Rachel L. Hillegonds

Rachel L. Hillegonds is senior counsel with Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C. in Grand Rap-ids, Mich., and is a member of its Business Section, Bankruptcy – Creditors’/Debtors’ Rights and RealEstate practice groups. She has been practicing law since 2004. Ms. Hillegonds represents a variety of clients in bankruptcy-related matters, including secured and unsecured creditors, chapter 7 and 11 trustees, chapter 7 non consumer and chapter 11 debtors, and creditors’ committees. She has defended numerous preference claims brought against creditors in local bankruptcy cases, as well as cases filed in other jurisdictions around the country, and she has represented banks, lessors and lessees, litigants and other creditors in seeking relief from the automatic stay and otherwise protecting their rights, collateral and interests in chapter 7, 11, 12 and 13 cases. Ms. Hillegonds has helped individuals and companies file for bankruptcy protection and navigate through liquidations and reorganizations. She has also assisted bankruptcy trustees in operating chapter 11 cases, and in recovering assets for the benefit of creditors in both chapter 7 and 11 cases. Ms. Hillegonds also has assisted clients in out-of-court workout, receivership and other insolvency matters. For example, she has filed claims for and represented creditors in receiverships, has assisted clients in negotiating forbearance agreements and settlement of debts in an effort to avoid bankruptcy, and has counseled clients in winding down business operations, including matters relating to company debt and the outstanding personal liabilities of business owners. She also has helped clients with residential and commercial real estate acquisitions and sales, eviction and other tenant matters, drafting, reviewing and terminating leases, foreclosures, condominium association documents and navigating unit owner problems, resolving zoning, easement and land use issues, and other real estate matters. Ms. Hillegonds was previously a staff attorney for Chapter 13 Trustee Mary Viegelahn. She is a member of ABI and the Turnaround Management Association, Federal Bar Association for the WesternDistrict of Michigan, Grand Rapids Bar Association and State Bar of Michigan. She currently serves on the programming committee for the Turnaround Management Association’s West Michigan chapter, and she previously served as the secretary and a member of the FBA Bankruptcy Section steering committee for the Western District of Michigan, and as chair, vice chair, treasurer and board member of its WestMichigan chapter. Ms. Hillegonds received her undergraduate degree cum laude in 1999 from HopeCollege and her J.D. cum laude in 2004 from Valparaiso University School of Law.