Phillip Shefferly

Phillip J. Shefferly, Retired Chief Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, joins JAMS in Detroit following 18 years of distinguished service to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, including over a decade as chief judge. As a judge on one of the heaviest bankruptcy court dockets in the country, Judge Shefferly conducted hundreds of bench trials and motion hearings in consumer and commercial cases that required prompt and thorough oral and written decisions. He presided over many large chapter 11 cases in a wide range of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, single asset and other real property, retail, professional services, hospitality, nursing home and health care. 

Before taking the bench, Judge Shefferly was in private practice for 24 years, where he focused on business reorganizations and chapter 11 matters, including representations of business debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, creditors’ committees, landlords, shareholders and other parties in interest in bankruptcy proceedings. He has extensive trial and litigation experience in both federal and state courts representing parties in commercial litigation, as well as in purchase, sale, financing and other business transactions.