#NACBA25 Highlight: Platinum Sponsor: BK Billing

NACBA is excited to welcome BK Billing as a Platinum Sponsor at our 25th Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida, May 4th-7th. When you visit BK Billing you will experience the bankruptcy revolution that will make your job as an attorney much easier and will leave your clients feeling satisfied.  BK Billing  is a factoring company that buys accounts receivable from bankruptcy attorneys.  By following the bifurcation process of fast funding, automated billing, and credit reporting used by attorneys nationwide, you can now offer a zero dollar down option for their bankruptcy clients and still get paid in full.

Does this sound like something you’d like your firm to take advantage of? Well, you’re in luck because BK Billing is graciously extending their $595 savings offer (no set-up fee), to all NACBA members through May 7, 2017 a savings you won’t want to miss! But, wait there’s more!

BK Billing is holding a CLE session on Thursday, May 4th  at 5:00 p.m. in Room Asia 4. In this session, BK Billing Experts will review applicable case law on bifurcation and offer a free 275-page book, complete with legal memos, so you can better understand this process. Is your interest peaked? Then take a moment to read the Transcript for the Pre-NACBA Convention Call on Bifurcation, where BK Billing discusses how you can double or maybe even triple your Chapter 7 Production in the next 90 or 120 days by following case long Bifurcation and using their services.

Wait, here is yet another reason you’ll want to visit BK Billing…All Convention attendees receive a FREE copy of the 2017 United States Bankruptcy Code and Rules Booklet, 2017 Edition, when they visit BK Billing! No purchase is necessary, just stop by the BK Billing area and request your copy.

Visit the private Facebook Group for Attorneys to join the conversation!

Don’t Miss This Golden Opportunity!

Visit the BK Billing Exhibit Booth!

Bankruptcy News Briefs 4/25

Federal Court Orders Collection Agency President to Pay $2 Million Civil Penalty

Governmental Regulatory Exception to Automatic Stay Applies to Contempt Proceeding

Colorado’s FDCPA Adds Media Requirements, Removes its Collection Agency Board

House Financial Services Committee to Discuss CFPB Reform Bill

Former Regulator Details CFPB’s Secret History of Stonewalling

West Virginia Law Revises Terms for Debt Collections

The IRS is outsourcing debt collection, expect tax collection scams to get worse

Borrowers Dealt Blow After Devos Rolls Back Reform Guidelines for Student Loan Borrowers

The Week Ahead: FSC to Hold Financial CHOICE Hearing

Second Circuit Holds that District Court Orders Determining Restitution Credits are Final, Appealable Orders

Receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

In honor of NACBA’s 25th Anniversary, we want to reward you with a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Introduce a new member to NACBA and we will send you $25 Amazon Gift Card. Not only will YOU receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card but the NEW MEMBER will also receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Check out the Requirements and start referring today!

NACBA25 is Couple Weeks Away! There’s Still Time to Register!

Join us in celebrating 25 years of NACBA on May 4th-7th in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Visit NACBA25 for all the details on speakers, sessions, hotel reservations, registration and more! Register today!

 It’s a New Month! Renew Your Membership to Enter This Awesome Giveaway!

Renew your membership in April and be entered to win a copy of NCLC Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice Volume I & II, Eleventh Edition (Value $130). Two winners, will be selected at random each month

NACBA25 Highlight

Speakers Jim Cossitt and Koury Hicks with Moderator, Greta LaMountain Biagi will focus on counsel’s legal and ethical duties concerning reaffirmation agreements, covering everything from pre-petition responsibilities to representing the Debtor at the reaffirmation hearing.  “To Reaffirm or Not to Reaffirm: What Are The Factors?” will also cover many of the current issues related to the reaffirmation process, including an overview of the cases and practical advice related to vehicle, vehicle lease and mortgage reaffirmations, as well as reaffirmation alternatives and ride-through.
Your Presenters
avatar for Jim Cossitt
James H. Cossitt has practiced in Kalispell, Mont., since 1999 in the areas of bankruptcy & workouts, business & commercial litigation, real estate, landlord / tenant, secured transactions and construction law.   He began his career in insolvency law as a bankruptcy attorney with the FDIC in Des Moines, Iowa, served as a chapter 7 panel trustee in the N.D. of Iowa from 1988-95 and as a chapter 11 trustee in the W.D. of Michigan from 1997 to 2000.  Mr. Cossitt is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts in Montana, Colorado, Michigan and Iowa, is board-certified by the American Board of Certification in both Business & Consumer Bankruptcy Law.  He is a member of the American Bar Association, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and a lifetime member of the American Bankruptcy Institute.  In addition, he is the Montana editor of West Group’s Bankruptcy Exemption Manual  and in 2009 was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Certification (ABC).As chair of the Task Force on Attorney Discipline’s Best Practices Working Group of the Ad Hoc Committee on Bankruptcy Court Structure and Insolvency Process, Mr. Cossitt supervised the publication of the “Working Paper: Best Practices for Debtors’ Attorneys”, 64 Bus. Law 79 (2008), which was a follow up to an earlier Report by the Task force, entitled “Attorney liability under section 707(b)(4) of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005”, 61 Bus. Law. 697 (2006).A frequent speaker to professional and trade groups on bankruptcy and related topics, Mr. Cossitt was a member of a task force of US bankruptcy judges, law professors and others who consulted with the Slovak Parliament and research institutes in Bratislava, Slovakia, in 1993 on drafting a new bankruptcy law and the transition to a market economy.  He served as an invited lecturer at a Russian Bankruptcy School sponsored by the Iowa State University Center for International Agricultural Finance, held in Ames, Iowa, in 1995.  Mr. Cossitt received his B.A., with distinction, in 1982 from Iowa State University and his J.D. in 1986 from the University of Iowa College of Law.
Koury Hicks
avatar for Koury Hicks
Koury Hicks is a Board Certified Specialist in Consumer Bankruptcy Law, and has been practicing bankruptcy law exclusively since 2008.    He has spoken at the 2011 and 2013 North Carolina Bar Association Annual Bankruptcy Institute Seminars on Means Test issues and Trustee Audits.  He is also a regular speaker at the Middle District Bankruptcy Seminar regarding Chapter 13 consumer practice and mortgage issues.   In 2012, Koury co-authored the North Carolina Bankruptcy Practice Manual chapter on Means Testing.  Koury is a 2006 graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law, and a survivor of O. Max Gardner’s bankruptcy boot camp.

NACBA Awards Henry J. Sommer Scholarship to Nate Juster of Atlanta Legal Aid

Attorney Nate Juster

Each year, one bankruptcy attorney who demonstrates outstanding contributions in his or her community is granted a scholarship from National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) to attend its national convention at no cost. This year, NACBA’s coveted Henry J. Sommer Legal Aid Scholarship goes to Nate Juster, attorney, with the Home Defense Program at Atlanta Legal Aid Society, for his dedication to representing low-income homeowners who are at risk of losing their homes, many of whom were victims of predatory lending or abusive servicing.

The Henry J. Sommer Scholarship recognizes exceptional attorneys who show the same dedication of service to their clients that President Emeritus Henry J. Sommer (2005 to 2008 and Board of Directors member 1992 to 2011) gave to NACBA. The 2017 Annual Convention will be held May 4-7, 2017 in Orlando, FL. Along with being awarded convention registration and materials, Juster will take part in celebrating NACBA’s 25th Anniversary in Disney.

NACBA Executive Director Dan LaBert said: “We are pleased to provide this esteemed scholarship to Nate. It gives him the opportunity to gain invaluable resources to enhance his profession and the ability to connect with a vast network of consumer bankruptcy attorneys.”

Nate Juster said: “I am honored to receive a scholarship from NACBA recognizing the importance of legal aid work and the many contributions Henry Sommer made to the practice of bankruptcy law. I look forward to attending NACBA’s Annual Convention, where I hope meet and learn from other consumer bankruptcy practitioners and develop techniques to help struggling homeowners.”

Juster graduated with honors from Emory Law School. While in law school he served as the Director of the Emory Law School Supreme Court Advocacy Program, a student-run clinic providing pro bono legal representation before the United States Supreme Court. Prior to joining the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, he clerked for the Honorable Mary Grace Diehl, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

Bankruptcy News Briefs 4/24

Bank Card Default Rates Increase for Fifth Consecutive Month

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments over Whether Debt Buyers are Debt Collectors under FDCPA

11th Circuit Gives Debtor Another Chance to Prove She Met All Three Prongs of Brunner Test to Discharge Student Loans

CFPB Issues Final Rule on Prepaid Card Rule Extension

Report: Medical debt collections draw scrutiny

Attention lenders: The CFPB is now focusing more on fair lending in mortgages

Lawsuits allege mortgage servicer Ocwen’s mistakes cost some borrowers their homes

U.S. Consumer Debt Rises Overall, Housing Debt Drops

Medical Debt Cited As Leading Cause For Bankruptcy

A Glimpse Into the Consumer Bankruptcy Journal

Stephen Fairley, Rainmaker Institute, LLC

Image result for stephen fairley

Best selling author and CEO, Stephen Fairley understands how vital it is for  legal professionals to connect with their clients so they can best serve them. In his article, “4 Ways Attorneys Can Connect with Today’s Legal Consumers,” he gives four  concise tips on how to connect with consumers that is beneficial for them and for the growth of your firm.

Receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

In honor of NACBA’s 25th Anniversary, we want to reward you with a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Introduce a new member to NACBA and we will send you $25 Amazon Gift Card. Not only will YOU receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card but the NEW MEMBER will also receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Check out the Requirements and start referring today!

NACBA25 is Couple Weeks Away! There’s Still Time to Register!

Join us in celebrating 25 years of NACBA on May 4th-7th in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Visit NACBA25 for all the details on speakers, sessions, hotel reservations, registration and more! Register today!

 It’s a New Month! Renew Your Membership to Enter This Awesome Giveaway!

Renew your membership in April and be entered to win a copy of NCLC Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice Volume I & II, Eleventh Edition (Value $130). Two winners, will be selected at random each month

NACBA25 Session Highlight

 

The preparation of the schedules should act as a road map so your Trustee doesn’t get lost. Receive tips from a Trustee and Debtors Counsel on how to best build schedules, prepare your client and communicate with the trustee to make the 341 meeting and administration of the estate a seamless endeavor.

Your Presenters:

Robert Colliersmith

avatar for Robert Colliersmith

Mr. Colliersmith received his undergraduate degree from Emory University and his J.D. from Mercer Unversity, Walter F. George School of Law. He has practiced bankruptcy law in the Northern District of Georgia since 1980.  He practices with his wife and partner, Carol A. Colliersmith, exclusively in the area of small business and consumer bankruptcy. Mr. Colliersmith has presented at prior NACBA Conventions, ABI Conventions, State Bar Conventions and local bar presentations and was a member of the State Bench and Bar in Georgia.   He and Carol Colliersmith were former Co-Chairs of NACBA in the State of Georgia and Mr. Colliersmith received the Colleen Nunnelly Memorial Award from NACBA. He volunteers to represent clients pro bono under a program of Georgia State School of Law which mentors law students regarding the actual practice of bankruptcy law in which the law students assist in the preparation and procedure of the filing and process of consumer bankruptcy and has testified in Bankruptcy Court as an expert witness regarding the process of consumer bankruptcy petition preparation.

Chuck Moore

avatar for Chuck Moore

Charles G. Moore “Chuck” is a 1987 graduate of The University of Florida where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. In 1990 Chuck graduated from Stetson University College of Law with a Juris Doctorate Degree. Soon after graduating from Law School he accepted a position as a Criminal Prosecuting Attorney with the Sixth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida where he gained extensive litigation experience. Chuck’s practice is now limited to the representation of consumer debtors in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies. Being actively engaged in the practice of law in excess of 25 years, Chuck has handled more than 2,300 bankruptcy petitions. He is an active member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, The National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, The Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association and the National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees. Chuck has served as the Florida State Chair for the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys in the Middle and Northern Districts of Florida since 2012. He also regularly performs numerous hours of continuing legal education, all of which are specifically limited to current issues facing Consumer Bankruptcy Debtors. Chuck represents clients in the Tampa Bay area including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, South Pasadena, St. Pete Beach, Gulfport, Seminole, Pinellas Park, Kenneth City, Treasure Island, Tampa, Sarasota and Bradenton.

Traci Stevenson

avatar for Traci Stevenson, Chapter 7 Trustee

Traci K. Stevenson is a 1982 graduate of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where she earned a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Business Administration. Before attending law school, she was a police officer and labor negotiator among other things. In 1991 Traci graduated cum laude from Stetson University College of Law with a Juris Doctorate degree. Soon after graduating she was appointed by the Office of United States Trustee as a chapter 7 bankruptcy panel trustee and has been a panel trustee for twenty five years.  Traci is also a consumer bankruptcy attorney representing debtors. Her third area of practice is as a State of Florida Supreme Court Certified Civil Circuit mediator. She was involved in developing the Mortgage Modification Mediation program in the bankruptcy court in all the districts of Florida and has participated in over Three thousand mediations thus far.  She is a member of National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association.

Register Today for this Great Session & More!

Bankruptcy News Briefs 4/21

House Committee Sets Hearing on Revised Financial CHOICE Act

Consumers’ Perceptions of Debt Payments, Credit Availability Improve

Regulators Are Suing Subprime Mortgage Servicer Ocwen for Years of ‘Deceptive Practices’

Ocwen Responds to Suit from CFPB, 21 States

Orchard Park debt collection mastermind faces prison for $31 million scam

Free Pass for Taxes Owed to Pennsylvania?

11th Circuit Clarifies FDCPA/FCCPA Issues Re Periodic Mortgage Statements After Bankruptcy

Supreme Court hears arguments on SEC suit time limits, debt collector status

The Average Student Loan Debt in Every State

Should DeVos Block an Embattled Student Loan Giant’s Attempt to Expand?

Delinquency Rates, Foreclosures Dip to Historic Lows

Receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

In honor of NACBA’s 25th Anniversary, we want to reward you with a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Introduce a new member to NACBA and we will send you $25 Amazon Gift Card. Not only will YOU receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card but the NEW MEMBER will also receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Check out the Requirements and start referring today!

NACBA25 is Couple Weeks Away! There’s Still Time to Register!

Join us in celebrating 25 years of NACBA on May 4th-7th in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Visit NACBA25 for all the details on speakers, sessions, hotel reservations, registration and more! Register today!

 It’s a New Month! Renew Your Membership to Enter This Awesome Giveaway!

Renew your membership in April and be entered to win a copy of NCLC Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice Volume I & II, Eleventh Edition (Value $130). Two winners, will be selected at random each month

 

Bankruptcy News Briefs 4/20

U.S. Secretary of Education Withdraws Memos on Student Loan Servicing

Experian Makes Debt Collection Easier for Consumers

Prior Express Consent Defeats TCPA Claim, But Jury May Find 87 Calls Over 19 Days to be FDCPA Violation

Bona Fide Error Defense Comes Through For Collector With Strong Processes

Mortgage Defaults Climb Slightly

Decline in bankruptcy filings slowing

Judge Issues 30-Day Halt To Proceedings in ED Contract Debacle

Americans have lodged thousands of mortgage complaints with the agency Republicans want to gut

CFPB Prepaid Card Rule Again Targets a Product Popular With the Masses

U.S. recoups $63M in student loans after hiring private debt collection lawyers

WASHINGTON STATE SENATE PASSES BILL TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY FOR STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS

NACBA25 is Less Than A  Month Away! Are You Registered?

Join us in celebrating 25 years of NACBA on May 4th-7th in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Visit NACBA25 for all the details on speakers, sessions, hotel reservations, registration and more! Register today!

A Glimpse Into the Consumer Bankruptcy Journal

Brian Cuban, Esq. 

Image result

In Brian Cuban’s article, “Why Are Lawyers So Afraid To Ask for Help?” he gives some honest insight into the stigma and fear lawyers have of  career consequences when seeking help, especially through the Legal Assistance Program. Brian discusses this culture of fear and gives ideas on how to dispel this myth so that those who need help will seek it freely.

Receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

In honor of NACBA’s 25th Anniversary, we want to reward you with a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Introduce a new member to NACBA and we will send you $25 Amazon Gift Card. Not only will YOU receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card but the NEW MEMBER will also receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Check out the Requirements and start referring today!

 It’s a New Month! Renew Your Membership to Enter This Awesome Giveaway!

Renew your membership in April and be entered to win a copy of NCLC Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice Volume I & II, Eleventh Edition (Value $130). Two winners, will be selected at random each month

Bankruptcy News Briefs 4/19

Prior Express Consent Defeats TCPA Claim, But Jury May Find 87 Calls Over 19 Days to be FDCPA Violation

Emotional Distress Damages Available for Stay Violation

FCC Seeks Comment By May 18 on Voicemail Drop Petition

Justices Appear Reluctant to Close Debt Collection Loophole

Dodd-Frank Needs Reform: Start With The CFPB

U.S. Economy in a Snapshot Shows Decline in Consumer Spending

CFPB Sues Another Debt Collection Law Firm

D.C. reaches settlement with debt collection company over allegations of illegal collections

California’sBankruptcy Court Imposes Massively Disproportionate $45 Million Punitive Exaction, Then Plays Santa Claus With $40 Million Of It

New ‘ReLIEF Act’ Could Make Student Loan Refinancing Cheaper

Bank of America Must Pay $46 Million for Improper Foreclosure

NACBA25 is Less Than A  Month Away! Are You Registered?

Join us in celebrating 25 years of NACBA on May 4th-7th in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Visit NACBA25 for all the details on speakers, sessions, hotel reservations, registration and more! Register today!

Receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

In honor of NACBA’s 25th Anniversary, we want to reward you with a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Introduce a new member to NACBA and we will send you $25 Amazon Gift Card. Not only will YOU receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card but the NEW MEMBER will also receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Check out the Requirements and start referring today!

 It’s a New Month! Renew Your Membership to Enter This Awesome Giveaway!

Renew your membership in April and be entered to win a copy of NCLC Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice Volume I & II, Eleventh Edition (Value $130). Two winners, will be selected at random each month

Bankruptcy News Briefs 4/18

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Rules that Agency Acting Under a “Safe Harbor” Provision of Wisconsin Statute Did Not Violate FDCPA

CFPB Sues Ohio Law Firm Over Debt-Collection Practices

Attorney Fee Application Filed Too Late

Attorney’s Failure to Conduct Reasonable Investigation of Debtor’s Income & Expenses Led to Dismissal of Case & Sanctions against Lawyer

CFPB Proposal Aims to Clarify Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Rule

Individuals Account for More Than a Quarter of All Chapter 11 Filings, ABI

Yes, all debt is bad debt

The Bureau of Resistance

Credit card debt enslaving the American consumer

Report: Medical Debt Agencies Aggressively Go After Debts That Aren’t Owed

District Court Takes Perplexing View on FDCPA Standing

IRS Just Hired Private Debt Collection Agencies to Chase Down Your Debt

Student debt: America’s 1.3 trillion issue

NACBA25 is Less Than A  Month Away! Are You Registered?

Join us in celebrating 25 years of NACBA on May 4th-7th in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Visit NACBA25 for all the details on speakers, sessions, hotel reservations, registration and more! Register today!

A Glimpse Into the Consumer Bankruptcy Journal

Gene Melchionne, Esq.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe you missed National World Back Up Day on March 31st, but don’t despair! Eugene Melchionne’s article, “Technology Inner Sanctum,” provides practical tips and advice on creating a back up process that will give you peace of mind and a way to keep your client’s data secure!

Receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

In honor of NACBA’s 25th Anniversary, we want to reward you with a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Introduce a new member to NACBA and we will send you $25 Amazon Gift Card. Not only will YOU receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card but the NEW MEMBER will also receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Check out the Requirements and start referring today!

 It’s a New Month! Renew Your Membership to Enter This Awesome Giveaway!

Renew your membership in April and be entered to win a copy of NCLC Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice Volume I & II, Eleventh Edition (Value $130). Two winners, will be selected at random each month