About Michael Howald

Michael Howald is an associate in the Commercial Finance practice. He represents lenders, and sometimes borrowers, in leverage lending transactions, oftentimes to fund acquisitions. Michael helps negotiate the terms of the loan, including limitations on what the borrower can do with the proceeds, conditions on how and when the loan is to be repaid, and the amount of debt the borrower can take on compared to its earnings for the life of the loan.

Experience provides insights about the marketplace that benefit clients

The middle market lending institutions that make up Michael's client base need competent counsel to help them understand the terms of the loans and find solutions to any impasses that may arise while negotiating terms. Often Michael raises questions or issues that his clients had not previously considered. His goal is to assure that every deal a client makes accurately reflects their intentions.

In addition, Michael provides a highly informed view of the market because he deals with a large amount of transactions for clients around the world ranging from the lower middle to large cap. He's able to see market trends that may start at one end and filter through the rest of the market over time.

Prior to joining the firm, Michael was a capital markets and bank lending associate at a large New York firm that was consistently ranked by Bloomberg as a leading advisor to US high-yield-bond underwriters and lead arrangers in leveraged loans.

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Practice Focus

  • Commercial finance
Practices
Education
  • University of Pennsylvania Law School, JD
  • University of Missouri-Columbia, BA, summa cum laude, with honors
Bar Admissions
  • New York
  • Illinois