EXPERIENCE

Travis’ education law practice focused on providing general advice to the Michigan Department of Education and defending the Department in various litigation matters, including special education litigation and administrative hearings brought under the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the Michigan Mandatory Special Education Act.  He also represented the Department in litigation under the Michigan Revised School Code and the State School Aid Act in state court, the Michigan Court of Claims, and the Michigan Court of Appeals.  Travis’ notable education cases include serving as lead counsel in the special education class action lawsuit in the Eastern District of Michigan arising out of the Flint Water Crisis, two published decisions affirming the Department of Education’s authority to review state aid payments to school districts in Galien Township Public Schools v. Michigan Department of Education, 306 Mich. App. 410 (2014), and 310 Mich. App. 238 (2015), and as co-counsel for two State Board of Education members in their defense in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeal of the district court decision in Gary B., et al., v. Gretchen Whitmer, et. al. (Case No. 18-1855/1871 (2020) (also known as the ‘right to read’ litigation).

In his bankruptcy practice, Travis provided general counsel and representation mainly to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, with a focus on Medicaid and state Medicaid funds in Chapter 11 bankruptcies involving hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Travis’ work resulted in millions of overpaid state and federal dollars being returned to the Departments.  Travis also handled individual Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 non-dischargeability litigation focusing on the recovery of state and federal funds obtained through fraud, misrepresentation, or other means.  Travis also has experience representing the MDHHS in state and federal receivership cases.  Travis was a panelist in July 2019 on the State Bar of Michigan’s Debtor/Creditor Rights Committee on the topic of Resuscitating The Patient – Restructuring Healthcare Entities in the Current Environment.

Prior to joining the Attorney General’s office, Travis clerked for two years for multiple judges on the Eastern District of Michigan Bankruptcy Court.  He also served as a state court clerk in the Livingston County Circuit Court.  Travis is admitted to the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan Courts, the Eastern and Western Districts Bankruptcy Courts, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and pro hac for several non-Michigan bankruptcy courts.