All posts in Community

San Fernando Valley Bar Association; Bankruptcy Section Program; “Settling with the Trustees” Friday, June 16, 2017, at 12 noon

Email from Steve Fox

Dear All:

This is the monthly message I send to you.

The SFVBA Bankruptcy Section monthly meeting will be this Friday.  The topic is a good one, one that we have gone back to repeatedly over the years because of many requests that we update and repeat the program. Each time, the panel of trustees and trustee attorneys look at the recent issues.  One issue will look at trustee efforts to go after the homestead exemption following the sale of the homestead.  Another will look at the goings on in a chapter 7 case where the trustee sold the family residence to a third party,  the various issues which arose and how the parties and the court dealt with the issues.  In that case, the IRS asserted that its penalty claim against the debtors had to satisfied from the Debtor’s homestead monies.  This particular case had its share of drama too. Read more…

NextChapter Software – the best bankruptcy software!

This isn’t the typical substantive bk news I share but I recently started my own practice in Glendale and spent hours looking at different bankruptcy petition preparing software – Bestcase, CINCompass, etc.  Then I stumbled upon NextChapter when setting up my practice management software, Clio.  On Clio, there was a feature where you can sync your practice management software with NextChapter (that in itself is unheard of because I said to myself “great, the two softwares will “talk” to each other!)   So I looked into NextChapter and I was absolutely blown away!

No, I am not a paid spokesperson but I promised the CEO/Founder, a wonderful young women, that I would help spread the word about her amazing software.  Their customer service is amazing and their software is unmatched (plus it is much more affordable than the clunky competitors).  Here’s a link – https://nextchapterbk.com/

You can find me now at sevan@gorginianlaw.com

State Bar “Sections” to Separate from the State Bar, Effective as Early as January 1, 2018

From Jim Hill, Chairman of the Business Law Section of the State Bar:

The bar restructuring legislation, SB 36, passed unanimously in the Senate and has been sent to the Assembly for its consideration in the early days of the summer.  If all stays on track, we are looking for the Sections to emerge into the new entity as early as January 1, 2018.

The summary of Senate Bill 36 provides:    Read more…

February 2017 Bar Pass Rates Announced

The announcement from the Bar with bar exam statistics is here.  The overall pass rate for the February 2017 exam was 34.5% (the lowest in over a decade for a February administration).  The in-state ABA first time pass rate average was 45% and the California Accredited Law School (CALS) first time pass rate average was 18%.

The University of West Los Angeles where I teach had a first time pass rate of 26% (5/19 examinees).     Read more…

29th Insolvency Conference May 2017

The California Bankruptcy Forum was kind to permit me to audit the Insolvency Conference this weekend on Coronado Island.  As a member of the State Bar Bankruptcy Specialist Commission, I am permitted to audit programs.  About a third of the Central District Bankruptcy Judges were there I would guess and several judges from other districts in California.  The value of sitting at tables and around the chairs in the lobby with the judges you appear in front of every day cannot be overstated.  The programs were great.  I highly recommend it.  Next year the meeting will be somewhere around Lake Tahoe.

Especially fun was the Brutzkus Gubner clambake at the Hotel Del Coronado on Friday night.  A special thanks to Steve Gubner for that.

LACBA Event – Judge Ernest M. Robles: Pet Peeves and Best Practices 6/15/17

Join United States Bankruptcy Judge Ernest M. Robles and moderator J. Scott Bovitz as they discuss Judge Robles’ pet peeves, reveal the best way to handle the most common motions/trials in Judge Robles’ court, and make suggestions for improving practice in consumer and business cases.

Speakers:
Hon. Ernest M. Robles
, United States Bankruptcy Court
J. Scott Bovitz, Bovitz & Spitzer

Read more…

Prober & Raphael Employment Opportunities

Message from Lee Raphael:

My firm is hiring. We are looking to hire:

– Bankruptcy Law Clerk/Paralegal
– Bankruptcy Drafter
– Collections Case Manager/Legal Assistant

Neighborhood Legal Services Job Opening for Staff Attorney

The flyer is attached.  Staff Attorney 5.3.17

SFVB Assn Program May 12, 2017

Email from Steve Fox

Dear All:

Usually we focus on one theme for an hour to an hour and one half.  Our May program panel goes the other way.  Read more…

Congratulations to Diane Weil – new Partner at Danning Gill

I got a notice today that Diane Weil has become a partner at Danning Gill Diamond & Kollitz.  Congratulations.