Minnesota counsel for out-of-state equipment financiers
Your company does not need to be based in Minnesota to need counsel here. A borrower or lessee may operate in Minnesota, financed equipment may be located here, or a dispute may require proceedings in a Minnesota court. We evaluate the agreements, the parties and the equipment’s location to determine the appropriate next steps.
We can handle an agreed scope of Minnesota litigation directly or work with your in-house team and outside attorneys as Minnesota local counsel. That coordination may include evaluating the forum, preparing court filings, handling hearings and addressing contested possession or recovery issues.
Equipment finance disputes we handle
An equipment-finance dispute may involve more than missed payments. The documents, equipment records and competing claims can determine what relief is available and whether recovery is practical.
Loan, lease and guaranty enforcement
Disputes over payment defaults, termination, contractual remedies and guarantor obligations, including defenses and counterclaims that complicate enforcement.
Contested possession and equipment recovery
Disputes over the right to possess or recover equipment, including evaluating whether a claim-and-delivery proceeding is appropriate and addressing objections from the borrower, lessee or another claimant.
Ownership, liens and competing claims
Conflicting claims involving equipment ownership, security interests, titles, lease terms and priority between creditors. We examine the transaction documents and the records supporting each party’s position.
Transferred equipment and diverted proceeds
Disputes involving equipment moved or transferred to another person or business, disputed sale proceeds and transactions that may impair a creditor’s recovery.
Distressed equipment-finance companies
Litigation involving a financially distressed equipment-finance business, multiple creditors, guaranties and competing recovery strategies, including the interaction between litigation, receivership and bankruptcy.
Experience involving a distressed equipment-finance company
Matthew Bialick represented Star Bank in complex commercial litigation involving RP Financial, a distressed equipment-finance company, its guarantor and seventeen lenders with competing interests. He spearheaded negotiations that secured all parties’ agreement to a voluntary receivership as an alternative to Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Star Bank v. RP Financial, LLC, et al., Hennepin County District Court, Case No. 27-CV-25-16576. View case docket.
This matter reflects experience addressing competing creditor interests and a coordinated recovery process involving an equipment-finance business.
Equipment finance litigation questions
Can you represent an equipment-finance company based outside Minnesota?
Yes. We work with companies based outside Minnesota when a dispute has a Minnesota connection. The initial review considers the parties, agreements, equipment location, forum provisions and any pending proceedings.
Can you work with our existing attorney as Minnesota local counsel?
Yes. We can work alongside your existing counsel or discuss handling the Minnesota matter directly. At the outset, we identify the scope of our role, responsibility for filings and hearings, and any applicable admission requirements.
Does having equipment in Minnesota automatically determine where a lawsuit belongs?
No. Equipment location is one consideration. The parties, contract terms, jurisdiction, venue and existing proceedings also matter. We review those issues before recommending where and how to proceed.
Can you help if possession of the equipment is disputed?
Yes. We evaluate the documents supporting possession, the claimed default, the equipment’s location and any competing interests. The appropriate response may involve negotiation or court proceedings. A bankruptcy filing or another party’s claim may also affect the available steps.
What should we have available for an initial discussion?
Start with the parties’ names, any approaching deadlines, the equipment’s location and identifying information, and the status of any lawsuit or bankruptcy. Useful records may include the loan or lease, guaranties, amendments, payment history, default notices, security documents, title records and relevant correspondence. Please arrange with us before sending confidential documents.
Discuss a Minnesota equipment finance dispute
Tell us whether you need direct representation or Minnesota counsel working with your existing legal team. Identify the parties, where the equipment is located and any immediate deadline so we can assess the proposed engagement.