As a Manchester Principal, Ms. Culligan utilizes her strong background in banking, bankruptcy, financial institutions, real estate and corporate and commercial law to provide financial and management advisory services to Manchester's clients, as well as to provide general counsel services to the firm.

Most recently, Ms. Culligan was a founding member of AREA, LLC, a business focused on all aspects of real estate advisory services. Prior to that, she was a partner with the law firm of Dunkley and Bennett. P.A., and prior to that a shareholder with the Briggs and Morgan, P.A.

Ms. Culligan brings the practical business experience of having been a founding member and operator of a business combined with her diverse legal background to Manchester's clients to help them solve their problems. Her areas of expertise with Manchester's clients include:

• Debtor / Creditor Representation and Negotiations
• Bankruptcy / Restructuring Advisory
• Litigation Support
• Banking / Financial Institutions Regulatory / Compliance Issues
• Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Strategies / Restructuring

Ms. Culligan graduated from Drake University summa cum laude in 1985 with a B.A. degree, where she was Phi Beta Kappa. She attended the University of Minnesota Law School where she graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in 1988. During law school she was honored by the Order of the Coif and she was awarded the Amos S. Deinard Law Review Award and was also the Law Review Editor. In 2004, Michelle completed the University of St. Thomas Mini Master in Real Estate Development.

Highest Education

• Juris Doctor (J.D.), University of Minnesota Law School, magna cum laude
• Bachelor of Arts, Drake University, summa cum laude, Phi Betta Kappa

Professional Designations / Associations

• Real Estate Broker License - Minnesota (2005)
• Bar Admission - Minnesota (1988)
• Hennepin County Bar Association
• Minnesota State Bar Association
• MNCAR

Publications

• Larimore v. Comptroller of the Currency: Agency-ordered liability under Section 1818(b)(1), 71MINN.L.REV. 1560

Presentations

• Minnesota State Bar Association - Basic Real Estate Practice (July 2003)
• Hennepin County Bar Association - Buyers and Sellers in Residential Real Estate Transactions (February 2004)
• The Art of the Deal (Entertainment Law) - Minnesota CLE (April 2009)