Leslie Cohen, chapter 11 attorney extraordinaire and the pride of Santa Monica, is in Boston and will be running the Boston Marathon tomorrow. I don’t think its too late to sign up for her 5K this coming Saturday. The sign up website is here.
One Hour Seminar with Aki Koyama re Kathy Dockery’s New Website
From my good friend Aki Koyama:
Good afternoon my Colleagues:
On May 1, 2014 (Thursday after Judge Klein’s Confirmation Hearings), the Trustee will be holding a 1 hour seminar on how to use the new website and its many new features. Due to the size of the room available to us, we will have two sessions: one at 2 pm and one at 3 pm.
The seminar will be held at the 341(a) room at 915 Wilshire Blvd., 10th Floor, Room 3, Downtown, Los Angeles.
Room is limited so please RSVP to gmangum@latrustee.com as soon as possible.
Hope to see you there.
Check out the newest version of our website at: http://www.latrustee.com/
The new version can be accessed via cell phone and is much more user friendly. We now have an e-pay option for your client’s plan payments so that they can make their plan payments over the internet. We also have a new upload system for post confirmation tax returns called DRU (Debtor Response Upload). We’re still working out some bugs so please feel free to contact me at akoyama@latrustee.com if you experience a problem.
Take a look and enjoy.
Aki
Bankruptcy Case Filing Fees Increase Effective 6/1/2014
The Judicial Conference has approved a fee increase effective June 1, 2014.
The fees for filing a chapter 7 case will increase from $306.00 to $335.00.
The fees for filing a chapter 13 case will increase from $281.00 to $310.00
This is a $29.00 increase in the filing fees.
The fees for filing an adversary proceeding will increase to $350.00 (Debtors are not charged filing fees for adversary proceedings).
Chapter 11 filing fees will increase to $1,717.00.
April 24, 2014 – Recent Developments in Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy Case Law, Court Procedures and Best Practices
The Orange County Bar Association Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section presents the first annual:
Consumer Bankruptcy Law Update Recent Developments in Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy Case Law, Court Procedures and Best Practices
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Registration/Dinner: 5:00 p.m.
Program: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Dale E. Fowler School of Law at Chapman University
370 N. Glassell, Orange, CA 92866
Speakers:
Hon. Theodor C. Albert
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California
Hon. Catherine E. Bauer
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California
Hon. Scott C. Clarkson
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California
Hon. Mark D. Houle
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California
Thomas H. Casey, Esq.
Chapter 7 Trustee, Central District of California
Law Office of Thomas H. Casey
Amrane Cohen
Chapter 13 Trustee, Orange
Moderator
Michael Hauser, Esq.
Assistant United States Trustee, Santa Ana
Upcoming FBA-LA Events and Application Deadline for 9th Cir. Judicial Conference Lawyer Representatives
Dear FBA-LA Members, Non-Members and Colleagues,
Here are a list of a couple of upcoming FBA-LA events and one important deadline:
1. Please join us for our upcoming program The Trial of Shylock: Ethics, Mercy and the Law on April 23 . This program will celebrate William Shakespeare’s 450th birthday with a performance of his ‘Pound of Flesh’ trial scene from the Merchant of Venice, featuring Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss, followed by a panel discussion on ethics, mercy and the law, with Congressman Adam Schiff, Ret. Judge A. Howard Matz, Federal Public Defender Sean K. Kennedy and Dean of Hebrew Union College Joshua D. Holo. For more information see the attached flyer or go to http://www.fbala.org/Events.php .
2. On May 8, we will host our annual Reception Honoring the Federal Judiciary at the magnificently-restored Tom Bradley Room atop the City Hall Tower. For more information see the attached flyer or go to http://www.fbala.org/Events.php .
3. The United States District Court, Central District of California is currently seeking applications from qualified individuals interested in serving as Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference Lawyer Representatives. The deadline for applications is May 2, 2014 . Additional information can be found at https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/attorneys/lawyer-representatives. If you are interested, please complete the attached application, which can also be found at https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Application-for-9th-Cir-Judicial-Conference.pdf , and send the completed application to:
Beth E. Gaschen, Chair
Nomination Committee, Lawyer Representatives
Weiland, Golden, Smiley, Wang Ekvall & Strok, LLP
650 Town Center Drive, Suite 950 Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-966-1000 (Phone) 714-966-1002 (Fax)
bgaschen@wgllp.com
Debtor Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (“DeBN”)
The bankruptcy court has recently initiated a pilot program called the Debtor Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (“DeBN”). DeBN gives debtors the opportunity to request receiving court orders and court-generated notices via email rather than by U.S. Mail to their mailing address.
The court began testing DeBN on February 24, 2014, and the court will conclude the pilot program on May, 2014. The ability for the debtor to receive court orders and court-generated notices by email has several advantages:
-It’s fast – Debtors receive court orders and court-generated notices quickly, often on the same day they are filed.
-It’s convenient – Debtors can read and/or save the court orders and notices on their mobile device, iPad, and home computer.
-It’s free – Court orders and court-generated notices can be viewed an unlimited number of times on the debtor’s mobile device or home computer at no charge.
-It’s green – less paper clutter.
Attached hereto is additional information about how both represented and pro se debtors can request having court orders and court-generated notices sent to them via email from the court.
If you have any questions about DeBN, please feel free to contact Meredith Klassen at (805) 884-4878 or via email at meredith_klassen@cacb.uscourts.gov.
Job Announcement — National Consumer Law Center — Public Interest Consumer Attorney
The National Consumer Law Center is seeking an attorney to specialize in consumer issues affecting low-income Americans, particularly abusive debt collection practices. As a member of NCLC’s advocacy staff, the attorney will develop and implement strategies that help combat exploitive practices in the marketplace. The position includes research and writing as well as policy and systemic advocacy. The opening is in NCLC’s main office in Boston. Some travel will be required. Information attached.
If interested, please send a cover letter, your résumé, a short legal writing sample, and three references via email to: consumerlaw@nclc.org. Please reference “Consumer Attorney” in the subject line of your email.
Applications should be submitted by April 15, 2014, but will be accepted until the position is filled. Please do not mail or fax your application.
Nationstar Mortgage-Servicing Growth Probed by Lawsky
New York’s top bank regulator asked Nationstar Mortgage LLC for information about “explosive growth” in its mortgage-servicing business, citing hundreds of consumer complaints about the company’s practices.
Benjamin Lawsky, superintendent of New York’s Department of Financial Services, also asked about Nationstar’s apparent failure to fund 141 loans in a letter to Nationstar Chief Executive Officer Jay Bray.
“We have received hundreds of complaints from New York consumers about your company’s mortgage practices, including problems related to mortgage modifications, improper fees, lost paperwork, and numerous other issues,” Lawsky said in the letter.
The request marks an expansion of Lawsky’s investigation of non-bank mortgage servicers. U.S. officials have also raised concerns that mortgage servicing is increasingly being transferred from banks to specialty firms that don’t face the same degree of regulatory oversight.
Lawsky last week said he was probing possible conflicts of interest at Ocwen Financial Corp. and four related firms that could harm borrowers and push homeowners into foreclosure.
Nationstar had fallen 3.5 percent to $29.99 at 2:05 p.m. New York time after dropping more than 5 percent on news of Lawsky’s letter. Shares are down 19 percent this year. Ocwen slid 0.2 percent to $37.90, bringing its 2014 decline to 32 percent.
Office of U.S. Trustee: Open House for the new Los Angeles and Woodland Hills Offices
FROM THE UST (flyer attached):
Peter C. Anderson, United States Trustee for the Central District of California invites you to an Open House for the new Los Angeles and Woodland Hills Offices:
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
9:30 am – 11:30 am
Office of the United States Trustee
915 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1850
Los Angeles, California
M. Jonathan Hayes Books
Publisher
Senior Contributor
Contributors
