Special Counsel 101: Getting Paid and Protecting Clients

The Bankruptcy Code imposes many duties on attorneys. One such duty requires attorneys to disclose compensation for services in contemplation of, or in connection with a bankruptcy case.1 Debtor attorneys know to disclose their fees at the start of the case. Attorneys that forget to timely file a compensation disclosure typically receive a gentle reminder to do so. However, in In re Smith,2 a Georgia personal injury attorney received a not so gentle reminder of this duty when his fees were disgorged.

In November of . . .

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Attorney with the Law Offices of Jeffrey M. Sirody & Associates, P.A. (Baltimore, MD)

Ms. Noll has worked for debtors, creditors, and trustees. Her current practice focuses on debtor representation with an emphasis on Chapter 13. Ms. Noll graduated magna cum laude from Cleveland State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She is a recent contributor to the Maryland section of the Bankruptcy Exemption Manual published by Thomson West. When practicing in Ohio, Ms. Noll worked on seminar committees and served as co-chair for The William J. O’Neill Great Lakes Regional Bankruptcy Institute. She is now an active member of the Maryland State Bar Association’s Consumer Bankruptcy section, concentrating her efforts on the creation of new continuing legal education programs.

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