leading the way - Commercial Law League Of America

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member news Among Our Members… Debt 3 March/April 2007 40 Submissions for Member News may be sent to the Commercial Law League of America by mail, fax or e-mail to: Member News, Commercial Law League of America ® 70 E. Lake Street Suite 630, Chicago, IL 60601 312-781-2000 fax: 312-781-2010 e-mail: clla@clla.org The Commercial Law League ® reserves the right to determine whether to publish submissions or photos and to edit submissions without prior notice to those submitting the announcement. ▲ F. THOMAS RAFFERTY NAMED MARYLAND “SUPER LAWYER” CLLA Member F. Thomas Rafferty of Ober, Kahn, Grimes and Shriver was named a Maryland “Super Lawyer” in January 2007. Twenty-two attorneys from the Baltimore, MD firm received the award which recognizes the top five percent of all practicing attorneys in Maryland. ▲ RICHARD G. BAUMANN NAMED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA “SUPER LAWYER” CLLA member Richard G. Baumann of the Los Angeles, CA law firm Sulmeyer Kupetz has again been chosen as one of the Southern California “Super Lawyers” in 2007. Considered among the best in their professions, “Super Lawyers” represent the top five percent of all practicing attorneys in Southern California. ▲ CHAD PEDERSON, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, P.C., a Collections and Creditor’s Rights law firm in Parsippany, NJ is pleased to announce that CLLA Member Chad Pedersen has come on board as Director of Marketing. Chad has been in the collections industry since 2001 and a CLLA member since 2002. He was previously with The Columbia Law List and The Forwarders List of Attorneys marketing the law lists to forwarders and attorneys alike. He will be marketing the firm in all collection fields. Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, P.C. is one of the largest creditor's rights firms in New Jersey. Chad Pedersen Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, P.C. 7 Century Dr. Suite 201, Parsippany, NJ 07054 Phone: 973-538-4700 x131 Fax: 973-644-3287 Email: cpedersen@feinsuch.com ▲ BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE SETTLEMENT GROWS In December 2006, Bankruptcy Trustee Marc P. Gertz announced a settlement with more than 70 former partners, law firms and insurers of the former Cleveland-based law firm of Arter & Hadden. This settlement was reached over claims made in a 16-count complaint, which was filed against the partners and their new law firms by the Trustee in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The Trustee recently filed documents seeking approval of another round of settlements involving three banks that loaned money to Arter & Hadden. Gertz and other parties to the case reached an agreement with J.P. Morgan Chase, Huntington Bank and Compass Bank thereby ending claims made by and against those banks since the demise of the law firm in 2003. In addition, the Trustee is asking the Cleveland Bankruptcy Court to approve settlements with more than 80 other partners (bringing the total to more than 150 defendants). Combined, the settlements call for the defendants and their insurers to pay approximately $10.5 million to the Trustee. This amount does not resolve claims against 35 additional partners who remain targets of the Trustee's lawsuit Arter & Hadden closed its doors on July 15, 2003, owing millions of dollars in pension obligations and other debts to creditors. The law firm was one of the nation's oldest. It began an aggressive expansion through an acquisition program in the 1990’s. Once a regional firm of 70 lawyers, Arter grew to 12 offices, 465 lawyers and 178 partners in Ohio, Texas, California and Washington, D.C. Gertz was appointed as Chapter 7 Trustee in January of 2004, and conducted an 18-month investigation into the cause of the firm's demise. The investigation by Gertz, his attorneys and forensic and information technology experts led to the filing of the complaint, which alleged improper year-end compensation distributions to the partners and other misconduct. According to Gertz, the settlement reached with the banks and the additional partners will narrow the scope of the remaining litigation and will move the case closer to a conclusions and a significant distribution to creditors. The settlements were reached after many months of negotiations with representatives of the defendants and the banks. "With so many defendants (almost all of whom are lawyers), the negotiations were complex and challenging," said Gertz, who expressed appreciation of the efforts made by his counsel and that of the other settling parties. Gertz is being represented in the action by Bernstein Law Firm, P.C. of Pittsburgh, PA (Robert S. Bernstein, CLLA Member, and Charles E. Bobinis) and Goldman & Rosen, Ltd. of Akron, Ohio (Robert M. Gippin, Irving B. Sugerman and Michael A. Steel). For more information, please contact Bob Bernstein, Bernstein Law Firm, at 412.456.8101 or rbernstein@bernsteinlaw.com or Irving B. Sugerman at 330.255.0714 or ibsugerman@goldman-rosen.com ▲ DAVID C. BERMAN - APPOINTED MORRISTOWN ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER Congratulations to CLLA Member David C. Berman. Lakeland Bank a NJ holding company has appointed him to their Morristown Advisory Board. As a member of the Board he will serve as a liaison between the bank and its community. The goal is the promotion of stronger partnerships between the bank and the communities that it serves. David C. Berman David C. Berman, PC 71 Maple Ave., Morristown, NJ 07960 Phone: 973-631-1000 Fax: 973-631-1111
member news ▲ CLLA MEMBER PANELISTS SPEAK On Monday March 26th the Commercial Law League and the following members spoke to the students at The John Marshall Law School (Chicago) on careers in the field of Commercial Law: Lauren Newman of Fagel, Haber, LLC Kevin Posen of Teller, Levit & Silvertrust ,PC Bryan V. Reed of Reed, Centracchio & Zac, LLC Walid Tamari of Tamari & Blumenthal, LLC ▲ JOHN D. RUCK JOINS McCARTHY, BURGESS & WOLFF McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, a Certified Commercial Law League Collection Agency headquartered in Cleveland Ohio is pleased to announce that John D. Ruck has joined the organization. John has managed commercial forwarding for over twenty years with Grable, Greiner & Wolff as well as OSI. He’s been a Commercial Law League member since 1987 having served on a number of committees. He will be managing the Legal Forwarding Department. McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, a commercial only Agency, is recognized as one of the 10 largest Commercial Agencies (as defined by revenues) in the country. ▲ GAMACHE & MYERS, P.C. EXPANDS OFFICE Gamache & Myers, P.C., with offices in Missouri and Arkansas announces that it has moved to a new expanded headquarters also located in the St. Louis area. The firm’s new contact information is as follows: 1000 Camera Ave, Suite A St. Louis (Crestwood) MO 63126 (314)835-6600 (ph) (314)835-6604 (fax) The firm also is pleased to announce that CLLA member Donald A. Horowitz, Sara A. Monks, and Raymond P. Bozarth have joined the firm as associate attorneys in the St. Louis office. ▲ BARRY P. CAPLAN NAMED AS ONE OF THE OREGON SUPER LAWYERS FOR 2006 CLLA Member Barry P. Caplan of the Portland, Oregon law firm of Sussman Shank has been named as one of the Oregon Super Lawyers for 2006. Four other members of the thirty lawyer firm were also named. The award recognizes the top 5% of all practicing lawyers in Oregon. ▲ CAINE & WEINER RELOCATES TO LARGER SITE Caine & Weiner, a leading global accounts receivable management company, relocated their corporate headquarters on January 22nd from Van Nuys, California to Warner Center, an upscale business center located in Woodland Hills, 14 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Founded in 1930, Caine & Weiner has full-service collection centers located in Chicago, Louisville, Buffalo and Tampa to serve their 2000 domestic and international clients. The company employs 150 team members of which 100 work at the Warner Center location. Contact: Frank Draper Vice President-Marketing 21210 Erwin St., Woodland Hills, Ca 91367 818-251-1725 frank.draper@caine-weiner.com ▲ ROBERT E. POTRZEBOWSKI, JR. BECOMES THE SOLE SHARE HOLDER OF KOHN LAW FIRM Attorney Robert E. Potrzebowski, Jr., has become the sole share holder of Kohn Law Firm S.C. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as of January 1, 2007. Founding firm member, Attorney Robert W. Kohn, is remaining “of counsel” part time with the firm from his Santa Barbara, California office. Attorney Matthew J. Richburg has become the firm’s Litigation Manager. Attorney Paula Brunner has joined the firm as an associate attorney. Doug Smyth has joined the firm as Collection Manager. ■ ▲ ALAN I. NAHMIAS NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 100 BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEYS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Alan I. Nahmias of Plotkin, Rapoport & Nahmias, in Encino, California was recently named by the Southern California Super Lawyers as one of the top 100 bankruptcy attorneys in Southern California. Commercial Law League of America LEADING THE WAY Debt 3 March/April 2007 41
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