Stephen LaPlante has been extensively involved in virtually every auto industry-related bankruptcy case in the United States and Canada in the past two decades, representing the interests of one of the Detroit Three auto makers and several Tier 1 automotive parts suppliers.

He is also a member of the restructuring team for the City of Detroit – the largest chapter 9 bankruptcy case in U.S. history – as Michigan bankruptcy counsel.

Stephen recently acted as lead bankruptcy counsel on behalf of two telecommunication companies, working to close a sale of the companies' assets for $32 million and confirm a joint chapter 11 plan of liquidation, co-sponsored with the unsecured creditors committee, to provide a significant recovery to the creditors of the estates.

Working in Detroit, the heart of the American automotive industry, Stephen continues to hone his expertise in supply chain protection and automotive parts supplier workouts. The goal in every case is to keep the automobile assembly lines running in an environment where contracts are exclusive with each supplier, usually the sole source of component parts under a just-in-time inventory management model.

Coping with the issues arising in a customer relationship with a financially troubled auto parts supplier has become increasingly challenging in this rapidly changing industry, calling for new, innovative solutions. The automobile business is unlike any other and experience is essential to avoid potentially catastrophic consequences. Stephen brings the experience acquired in hundreds of cases to bear on each new case.