Michael J. Custer

Michael J. Custer is counsel in the firm’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Creditors’ Rights practice. With more than a decade of experience in private practice in Delaware, including nine years at an Am Law 100 firm, and over six years of experience as a career judicial law clerk for the Chief Judge of a United States Bankruptcy Court, Mike offers clients unique skills and perspective on bankruptcy and restructuring matters.

Mike represents a broad range of clients in bankruptcy proceedings as well as state law proceedings, including debtors, creditors’ committees, liquidating trustees, asset purchasers, foreign representatives, ad hoc committees, and secured and unsecured creditors. He also represents plaintiffs and defendants in bankruptcy-related litigation matters, and counsels clients regarding the negotiation and drafting of contractual terms related to both bankruptcy matters and financing transactions.

Some of Mike’s recent representative matters include representation of the debtors in In re Creativemass Holdings, Inc., et al. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025), In re CHG Holdings LLC, et al. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025), and In re Navidea Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (Bankr. D. Del. 2025), and representation of creditors and other parties in interest in In re Marelli Automotive Lighting USA LLC, et al. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025), In re Nikola Corp., et al. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025), and In re Century Mining, LLC d/b/a Allegheny Metallurgical, et al. (Bankr. N.D. W.Va. 2024).

Prior to returning to private practice, Mike served as a career judicial law clerk to the Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for over six years. In this role, Mike gained invaluable perspective on judicial decision-making and was responsible for drafting opinions, bench memoranda, orders, and other Court decisions.

Mike is a member of the Asset Sales Committee and the Mediation Committee of the American Bankruptcy Institute.

Representative Matters

Our firm is proud of the results it has achieved for clients, some of which are noted here.  Of course, each legal matter is unique on many levels, and past successes are not a guarantee of results in any other pending or future matters. 

Certain matters Mike handled in private practice prior to his joining Pashman Stein Walder Hayden are listed below:

• Represented the debtors in:
• In re Creativemass Holdings, Inc., et al. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025)
• In re CHG Holdings LLC, et al. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025)
• In re Navidea Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025)
• Represented creditors and other parties in interest in:
• In re Marelli Automotive Lighting USA LLC, et al. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025)
• In re Nikola Corp., et al. (Bankr. D. Del. 2025)
• In re Century Mining, LLC d/b/a Allegheny Metallurgical, et al. (Bankr. N.D. W.Va. 2024).

Community & Professional

• Member, Delaware State Bar Association
• Member, American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI Journal Author)
• Member, Asset Sales Committee and the Mediation Committee of the American Bankruptcy Institute