with special medical needs.
As a qualified expert witness on the topic, he is highly sought after and routinely testifies in federal and state court cases throughout the country and internationally. Goldberg has appeared on CNN, CNBC, Fox News, and National Public Radio to discuss Ponzi schemes and receiverships involving investor fraud. He has also been quoted in Bloomberg, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The American Lawyer, Miami Herald, Sun Sentinel, and numerous other publications.
About Akerman
Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward-thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.
Akerman's Bankruptcy & Reorganization Practice Group represents clients by serving as counsel or receivers in complex cases, many of which are categorized as the largest bankruptcy filings. The practice group has significant experience in SEC matters, including Ponzi scheme cases. With a leading banking and finance practice, the firm also represents global financial institutions and mortgage holders in commercial mortgage foreclosures, workouts, receiverships, mortgage holders and other secured creditors in Chapter 11 reorganizations.
Akerman is recognized by Best Lawyers as a national tier one law firm in the Litigation - Bankruptcy category.