Juris Doctor (JD)
Valparaiso University School of Law
1985
BACKGROUND: Graduated from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, in June of 1982 with a B.S. In August of the same year, I enrolled in the Valparaiso University School of Law in Indiana and graduated with a J.D. degree in 1985. The last two years in law school, I worked for two Superior Court judges in South Bend, Indiana, observing trials, preparing trial memos, researching, writing and performing other related work. I also assisted one of the professors in the preparation of a legal journal in law school and competed in the moot court competition. MEMBER: I am a member of the Standing Ch. 13 Committee, a committee organized by the bankruptcy judges in the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division. I was also a member of the committee that put together the Bankruptcy Bench-Bar Conference in April of 2008 for all of the bankruptcy judges in the Southern District of Ohio.

Columbus Bar Association
Ohio State Bar Association
Missouri Bar Association
Illinois Bar Association
Nat'l Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
Past Member: Women Lawyers of Franklin County
Ohio Courts
Illinois Courts
Missouri Courts
8th Circuit Court of Appeals
US District Court, Southern District of Ohio
I am current on all Continuing Education requirements and am also a frequent speaker at the Columbus Bar Association in the area of consumer bankruptcy law.
Member and Past Co-Chair, International Women’s
Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (I.W.I.R.C.)
Member, Columbus Bar Bankruptcy Subcommittee
Past Member, Judicial Liaison Committee
of the Bankruptcy Court
Member, Standing Ch. 13 Committee
Member, Columbus Crew Soccer Foundation
Member, Credit Education Coalition
Member, Mediation Panel, US Bankruptcy Court, SD Ohio

June 1985
0058350
OH
1-5

I work to provide unmatched legal guidance on debt, bankruptcy, and foreclosure problems, designed to get clients back on solid financial ground.
I graduated from law school in June of 1985 and moved back to St. Louis where my family resided, took the Missouri Bar, and obtained my license in November of 1985. I obtained an associate position with a small firm at the end of 1985 (Vogler and Associates) in St. Louis doing mainly civil litigation with some exposure to bankruptcy law. Since we also represented clients in East St. Louis, Illinois, I took the Illinois Bar in 1986 and obtained my Illinois license. At the end of 1989 / beginning of 1990, I obtained an associate position in a medium-sized firm (Compton, Wells & Hamburg) in St. Louis representing consumers, businesses and a Ch. 7 trustee. I handled civil litigation, Ch. 7 bankruptcy cases, and represented business clients in Ch. 11 cases. In representing a Ch. 7 trustee at Compton, Wells & Hamburg, I successfully argued a bankruptcy issue before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. In September of 1991, I moved to Columbus after marrying my husband. I started my own office in the spring of 1992 after obtaining my Ohio license. In my practice, I handle various legal matters such as civil litigation, real estate, general corporate work, and bankruptcy. At the present time, 85-90% of my practice consists of representing clients in consumer bankruptcy cases such as Ch. 7 and Ch. 13 proceedings. I also represent business clients in both Ch. 13 and Ch. 11 cases. In addition, I have represented clients before the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel.
Americans deal with financial pitfalls every day. Many, unfortunately, only dig themselves deeper into the hole by not seeking professional legal help early enough. I work to offer professional representation and guidance designed to get clients out of the hole and back on solid financial ground. PRACTICE AREAS: Personal and Corporate Bankruptcy, Real Estate, Debt Defense Litigation, and Foreclosure Defense. LICENSED: Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois.

From the age of thirteen, I knew I wanted to be an attorney. I was interested in the law and saw it as a way to use my skills and brain effectively. I found it rewarding to discover that I also love the challenges of lawyering and the way I'm able to help so many people, especially in my bankruptcy practice.
In my work life, I am helped to be a better attorney because of my legal experience of almost 24 years with 85-90% of my practice focused on consumer and business bankruptcy law. I am licensed to provide legal services for clients in three states (Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois) and I have experience with the 8th circuit court of appeals and Bankruptcy Appellate Panel. I participate regularly in Bar Association Bankruptcy Law committees and with legal groups like the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and the Credit Education Coalition. I also present legal seminars on bankruptcy law to other attorneys and I volunteer annually to handle legal matters on a pro-bono basis for disadvantaged people. In my personal life, my whole family volunteers for a soup kitchen for battered women and their families. Besides being immensely rewarding, I find that the volunteer work helps me keep in touch with the struggles of real people and the reality of how often financial problems lead to personal problems and vice versa.
I became a lawyer in 1985 and quickly found that bankruptcy law was a good fit for me. I really enjoy being a zealous advocate for my clients and continually learning about bankruptcy law and I find the end result of the process to be extremely rewarding. I especially like to watch clients put their troubles behind them and make a good life after bankruptcy. I also enjoy handling business bankruptcies and learning about the details of the business as we go along. Bankruptcy is an area of law that has changed drastically in the last three years and continues to change as new legal situations arise; I enjoy the challenges of staying on top of the updates to bankruptcy laws and figuring out how best to navigate them on behalf of my clients.
I think my firm is unique because of my personal attention, my passion for bankruptcy law, and my compassion for people in financial trouble. I continually work to strengthen and update my knowledge of ever-changing bankruptcy laws to the benefit of my clients. My clients' legal matters are never passed off to a paralegal or younger attorney as happens sometimes in larger firms. As a sole practitioner, I provide clients with my personal attention and communicate regularly with them, handling every detail of their cases, from start to finish. I wouldn't have it any other way.
My ideal client follows my instructions and advice, understanding that they are paying for my legal expertise and taking full advantage of my extensive bankruptcy law experience. My ideal client tries to listen carefully to me and to be as prepared as possible by gathering the numerous documents that bankruptcy proceedings require. When clients partner with me in this "ideal" way, I'm able to provide them with legal representation to the best of my ability and together we can work to achieve a speedier and more effective resolution of their legal matters.
In addition to the regular volunteering my whole family does at a soup kitchen for battered women and their families, my husband and I both volunteer in our children's classrooms and their school and sports activities. Soccer is well-loved in our house! I serve on the Board of Directors of the Crew Soccer Foundation, the charitable arm of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew. The Crew Soccer Foundation works to advance the sport of soccer and quality of life of Central Ohio's young people. Their activities include an annual Referee Scholarship for economically disadvantaged teens and the donation of Crew game tickets to local children's organizations. Through the Crew Soccer Foundation's Soccer Aid, over $36,000 has been raised in the last five years for the Mid-Ohio Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
As mentioned above, I provide pro-bono legal work, regularly volunteer at a soup kitchen, and volunteer my time to the Crew Soccer Foundation.

Yes.

I try to keep my fees both affordable and flexible. Please feel free to contact me to discuss potential fees for your legal matter.