Chauncey C. Mayfield II

Chauncey C. Mayfield II is a corporate attorney and leader of the firm's Commercial Transactions Practice Group. He focuses his practice on representing clients in a variety of matters, including acquisitions and dispositions, financings, commercial contract negotiations, supply-chain management, out of court restructurings, commercial bankruptcy, and general corporate law.

• Advises clients in domestic and international complex commercial transactions including drafting, negotiating, and enforcing a variety of commercial contracts regarding the purchase and sale of goods and services, developing and reviewing terms and conditions of purchase and sale, and providing general legal advice to senior executives, management personnel, and their staff regarding transaction structures, commercial disputes, financially distressed suppliers, and supply-chain issues
• Represents clients in contract manufacturing, development, distribution, and supply agreements in various industries including automotive, building supply, and food and beverage
• Counsel clients on information technology, business process, and third party administration outsourcing and purchasing agreements
• Represents clients in entity formation, corporate finance and general corporate governance
• Provides guidance to borrowers and lenders on corporate finance transactions including drafting, negotiating, and advising on a variety of loan and security agreements, promissory notes, guarantees, intercreditor and subordination agreements, participation agreements, and equipment leases
• Assists creditors and debtors in commercial bankruptcy, financial restructuring, liquidations, and loan workouts
• Serves as a member of Honigman's Emerging Companies Group
• Serves as a member of the following firm committees: Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Strategic Planning Committee

Practice Areas

Industries

Representative Matters

General Commercial Contracting and Business Process Outsourcing

• Represented clients in drafting and negotiating various forms of domestic and international supply contracts, service agreements, consumer and non-consumer warranties, and terms and conditions of purchase and sale for a variety of goods and services including direct materials, indirect materials, engineering and non-engineering services, tooling, and capital equipment in the automotive, consumer packaged goods, defense, general manufacturing, retail, building supply, and other industries
• Represented clients in drafting and negotiating logistics (freight forward, broker, truck load, and less than truck load), warehousing, and bailment agreements
• Represented various clients in the consumer packaged goods industry (including food, beverage, and cosmetics) in the drafting, negotiation, and enforcement of domestic and international contract manufacturing, supply, and distribution agreements
• Represented international lock manufacturer in a contract manufacturing agreement for the assembly of locks in Hungary

Automotive

• Advised OEM and automotive suppliers on connected and autonomous vehicle supply contracts
• Represented OEMs and suppliers in various domestic and international complex supply chain disputes
• Represent customers (both OEMs and tiered suppliers) in matters involving financially troubled suppliers including accommodation and access agreements, loan and security agreements, setoff limitation agreements, and various forms of letter agreements to provide various forms of financial accommodations
• Represented several automotive clients – including OEMs and suppliers (as both purchasers and contract manufacturers) – in the negotiation and drafting of development, assembly, and supply (i.e. contract manufacturing) agreements for high volume and low volume passenger vehicles (including vans) and light, medium, and heavy duty trucks including:
  • Represented U.S. manufacturer in the negotiation and drafting of vehicle assembly agreement with a German OEM for the assembly of luxury German passenger vehicles to be sold in China;
  • Represented OEM as a customer in a contract manufacturing agreement for the manufacture and supply battery electric class 4 trucks for sale in the U.S. and Canada;
  • Represented OEM as a contract manufacturer with large technology company on the design, development, and supply of customized last-mile electric delivery vehicles to be sold in the United States;
  • Represented contract manufacturer against a large technology company in a manufacture and supply agreement for battery electric class 6 and Class 8 commercial trucks to be sold in the United States; and
  • Represented OEM as a customer in a joint development, manufacturer, and supply agreement for the development and assembly of medium duty class 4/5 commercial trucks for sale in the United States.
• Assisted OEM in drafting dealer sale and service agreements and warranty administration agreements
• Represented a wholly-owned financial services subsidiary of an automotive original equipment manufacturer in the negotiation and drafting of outsourcing agreements related to U.S. automobile fleet leasing and fleet management services and vehicle service contracts (extended warranties)
• Represented distributor contracting with U.S. automotive original equipment manufacturer for the distribution of vehicles in China

Bankruptcy and Restructuring

• Advised Capitol Bancorp Ltd., a national bank holding company with total assets of approximately $2 billion, in its Chapter 11 reorganization
• Represented General Motors in connection with the global insolvency proceedings and restructuring of Takata Corporation, including the Chapter 11 cases of TK Holdings, Inc. and its debtor affiliates, the Chapter 15 cases of Takata Corporation and its foreign-debtor affiliates, and the sale of substantially all of Takata's assets to Key Safety Systems
• Represented various customers and suppliers in Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcies
• Represented commercial lenders in the foreclosure, sale, and other enforcement actions of a borrower’s assets including assisting in advising on related litigation

Health Care and Employee Benefit Outsourcing

• Represented client in the negotiation and drafting of a direct contract with a Michigan based hospital system that was the first direct to employer contract of its kind in southeast Michigan
• Advised sponsors of small, medium, and large self-insured group healthcare plans with salaried, hourly, and union represented employees in negotiating and drafting third party administration agreements and employee benefit outsourcing arrangements in the following areas and other related areas:
  • Medical, Dental, Vision, and Pharmacy Benefit Management\
  • Disability and Workers Compensation
  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse
  • Disease and Wellness Management
  • Defined Contribution (401k), Defined Benefit (Pension), and Health Savings Accounts (including FSA and HRA)

Corporate and Finance

• Assisted private equity client in an add-on acquisition of a technology company
• Represented group of investors in a Series B financing of a California bio-medical company
• Represented MI regional bank in revolving loan facility to Michigan scrap re-seller.
• Represented MI regional bank in a secured loan facility to Michigan hardware store
• Represented commercial finance company in various asset-based secured financing transactions

Prior Experience

• General Counsel, P.C. (2012-2013)

Education

Admissions

Awards

• Michigan Lawyers Weekly Class of 2022 Leaders in the Law, 2022
• The Best Lawyers in America, 2021-2025
  • Recognized in the areas of:
    • Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, 2024-2025
    • Corporate Law, 2024-2025, Ones to Watch, 2021-2023
    • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency, and Reorganization Law, Ones to Watch, 2021-2023
• Michigan Super Lawyers, Recognized as a Rising Star, 2016-2021
• Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence, 2017
• 2013 Lawyers of Color “Hot List” (Midwest Region)
• National Black Lawyers Top 100 Black Lawyer in Michigan (2022)

Professional & Community Involvement

District of Columbia Bar Association

Detroit Historical Society, Board of Trustees

News

Press Releases

Alerts

Publications