MICHAELA CASSIDY
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Ms. Cassidy has extensive experience as a consultant providing litigation support, for both plaintiff and defense legal counsel. Some of her areas of work include valuation, damage assessments, mediation proposals, and testimony. She has also worked in a variety of informal dispute resolution situations, within corporate and family entities. She has been affiliated with Sugarman & Company, LLP since 1988. Ms. Cassidy has worked in a wide range of industries including banking, manufacturing, food processing, real estate, and healthcare.
LITIGATION CONSULTING
Ms. Cassidy assisted a large public utility in resolving a complex property tax dispute within the State of California. She analyzed the economic impact of the matter and defined alternative settlement exposure issues. A risk-assessment probability analysis was conducted with internal client personnel to inform the requested settlement authority proposals. She participated in the mediation with the various settlement entities.
The Board of Directors of a troubled hotel amenities company retained Sugarman & Company, LLP to evaluate the company's operating plan, cash flow management, and competency of its senior management. Ms. Cassidy worked with the company to recast its sales projections and oversaw cash management until it reached a breakeven point. In addition, various significant conflicts within the Board of Directors which were stalling improvements were successfully resolved. Subsequent operations have demonstrated significant profit improvement and successful market and securities performance.
Sugarman & Company, LLP was retained by a group of seven money center banks to restructure a $125 million loan to a national healthcare services corporation. Ms. Cassidy was the senior consultant on the team and supervised the analysis of the proposed restructure agreement, created cash flows, and completely restructured a credit agreement involving a cash based sharing mechanism. Sugarman & Company, LLP counseled the financial group on various tax issues. Ms. Cassidy monitored the company's performance in relation to the restructure agreement as well as negotiations with creditors holding $30 million in debts.
Sugarman & Company, LLP was retained by secured lenders to resolve control and performance issues that were negatively impacting profitability and legal status of a community-based health care company. Operations and other performance issues were identified and resolved using various interventions, including community meetings with key political constituencies. Ms. Cassidy managed the process of selling the Company, including identification of potential purchasers and the production of due diligence and regulatory disclosures. She was instrumental in complying with local government change of ownership and other filings. The Company was eventually sold, service standards improved, and bank exposures were eliminated.
Ms. Cassidy worked with bank officers, company management and board of directors to review a revised strategic plan for a psychiatric hospital company. Implementation of this plan involved dispute resolution among the controlling executives of the company, resulting in extensive changes in company senior management and the production of a going-forward plan. After the debt restructuring was completed, Ms. Cassidy monitored progress against the benchmark plan and revised loan covenants. The senior lender's position was refinanced within three years by successful placement of public debentures.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Ms. Cassidy served as the Chief Financial Officer of Automatic Data Processing Collision Estimating Services from 1987 1988, and the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer of California Canners and Growers from 1982 1986.
- From 1975 1982, she served as a consultant with Touche Ross & Company. Prior to her business career, Ms. Cassidy taught applied and social psychology in various college and educational institutions.
- M.B.A. Stanford Graduate School of Business Finance and Accounting, 1975
- Master of Arts San Diego State University Psychology, 1971
- Bachelor of Arts Seattle University Psychology, 1968
- Mediation and Dispute Resolution Training UC Berkeley, 2007