If you have been struggling with debt, dealing with harassment from creditors or feeling ashamed about the financial situation you're in — it may be time to try something different.

At the Law Offices of Richard N. Gottlieb, we offer creative bankruptcy law solutions to businesses and individuals seeking meaningful debt relief. Led by founder Richard N. Gottlieb — one of only five attorneys in Massachusetts board-certified by the American Board of Certification as a specialist in both business and consumer bankruptcy law— our Firm is committed to remaining small and using a team approach that ensures better communication, accessibility, interaction and individualized service in all areas of our practice.

Our goal in every case — however big the problems are — is not to fit them into some kind of cookie-cutter "bankruptcy machine," but to develop solutions that fit your individual needs and provide you with genuine opportunities for a fresh financial start.

As trusted Boston Bankruptcy Law Attorneys, we have helped hundreds of clients reorganize and eliminate debt, saving homes, cars and wages from overly aggressive creditors. Our focus includes:

• Consumer Debtor Bankruptcy Representation
• Business Debtor Bankruptcy Representation
• Creditor Representation in Bankruptcy
• Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
  
• Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
  
• Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure Defense
• Adversary Proceedings
• Loan Workouts
• Short Sales
• Credit Counseling
• Debt Consolidation
• Petitions

When you're filing for bankruptcy, it is critical to understand your legal rights. Bankruptcy laws protect consumers from financial ruin and the potential to be abused by creditors. By allowing consumers to have qualifying debts eliminated, bankruptcy offers Americans a second chance at controlling their debt.

Bankruptcy law is a unique type of law based on forgiveness rather than punishment. As of October 17, 2005, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act took effect, enforcing tougher restrictions on consumers trying to file under Chapter 7 bankruptcy. As skilled Boston Bankruptcy Law Attorneys, we have the necessary expertise to determine the qualifications you must meet in order to file for bankruptcy.

Our Firm achieves a superior level of client value through meeting the needs of each client as though he/she were our only client. Each member of our Firm recognizes that the value of legal services is measured by the results sought and obtained as well as by the creativity and cost-effective manner in which those results are achieved. Furthermore, the value of legal services is ultimately for the informed client to determine based upon such intangible factors as:

• The frequency and level of responsiveness to client communications
• The adherence to the highest levels of good faith and ethical behavior
• The ability to understand the client's financial issues and to pursue the client's goals with skill and zeal
• The representation of the client with the client's financial issues and goals firmly in mind throughout the process

We provide this level of client value by attracting high-quality members and training them in the fundamentals of a bankruptcy and creditors' rights practice. Our Firm strives to foster in each staff member the sense that they are an integral part of the value the Firm provides to its clients and that the clients' needs are the reason the Firm is in business in the first place. In addition, we are committed to remaining relatively small to maximize client interaction with the members of the Firm.

If you or someone you know in Massachusetts needs the assistance of an experienced Boston Bankruptcy Law Attorney, call the Law Offices of Richard N. Gottlieb today at 866-305-7236, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

Practice Areas and Legal Definitions

Every year, more than 1,000,000 Americans file for protection under Federal bankruptcy laws. Although some bankruptcy claimants are deemed as credit abusers and/or considered financially irresponsible, many hardworking individuals and businesses can succumb to financial difficulty, and face irreperable economic crisis. Bankruptcy is designed as a legal option to help resolve such a crisis, and act as a financial life preserver for those drowning in debt. To discuss your bankruptcy options, or other areas of recourse that might be available to you, contact a qualified bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of your legal rights as stated under Bankruptcy Law and federal Bankruptcy courts.

New Bankruptcy Laws:
Bankruptcy is a federal court process designed to help individuals and businesses eliminate their debts or repay them under the protection of the bankruptcy court. Bankruptcies can generally be described as liquidation or reorganization. Under a liquidation bankruptcy (Chapter 7), a claimant files to eliminate debt through the bankruptcy court. Under a reorganization bankruptcy (Chapter 13), a claimant files a plan with the bankruptcy court proposing how to repay creditors.

As of October 17, 2005, the requirements under which a debtor may file Chapter 7 bankruptcy changed with the passage of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act.  Debtors are now required to seek budget and credit counseling within six months of filing, financial “testing” is required to determine the debtor’s capacity for debt repayment, Chapter 7 cannot be filed if the household income is greater than the median household income as deemed by the state, and state exemptions cannot be applied unless the debtor has resided at current residence for over two years.

Due to the imposed requirements for Chapter 7 bankruptcy as set forth by the new laws, debtors who were eligible to file under Chapter 7 will now have to file under Chapter 13 bankruptcy instead, in which individuals and creditors agree to a court-imposed plan that requires some or all debts be repaid over five years, with an appointed trustee assigned to monitor the repayment process. Bankruptcy filings will continue to be recorded on an individual’s credit report for seven years in the case of Chapter 13, and up to ten years for Chapter 7.

Chapter 7:
Chapter 7 cases are commonly referred to as straight bankruptcy or liquidation cases, and may be filed by an individual, corporation, or a partnership. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy case does not involve the filing of a plan of repayment as in Chapter 13. Instead, the bankruptcy trustee gathers and sells the debtor's nonexempt assets and uses the proceeds of such assets to pay holders of claims (creditors) in accordance with the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code. Part of the debtor's property may be subject to liens and mortgages that pledge the property to other creditors. In addition, the Bankruptcy Code will allow the debtor to keep certain "exempt" property; but a trustee will liquidate the debtor's remaining assets. Accordingly, potential debtors should realize that the filing of a petition under Chapter 7 may result in the loss of property.

Chapter 13:
A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is also called a wage earner's plan. It enables individuals with regular income to develop a plan to repay all or part of their debts. Under this chapter, debtors propose a repayment plan to make installments to creditors over three to five years. Chapter 13 permits individuals to keep their property by repaying creditors out of their future income.  It is not available to corporations or partnerships. After completion of payments under the plan, Chapter 13 debtors receive a discharge of most debts.

Foreclosure:
Foreclosure is the legal proceeding in which a bank or other secured creditor sells or repossesses a parcel of real property (immovable property) due to the owner's failure to comply with an agreement between the lender and borrower called a "mortgage" or "deed of trust". Commonly, the violation of the mortgage is a default in payment of a promissory note, secured by a lien on the property. When the process is complete, it is typically said that "the lender has foreclosed its mortgage or lien".

A Foreclosure by Sale ends in the posting of a sign advertising the auction of your home on the sale date. The only ways to stop a foreclosure are full payment of the arrearage, or the filing of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Full Payment: If you are able to obtain and tender the full amount of your arrearage, including fees and costs, you can stop the foreclosure of a standard residential mortgage. Most people lack the money to make full payment. This process stops the foreclosure and allows you to repay your arrearage over a three-to-five year period. The arrearage is paid through a court-appointed official, while you resume your regular monthly payments to the bank in order to keep your home. A Chapter 13 can be filed at any time prior to the law day or sale date, and it is often the only avenue to save your home.

Bankruptcy Fraud:
Bankruptcy fraud is a business crime of filing for bankruptcy with criminal intent, that is with the intention of evading payment for goods even though the buyer has funds that could be used to pay for them, or accepting payment for goods or services but not supplying them. Common types of bankruptcy fraud include petition mills, false oath, concealment of assets, and fraudulent conveyance. Multiple filings are not per se fraudulent; as with all things in the law, it depends on the circumstances. Bankruptcy fraud should be distinguished from strategic bankruptcy, which is not a criminal act (but may prejudice a judge against the filer if there is evidence that bankruptcy is being used strategically).

Debt Consolidation:
Contrary to popular belief, debt consolidation is not a loan. Debt consolidation is a process in which debt is restructured into one low monthly payment. It further enables a consumer to reduce the amount owed and thereby eliminate interest. Very often a consumer can detect warning signs of being in too much debt long before any collection notices are received. If more than two of the following signs apply to you, you are probably in too much debt:

• You have begun charging to your credit card essential expenses like food and daily expenditures
• You are making only the minimum payments on your credit cards each month
• You are near the limit of your credit cards
• You have too many credit cards
• You are unsure how much money you owe creditors

Chapter 11:
Chapter 11 is typically used for business bankruptcies and restructuring. It is not commonly used by individual consumers since it is far more complex and expensive to pursue. It allows businesses to reorganize themselves, giving them an opportunity to restructure debt and get out from under certain burdensome leases and contracts. Typically a business is allowed to continue to operate while it is in Chapter 11, although it does so under the supervision of the Bankruptcy Court and its appointees.

If you or someone you know in Massachusetts needs the assistance of an experienced Boston Bankruptcy Law Attorney, call the Law Offices of Richard N. Gottlieb today at 866-305-7236, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

If you or someone you know in Massachusetts needs the assistance of an experienced Boston Bankruptcy Law Attorney, call the Law Offices of Richard N. Gottlieb today at 866-305-7236, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

ADDRESS OF THE FIRM:
Law Offices of Richard N. Gottlieb
11 Beacon St., Suite 625
Boston, MA 02108-3016
Telephone: 866-305-7236
Fax: 617-742-5188

MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:

Richard N. Gottlieb

EDUCATION:

• Boston University School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts, June, 1999
  • LL.M.
  • Honors: Class Rank 7th in the Class of 22
  • Major: American Bank Law Studies
• New England School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts, June, 1986
  • Juris Doctor
  • Honors: Cum Laude
  • Honors: American Jurisprudence Award in Family Law
  • Honors: New England Scholar, 1983-1984, 1985-1986
  • Honors: Dean's List, Every Semester, 1983-86
  • Honors: Class Rank: 14th in Class of 153
• State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York, 1982
  • B.A., Bachelor of Arts

ADMITTED:

• Massachusetts, 1986
• District of Columbia
• Colorado
• U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts, 1986
• U.S. Federal Courts, 1986
• U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit, 1988
• U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit, 1986

CERTIFICATIONS/ SPECIALTIES:

• Consumer Bankruptcy Law, ABI - American Board of Certification, 1995*
• Business Bankruptcy Law, ABI - American Board of Certification, 1995*

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

• American Bankruptcy Institute

Paul Gerard Manning, Jr.

EDUCATION:

• New England School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts, May, 2004
  • Juris Doctor
• Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, May, 1998
  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Major: English

ADMITTED:

• Massachusetts, 2004
• Rhode Island, 2004
• U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts, 2005
• U.S. District Court District of Rhode Island, 2006
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Massachusetts, 2005
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Rhode Island, 2006

PRO BONO ACTIVITIES:

• Volunteer, United States Peace Corps, 1998
• Volunteer, Chelsea Center for Continuing Education, 1998

Haneen Kutub

JURISDICTIONS:

• Massachusetts

FOREIGN LANGUAGES SPOKEN:

• Arabic

* As required, pursuant to Mass. SJC Rule 3:07, Rule 7.4(b), The American Board of Certification is “a private organization whose standards for certification are not regulated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts”