
Financial Services and Bankruptcy Attorney - Chicago, Illinois and Wisconsin
Greater Chicago Area

Financial Services and Bankruptcy Attorney - Chicago, Illinois and Wisconsin
Greater Chicago Area
Av (highest possible) rated Attorney specializing in representation of people and business in financial matters since 1974. We are the leading financial service firm in Lake County, Illinois and intend to become the leading financial service firm in the area north of Chicago and south of Milwaukee. To that end, we established Lakelaw/Kenosha in 2006 and now have offices in Chicago and Skokie as well..
Only lawyer in Northern Illinois or Southern Wisconsin board certified in both business and consumer bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification.
Licensed in Illinois and Wisconsin
Recognized nationally for expertise in mortgage foreclosure defense.
Designated as a "Super Lawyer" in Illinois in the field of bankruptcy since 2007.
Avvo rated 10.0 out of 10.0 - "Superb"
Led World Bank project instituting modern bankruptcy laws in Mongolia in 1999
Bankruptcy and insolvency, predatory lending defense, business organizations, estate planning, probate administration, guardianships and elder law. In addition, we handle civil litigation involving financial matters including mortgage foreclosures (both for creditors and defense), consumer protection matters including Fair Debt Collection Practice Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Lemon Law.
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Law Practice industry)
2006 — Present (3 years )
Partner of Financial Services firm Serving Kenosha, Racine and Walworth Counties in Southeast Wisconsin. Also with offices in La Crosse Wisconsin serving the 7 Rivers Region.
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Law Practice industry)
May 1999 — Present (10 years 7 months)
Organized as a solo practice in 1999, we have become the leading financial service law firm in Lake County, Illinois providing downtown sophistication and home-town service. With 5 attorneys in Lake County and and affiliated offices in Kenosha, Wisconsin and La Crosse, Wisconsin, Leibowitz Law Center/Lakelaw represents people and business in financial matters from Chicago to Milwaukee in Cook, Lake and McHenry Counties in Illinois and Kenosha, Racine, Walworth and Milwaukee Counties in Wisconsin.
Lakelaw has also established a new office in Chicago, across the street from the Federal Court House to better serve our clients.
(Government Agency; Myself Only; Government Administration industry)
1990 — Present (19 years )
Serving as a Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee in Cook County, Illinois, under the direction of the United States Trustee Program, a division of the United States Department of Justice since 1990. Administered thousands of insolvent estates and recovered many millions of dollars for creditors in cases which had originally been filed as "no-asset" cases. Participated in many criminal prosecutions, identifying and bringing to justice people who have committed bankruptcy fraud.
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Law Practice industry)
1991 — 1999 (8 years )
Organized and led the bankruptcy practice group. Handled many successful chapter 11 reorganization cases for debtors and creditors committees. Successfully represented mortgage lenders in complex real estate reorganization cases. Represented chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees, including myself, in thousands of liquidation cases.
(Partnership; 11-50 employees; Law Practice industry)
1976 — 1991 (15 years )
Represented banks and secured creditors in bankruptcy and civil cases. Developed expertise in real estate transactions. Participated in purchase and sale of several Chicago loop office buildings and numerous real estate financing and syndications. Developed expertise in appellate practice successfully arguing cases in Illinois Appellate and Illinois Supreme Court and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
JD, cum laude , Law , 1971 — 1974
BA , Economics , 1966 — 1970
Best practices, knowledge management, codification of practices, consumer protection law, financial services law, bankruptcy, insolvency, mortgage foreclosure, fraud, predatory lending, lemon law, business organizations, estate planning, probate administration, asset protection
American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Wisconsin Bar, American Bankruptcy Institute, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, Commercial Law League of America, Lake County Bar Association, Kenosha County Bar Association
2007 Award for Pro Bono Service by the Volunteer Legal Program of the Lake County, Illinois Bar Association
2006 Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service awarded by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Federal Bar Association