As a Certified Bankruptcy Specialist (certified by the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization) I represent individuals, married couples, and small businesses in Chapters 7, 11, and 13. I enjoy getting my clients relief from their creditors so they can live without fear of the telephone or bills in the mail. Most importantly, I care about my clients as human beings, and tailor my services to their needs: I do not use a cookie cutter approach to my practice.

I am a former math professor and can clearly explain complex ideas to people without a technical background. I have developed a great deal of patience, and am willing to take the time necessary to ensure my clients understand the relevant bankruptcy law and what I am doing for them.

I have two Bachelor’s degrees (Mathematics and Forest Resource) and a Master’s degree (Mathematics) from the University of Washington, a Ph.D. (Mathematics) from UCLA, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. I began practicing law in 2001 as a second career and am a recovering academic.

I lecture periodically on bankruptcy. Recent topics have included Chapter 13 bankruptcy, automatic stay litigation, bankruptcy and family law, and bankruptcy related issues in real estate. I have published materials on these subjects, on suing the federal government under the Tucker Act, and on Function Theory of Several Complex Variables—a rather recondite area of theoretical mathematics.

I started this blog because I keep up on the latest developments in bankruptcy law and related news, and enjoy discussing these subjects with others. In addition to the constantly evolving bankruptcy case law, there are many umbilical cords that connect the daily news to bankruptcy. This blog keeps my readers apprised of the latest developments in bankruptcy law and discusses the news in a bankruptcy context.

Practice Areas

  • Bankruptcy representation for individuals, married couples, and small businesses in Chapters 7, 11, and 13.
  • Bankruptcy litigation

Professional Associations

  • Southern California Bankruptcy Inns of Court
  • Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association
  • Orange County Bankruptcy Forum
  • Inland Empire Bankruptcy Forum
  • National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
  • Federal Bar Association
  • Whittier Bar Association (President – 2010; Richard Nixon ran unsuccessfully for this office, so I guess this means I’ll never be president of the U.S.)

Education

  • B.S. Forest Resources – University of Washington, 1983
  • B.S. Mathematics – University of Washington, 1983
  • M.A. Mathematics – University of Washington, 1986
  • Ph.D. Mathematics – UCLA, 1992; dissertation title: The Bergman Kernel On Certain Weakly Pseudoconvex Domains
  • J.D. – University of Virginia, 2001

Bar Admissions

  • California State Bar
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims