Ms. Ps & Qs Ethics Dilemna of the Month

Ms. Ps & Qs's[i] Ethics Dilemma of the Month
Dear Ms. Ps & Qs:

I charge a flat fee for my work for debtors, and I’m wrestling with the issue of how to deal with a barrage of client phone calls. Should I unbundle phone calls from my flat fee?

Signed,

Exasperated and overworked

Dear Exasperated:

I can only imagine how busy you are these days, given the economy, and I understand that there’s some upper limit on how many . . .

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Who Gets Grannie’s Cash – Grannie or the Bankruptcy Trustee?

Cathy Moran

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When there’s a joint bank account and a bankruptcy filing, good intentions can quickly go sour. The bankruptcy trustee sees a pile of money in the bank to which the debtor has access, even though the account also bears the name of someone not in bankruptcy. If the debtor can get the money, the trustee contends, so can a bankruptcy...

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Avoidance Powers In Chapter 13 – Part 3 of 6

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By John P. Gustafson, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Ohio, Western Division (Toledo, OH) Click here for Part 1 of 6 Click here for Part 2 of 6 Click here for Part 4 of 6 Click here for Part 5 of 6

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Forced Vesting by Any Other Name – Just Might Work

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By Academy Staff Those who have been around consumer bankruptcy for a while remember the halcyon days when a Debtor surrendered property in the Plan; Plan was confirmed; lender would foreclosure and file its deficiency claim; Debtor would complete the Plan; and obtain a discharge of all unsecured debts including the deficiency balance. Lenders were able to realize on the...

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Tax Tips for Taxpayers to Consider When Selling Their Home

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The IRS has some good news for taxpayers who are selling their home. When filing their taxes, they may qualify to exclude all or part of any gain from the sale from their income. Here are some things that homeowners should think about when selling a home: Ownership and use To claim the exclusion, the taxpayer must meet ownership and...

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Pat E. Morgenstern-Clarren

November 26, 2023

Although this article was originally published in 2009, Judge Morgenstern-Clarren took a fresh look just this week. It is just as relevant today as the day she first wrote it

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Josh Cohen, Scott Waterman

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In conjunction with The Academy’s recent webinar on Student Loans, Scott and Josh offer a follow-up check list – a MUST READ! “With all the new student loan servicing changes, what should debtor attorneys be doing as to pending chapter 13 cases where their clients owe federal student loans? Here’s the short list:”

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Ask Ms. Ps & Qs

December 8, 2019

By Professor Nancy Rapoport Dear Readers: I know, I know—I’ve been absent from this column for a while,1 but I’ve found a set of cases that intrigued me, so here goes. In several cases, bankruptcy courts here in Nevada have made it clear that lawyers should do a better job of proving up their fees (and proofreading them), especially when...

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“Stripping” Residential Mortgages and the Effect of 11 U.S.C. § 1111(b) – Part 2 Eleven Eleven What?

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By Lawrence R. Ahern, III, Brown & Ahern (Nashville, TN) Wonk Alert This Part 2 wraps up some suggestions about how the parties to residential mortgages may avoid or minimize problems in the structuring and administration of these loans, with a discussion of subsection 1111(b) of Bankruptcy Code.1 This discussion may seem arcane, as indeed many experienced Chapter 11 practitioners...

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Ask Ms. Ps & Qs

Nancy B. Rapoport

October 9, 2022

Dear Readers: We are all working at what feels like the speed of light these days. (And if we’re not, then we’re upset that work is too slow. Yes, we feel like Goldilocks—work’s either too busy or not busy enough.) But the wonderful Regina has asked me a question that often relates to someone hitting “send” too soon: “When opposing...

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