Practice areas: Business & Corporate; view more
Licensed in Minnesota since: 2010
Education: University of Minnesota Law School
Michael Howard is a seasoned attorney at Pruvent PLLC. With an extensive background in business, management, technology, consulting, and real estate, Michael helps businesses in various stages of growth, from startup and rapid expansion to exit transactions/strategies. He has presented and lectured extensively on negotiation, restructuring, workouts, general business matters, mergers & acquisitions, and various unique forms of sales of assets. Michael has acted as the outside general counsel for hundreds of companies and has been a strategic M&A advisor for many business clients.
Michael represents companies that range in size from small companies with fewer than 10 employees to large publicly traded companies. These clients have touched many different industries, including: manufacturing, distribution, equipment, printing, retail, construction, hospitality, restaurant/food service, food science, food coatings, industrial coatings, agriculture, trucking, transportation, import/export, trades, professional services, real estate, advertising, marketing, franchise, cosmetics, education, pharmaceutical, health, medical, medical device, medical technology, development, web-based services, printed circuit boards, catalytic technology, software, PaaS, SaaS, payment systems, robotics, artificial intelligence, mobile-application development and other technology-based industries.
Michael believes that businesses should maintain an entrepreneurial mindset in order to remain competitive, while practicing "preventive law" to avoid damaging enterprise value and incurring major unexpected liabilities. Often the first point of contact for any legal concerns, Michael diligently sees matters through from inception to resolution. Recognizing the interconnected nature of business challenges, he leverages his extensive network to introduce clients to a range of industry providers, from wealth management to international sourcing, ensuring comprehensive support. His involvement in high profile matters for companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 underscores his ability and skills in addressing complex legal issues.
Practice areas
Business/CorporateFocus areas
Business Formation and Planning, Business Organizations, Contracts, Limited Liability Companies, Partnership, Sub-chapter S Corporations
- 100% Business/Corporate
First Admitted: 2010, Minnesota
Professional Webpage: https://pruvent.com/michael-howard/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Member of the Hennepin County Bar Association
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota
- United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Minnesota
- Member of the Minnesota State Bar Association
- Supervising Attorney for the Corporate Institute at the University of Minnesota Law School
- Development Committee Member for the University of Minnesota Law School
Representative Clients
- Top 5 Real Estate Developers, Large Tech Companies, Startups to Fortune 500 Companies, etc.
Transactions
- An average of 5-10 M&A transactions per year, with a majority in tech and manufacturing
Special Licenses / Certifications
- HBX | Harvard Business School CORe (Credential of Readiness), 2015
Pro bono / Community Service
- Member of the Turnaround Management Association
- Member of the Association for Corporate Growth
- Member of the American Bankruptcy Institute
Educational Background
- Cornell University Law School – Chinese Business Program, International Business Law/Transactions
- University of Maine School of Law
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Co-author and presenter: “Sale of Assets,” Bankruptcy Practice in Minnesota Desk book, 1st Edition
- Author: “Funding Sources: Differences Between Venture Capital and Angel Investors”
- Co-author: “The OCC is Busy: Regulatory Update”
- Co-author: “Are You Prepared for the Future of Libor”
- Co-author: “Paying the Price: The Pitfalls of Ineffective Liability Waivers”
Industry Groups
- Agricultural
- Manufacturing
- Medical Device
- PaaS
- Printing
- SaaS
- Software
- Technology
- Transportation
Selections
- Rising Stars: 2020