Photo of J. Michael Bernard

J. Michael Bernard Member

Areas of Practice

Industries

Bar Admissions

  • Michigan, 1985

Education

University of Cincinnati, J.D.

Law Review, Co-Chair Student Articles Editor

University of Notre Dame, B.B.A. (Accounting)

Mike Bernard is a member of the Corporate Finance Group and his practice focuses primarily on business counseling and planning, with an emphasis on:

  • Mergers and acquisitions (representing both buyer and sellers);
  • Capital raising transactions (including private placement, private equity and seed and venture financings);
  • Corporate formation matters (including shareholder control and buy-sell arrangements);
  • Corporate governance (for profit and nonprofit entities); and
  • Executive employment agreements and related matters. 

Mr. Bernard has experience in a variety of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, services and technology.

Mr. Bernard is a former member of Dykema’s Executive Board and is the former leader of the Firm’s Corporate Finance Practice Group.

Experience

  • AGM Automotive
    • Sale of control to Trive Capital
  • American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AXL)
    • Sale of aftermarket division of its subsidiary, Cloyes Gear & Products, Inc., to Hidden Harbor Capital Partners
  • Asset Acceptance Capital Corp. (Nasdaq: AACC)
    • Equity recapitalization
    • IPO
    • Secondary public offering
  • Avail Networks, Inc.
    • Formation of Avail Networks (including private placement of securities) and purchase of business and assets from Cabletron Systems, Inc.
    • Venture financing of Preferred Stock—Series A
    • Venture financing of Preferred Stock—Series B
  • Barton Malow Company
    • Acquisition of L.C. Gaskins Construction Company, Inc. (Jacksonville, FL)
  • Belfor USA Group, Inc.
    • Purchase of assets and business of S-K General Contracting, Inc.
    • Purchase of business and assets of a private company
    • Purchase of business and assets of Mark of Excellence, Inc.
  • Brembo, S.p.A
    • Acquisition of Hayes-Lemmerz International's Automotive Brake Components Division
  • Brunswick Corporation
    • Purchase of business and assets of Valley Dynamo, LP
    • Purchase of business and assets of Marine Innovations Warranty Corp.
  • BullsEye Telecom, Inc.
    • Venture financing of Preferred Stock
  • C.F. Stinson, Inc.
    • Significant investment by BV Investment Partners
  • Creative Foam Corporation
    • Significant investment by Industrial Opportunities Partners

  • Elmos USA, Inc.

    • Purchase of business and assets of IC Sensors, Inc.
  • Flamebar Investments, LLC
    • Private equity investment by Pacific Growth Investors
  • General Motors Company
    • Acquisition of General Motors Strasbourg S.A.S. (Strasbourg, France)
  • Global Fax, LLC
    • Sale of business and assets to DealerTrack Digital Services, Inc., a subsidiary of DealerTrack Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRAK)
  • HealthPlus of Michigan, Inc.
    • Sale of Medicaid and MIChild businesses of HealthPlus of Michigan and its subsidiary, HealthPlus Partners, Inc., to Molina Healthcare of Michigan, Inc.
    • Merger of HealthPlus of Michigan into Health Alliance Plan of Michigan
  • Ideal Technologies Solutions U.S., Inc.
    • Venture financing of Preferred Stock
  • Italmatch Chemicals, SpA
    • Acquisition of Detrex Corporation (including its subsidiary The Elco Corporation)
  • Key Safety Systems, Inc. 
    • Sale of Hamlin, Inc. subsidiary to Littelfuse, Inc. (Nasdaq: LFUS)
  • Koenig Fuel & Supply Co.
    • Sale of business and assets to KP1 LLC
  • Kurtz Gravel Company
    • Sale of stock to U.S. Concrete, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMIX)
  • MCE Technologies, Inc.
    • Acquisition of Metelics Corporation through triangular merger
    • Purchase of stock of Densitron Microwave Limited, Southend-on-Sea, England, from Densitron International
    • Commercial line of credit and mezzanine investment of senior subordinated debt and warrants (in connection with acquisition of Densitron Microwave Limited)
    • Merger of MCE Technologies, Inc. into Aeroflex Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARXX)
  • Orchard Creek Capital, LLC
    • Acquisition of Classic Die, Inc.
  • Research Data Analysis, Inc.
    • Sale of capital stock to Ipsos, S.A
  • SequoiaNet.com, Inc.
    • Spin out of business from Panurgy Corporation to Analysts International, Inc.
  • Soaring Pine Capital Management
    • Acquisition by Tikoo Solutions, LLC, a platform company of Soaring Pine Capital Growth Fund I, of Tech Sol, LLC (f/k/a Technology Solutions, Inc.)
  • Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI)
    • Sale of Pollak after market business to Standard Motor Products, Inc. (NYSE: SAP)
  • U.S. Manufacturing Corporation
    • Sale of all capital stock (by merger) to Wynnchurch Capital
    • Multiple purchases of business and assets of strategic product lines from Tier 1 automotive suppliers
  • Wise Solutions, Inc.
    • Merger of Wise Solutions, Inc. into Alteris, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATRS)

Memberships & Involvement

World Services Group, Chairman, Board of Directors and Executive Committee; past Chair, North American Regional Council

Community/Civic Activities

  • Detroit Regional Chamber, Executive Committee, Board of Directors and General Counsel; Detroit Regional Chamber PAC, Board of Directors
  • Detroit Athletic Club, Board of Directors and Chair of Community Outreach Committee
  • Downtown Detroit Partnership, Stakeholder Committee
  • Loyola High School Detroit, Board of Directors (Vice Chair) and Executive Finance and Facilities Committees
  • Elmwood Cemetery, Trustee and President
  • International Samaritan, Board of Directors
  • City of Grosse Pointe Employees' Retirement System, Board of Trustees, Chairman
  • Neighborhood Club (Grosse Pointe), Board of Trustees, Executive and Finance Committees
  • Leadership Detroit XXII, Graduate, June 2001
  • Notre Dame Club of Detroit, Past President

Named a Leading Corporate/M&A Lawyer by Chambers USA, 2005-2021

Named "Lawyer of the Year," Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Detroit, Michigan by The Best Lawyers in America®, 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2020

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law, 2007-Present. Copyright 2015 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC

Recognized in Michigan Super Lawyers® for Mergers & Acquisitions, Business/Corporate, Securities & Corporate Finance, 2006-2018

Named a Top Lawyer by dbusiness Magazine for Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Law, 2010-2018

Named a Michigan Leading Lawyer in the areas of Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions and Publicly Held Corporations Law by the Leading Lawyers Network, 2014-2017. Law Bulletin Publishing Company

Recipient of an AV® Preeminent™ Rating by Martindale-Hubbell

Notre Dame Club of Detroit, Award of the Year, 2003