Mr. Kunkel is a principal at the law firm of Gray Plant Mooty in St. Cloud and Minneapolis. He concentrates his practice in commercial financing, agricultural and agribusiness financing, and workouts and bankruptcy. He is a frequent CLE lecturer on commercial financing, UCC, renewable energy and workout and bankruptcy topics. Mr. Kunkel has also taught a course on agricultural marketing and production contracts in the LLM program at the University of Arkansas Law School.
Experience
- Represented senior lenders in the VeraSun Energy Corporation bankruptcy concerning the acquisition, sale, and refinancing of six ethanol plants located in Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, and Nebraska
- Represented senior lenders in connection with the bankruptcy of 55 MMGY ethanol facility in Minnesota
- Represented lenders in litigation arising out of winding down of multistate swine operations relating to the determination of priority of various security interests and agricultural liens
- Represented national trade organization in connection with 2008 Farm Bill and United States Department of Agriculture regulations relating to competition in the livestock industry
- Represented senior lenders in more than 25 renewable energy projects (including ethanol, wind power, and biodiesel) totaling more than $1.75 billion in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Illinois
- Represented administrative agent in a $400 million syndicated revolving credit facility for multi-state integrated agricultural producer
- Represented administrative agent in a $175 million syndicated financing for agricultural processing facility in Missouri
- Served as Chapter 11 trustee and represented bankruptcy trustees in $30 million check kiting and $350 million Ponzi scheme cases in Minnesota and Missouri
Publications
- "Farm Legal Series," University of Minnesota Extension, coauthor, June 2009
- Business Workouts Manual, West Publishing, coauthor, 2009
- Debtor-Creditor Handbook, Minnesota CLE, coeditor, 2003-2010
Presentations
- "Complications of Multiple Lenders," Minnesota CLE, December 8, 2010
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1977
- St. John’s University, 1974
Bar Admissions
- 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1985
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1985
Professional Activities
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- American Bar Association, Business Law section, Agricultural and Agri-Business Financing Subcommittee, past chair; Business Bankruptcy, Commercial Financial Services and Uniform Commercial Code committees, member
- American College of Bankruptcy, Fellow
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Bankruptcy Law Section, past chair
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Business Law Section, past chair
- Turnaround Management Association
Honors and Distinctions