Critical Case Comment – Sec. 328 vs. Sec. 327 Not Exactly a Smack Down

A referral fee by retained special counsel paid to debtor’s attorney violates the prohibition in § 504 in that the referral fee constitutes an unauthorized splitting of attorney’s fees. (Williamson) In re Davis, 638 B.R. 198 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. March 31, 2022)

Case Summary

Four years after Lisa Davis filed her Chapter 13 petition, she was involved in an auto accident resulting in a personal injury claim against her insurer and the owner of the automobile. She negotiated a representation agreement with a personal injury firm, Butler & Boyd, with . . .

It looks like you are not signed in or registered! This content is only available to members.

Or sign in below:

Copy of Hildebrand-2016
Chapter 13 Standing Trustee for the Middle District of Tennessee (Nashville)

Henry E. Hildebrand, III has served as Standing Trustee for Chapter 13 matters in the Middle District of Tennessee since 1982 and as Standing Chapter 12 Trustee for that district since 1986. He also is of counsel to the Nashville law firm of Belcher Sykes Harrington, PLLC. Mr. Hildebrand graduated from Vanderbilt University and received his J.D. from the National Law Center of George Washington University. He is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and the Nashville Bar Foundation. He is Board Certified in consumer bankruptcy law by the American Board of Certification and serves on its faculty committee. He is Chairman of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee for the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (NACTT). He is on the Board of Directors for the NACTT Academy for Consumer Bankruptcy Education, Inc. and is an adjunct faculty member for the Nashville School of Law and St. Johns University School of Law. In addition, he served as a commissioner to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy.

Related Articles

moran_cathy
September 17, 2023
What do you do when you don’t know the answer to a bankruptcy client’s questions? After all, you’re a bankruptcy lawyer.
Members
rapoport26
May 19, 2024
Debtor Attorneys, this one is specifically for you – a very direct answer from our ethics expert on a real-world scenario regarding ghosting clients (ghosting is an adjective here, not a verb! Have a question for Ms. Ps & Qs? Click here – you may remain anonymous if you wish.
Members
PamelaSimmonsBeasley
September 29, 2024
When you hear the words “gone too soon,” it is usually related to death. Fortunately, that is not the case here. Pamela Simmons Beasley, Chapter 13 Trustee for the District of South Carolina in Columbia, made an indelible impression on me and the NACTT. We will miss you, Pam!
June 23, 2019
Nearly 2 million Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) are set to expire at the end of 2019 as the IRS continues to urge affected taxpayers to submit their renewal applications early to avoid refund delays next year. “We urge taxpayers with expiring ITINs to take action and renew the number as soon as possible. Renewing before the end of the...
January 19, 2020
January 9, 2020, the Bureau filed suit against several companies and individuals involved in offering student loan debt-relief services for allegedly obtaining consumer reports illegally, charging unlawful advance fees, and engaging in deceptive conduct. The Bureau’s action is against a mortgage lender called Chou Team Realty, LLC, which does business as Monster Loans (Monster Loans); an allegedly sham mortgage brokerage...
August 2, 2020
By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) Marijuana connection required case dismissal. The Chapter 13 debtors owned interests in an entity that was engaged in litigation to recover damages for breach of contract related to growing and selling marijuana, and this connection required dismissal of the case. Continuing administration of the case “would likely require the trustee or the court...
Members
lynch
December 31, 2023
“Currently, if a district’s weighted caseload is below one-thousand per the number of judges in that district . . . in all probability, recommend that the circuit not replace the judge.”
Members
gustafson2
In the continually evolving field of consumer bankruptcy law, a series of Supreme Court decisions shape how cases are administered nationwide. Over the coming weeks, we will highlight key decisions that every bankruptcy practitioner should recognize—both by name and by the issues they resolve. This week’s ‘memory work’ is: Dewsnup v. Timm; Marrama; Rash; and Till
Members
August 15, 2021
By Karin N. Amyx, Staff Attorney to Chapter 13 Trustee Carl Davis (Wichita, KS) Trustees possess a variety of sensitive information that could be useful to litigants in contract disputes, divorce and child custody matters, insurance litigation or criminal prosecution. Additionally, debtors, creditors or third parties may be interested in the trustee’s internal operating procedures or legal position on disputes...
Members

Looking to Become a Member?

ConsiderChapter13.org offers a forum to advance continuing education of consumer bankruptcy via access to insightful articles, informative webinars, and the latest industry news. Join now to benefit from expert resources and stay informed.

Webinars

These informative sessions are led by industry experts and cover a range of consumer bankruptcy topics.

Member Articles

Written by industry experts, these articles provide in-depth analysis and practical guidance on consumer bankruptcy topics.

Industry News

The Academy is the go-to source for the latest news and analysis in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy industry.

To get started, please let us know which of these best fits your current position: