Reviving Giants

In this episode, we sit down with Hon. Michael B. Kaplan of the District of New Jersey to go inside the rarely seen world of bankruptcy from the judge’s chair. Drawing on years of overseeing high-profile Chapter 11s and small consumer cases, Judge Kaplan talks through what actually happens in those “first day” hearings, why so many liability management deals and quick restructurings fall short, an...

Drew sits down with turnaround veteran Becky Roof to explore the high-stakes world of corporate restructuring and the accidental career paths that lead people into it. Becky shares stories from decades of crisis leadership, including stepping in as interim CFO during Kodak’s bankruptcy and navigating complex negotiations with creditors, pensions, and global stakeholders to preserve value and jobs....

In part two of this episode, Drew, Berry, and Charlie look back on the cases that shaped modern restructuring: from the chaotic El Paso refinery bankruptcy to the high-stakes battles inside Enron. They share firsthand stories of IRS shutdowns, courtroom showdowns, copper price crashes, and creditor warfare that redefined how Chapter 11 works in practice. The episode explores how bankruptcy evolved...

This episode looks back at the historic Texas oil crash of the early 1980s, bringing with it a full-scale financial collapse that reshaped careers, communities, and an entire industry. In the midst of it all were Berry Spears, Charlie Beckham, and host Drew McManigle who were just starting out as young lawyers and operators in West Texas. Over four decades later, they recount firsthand stories of...

They call him the Rock and Roll Judge; a man who could go from a courtroom to a concert stage without missing a beat. He's run marathons, played tuba, directed Broadway musicals, and reshaped how bankruptcy law is practiced in America— but Judge Richard Schmidt is known above all else for his deep respect for people and having a courtroom that ran like a symphony. In today’s episode, the retired C...

Restructuring a company is not a 9-to-5 job, it's more like working in an emergency room. What does it really look like when the phone rings at 5pm on a Friday night? 20-year advisory firm veteran Douglas Brickley, the current Managing Director at Stout, has been in the trenches. In today’s episode, Doug isn’t afraid to talk shop about what he’s learned, where things can go wrong, and why restruct...

What does it take to rescue a company from the brink of collapse? Hosted by veteran turnaround expert Drew McManigle, Reviving Giants takes listeners behind closed doors of boardrooms, courtrooms, and crisis meetings where business survival hangs in the balance. Each episode dives into real stories of billion-dollar bankruptcies, high-stakes turnarounds, and the leaders who fought to pull companie...

The year was 1978. A new bankruptcy code hit the books, and suddenly, the playbook for American business failure was rewritten. 47 years later, we're still living in its shadow. John Melko is a seasoned restructuring attorney and partner of Foley & Lardner and has watched bankruptcy courts evolve from its reformist roots to the high stakes, high cost beast it is today. In this episode, John helps...