Mr. Bell serves as leader of the Financial Institutions practice at Honigman. Considered "the most prolific deal broker in the credit union M&A arena" by American Banker, he represents financial institutions throughout the United States and has completed over 50 M&A transactions in the past five years. In 2011, he pioneered a new option for credit unions to achieve rapid growth with the first purchase of a whole bank by a credit union. For the past decade, he has completed the majority of credit union purchases of banks and has become the nationwide leader and go-to legal adviser in this space. Mr. Bell has also helped credit unions acquire other businesses, including insurance and investment companies, trust companies, real estate brokerages, mortgage originators and specialized lenders. He additionally advises financial institutions on all regulatory matters at the state and federal level. Mr. Bell has extensive experience counseling individual entrepreneurs through publicly traded companies on strategies such as non-organic growth and strategic planning.

Mr. Bell leverages his personal experience as an entrepreneur to examine the business side of the legal issues his clients encounter to provide better counsel and strategic advice. Mr. Bell is adept at fully understanding each client’s unique business model and operations, allowing him to tailor his approach to their specific needs.

Mr. Bell is also a sought after media source and has contributed to reporting in a wide range of influential publications, including The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, American Banker, S&P Global, Banking Dive and Bloomberg.

Practice Areas

Representative Matters

Completed the first purchase of a bank by state chartered credit union

Completed the first purchase of a stock owned bank by a credit union

Completed new mechanisms for financial institutions to invest capital and grow

Completed the first purchase of a bank by a credit union

Education

Valparaiso University School of Law, J.D.

with honors

Adrian College, B.A.

Political Science

Admissions

Michigan

Minnesota

Iowa

Illinois

Wisconsin

Indiana

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

Awards

Law Bulletin Media

Leading Lawyers, Banking & Financial Institutions Law, 2014-2020, 2023-2024

Leading Lawyers, Creditor's Rights/Commercial Collections Law, 2014-2020, 2023-2024

Leading Lawyers, Mergers & Acquisition Law, 2014-2020, 2023-2024

Leading Lawyers, Real Estate Law: Commercial, 2014-2020, 2023-2024

Michigan Super Lawyers, "Rising Stars," 2013-2018

Michigan Lawyers Weekly, "Leader in the Law," 2017

dbusiness, "Top Lawyers," 2016

Credit Union Times, "Trailblazer 40 Below," 2013

The Best Lawyers in America

 Recognized in the practice area of Financial Services Regulation Law, 2023

Professional & Community Involvement

Adrian College, Member, Board of Trustees, 2020 - Present

News

Press Releases

Events

Credit Union M&A: Current Trends and 2024

Webinar | Apr 10, 2024 | Ankura | Panelist

Credit Unions Buying Community Banks: Motives, Misconceptions, and More on the Horizon – A Conversation with Deal Attorneys Michael Bell and Jeffrey Cardone

Event | Mar 21, 2024

Publications

Named by American Banker as one of 25 people who will change banking in 2025

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"Mike Bell is the most prolific deal broker in the credit union M&A arena."

American Banker, November 2024

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