Experience

DebtStoppers | The Semrad Law Firm

• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Staff Attorney

  • Jun 2021 - Present



Bredow Law PLC

• Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

• Owner & Managing Attorney

  • Jan 2017 - Jun 2021

  Provider of professional legal services to small business, individuals and families, specializing in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Law, Debtor & Creditor Rights, Consumer Protection Law, Debt Defense and Debt Relief, Real Estate Transactions, Wills, Trusts and Probate matters, Criminal & Traffic Law, Administrative Law - Driver's License Restoration matters. Provider of professional legal services to small business, individuals and families, specializing in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Law, Debtor & Creditor Rights, Consumer Protection Law, Debt Defense and Debt Relief, Real Estate Transactions, Wills, Trusts and Probate matters, Criminal & Traffic Law, Administrative Law - Driver's License Restoration matters.



Equity Experts

• Auburn Hills, Michigan

• Director of Legal and Compliance

  • Jul 2015 - Feb 2017

  ● Manage and direct Compliance Operations. ● Monitor and provide compliance training concerning federal and state regulations in the collection of delinquent Homeowner Association and Condominium Association debts. ● Manage and Direct Legal Operations. ● Responsible for Bankruptcy, Collections, Creditor Rights, or Consumer Debtor oriented litigation. ● Manage and direct Compliance Operations. ● Monitor and provide compliance training concerning federal and state regulations in the collection of delinquent Homeowner Association and Condominium Association debts. ● Manage and Direct Legal Operations. ● Responsible for Bankruptcy, Collections, Creditor Rights, or Consumer Debtor oriented litigation.



Five Lakes Agency, Inc.

• Troy, Michigan

• Manager - Creditor's Rights Attorney

  • Nov 2014 - Jan 2015

  ● Oversee the collection of consumer mortgage debts that are impacted by the filing of personal bankruptcy. ● Supervise compliance with federal and state regulations on debt collections. ● Oversee the collection of consumer mortgage debts that are impacted by the filing of personal bankruptcy. ● Supervise compliance with federal and state regulations on debt collections.



Strategic Legal Solutions

• United States
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• E-Discovery Document Review Attorney

  • Aug 2014 - Nov 2014

  ● Participated in review of electronically stored documents, files and metadata to be produced in discovery for responsiveness, relevance and privilege, ● Issue coding and redaction experience using ● Familiarity with Relativity Document Review software. ● Experience with reviews involving into pharmaceutical research, and investigations of trading rule violations by securities exchanges and regulatory agencies. ● Participated in review of electronically stored documents, files and metadata to be produced in discovery for responsiveness, relevance and privilege, ● Issue coding and redaction experience using ● Familiarity with Relativity Document Review software. ● Experience with reviews involving into pharmaceutical research, and investigations of trading rule violations by securities exchanges and regulatory agencies.



Resnick & Moss, P.C.

• Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

• Associate Attorney

  • Jan 2013 - Aug 2014

  ● Bankruptcy Attorney. Business and personal bankruptcy litigation. Attended all court dockets; conduct confirmation hearings, 341 hearings; conduct discovery, negotiations, evidentiary hearings trial and appeal. ● Actively represented a special class of creditors in the Bankruptcy Reorganization of the City of Detroit. Attended status conferences and actively participated in the successful negotiation with the City's Attorneys at Jones Day. Successfully negotiated to increase client's recovery by $1.2 million. ● Responded to inquiries of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustees, legal disputes, and management complaints; ●Creditor & Debtor Rights. Assist Creditors and Debtors to assert and protect their legal rights under contract. Negotiations on behalf of creditors and debtors to develop non-bankruptcy solutions to financial disputes and liabilities, including debt adjustment and restructuring solutions. ●State and Federal Court Litigation. Draft and respond to complaints, conduct legal research, conduct discovery, motion practice, trial and appeal. ●Probate, Wills, Trusts, Durable Powers of Attorney.



Office of the Chapter 13 Standing Trustee, Carl L. Bekofske, Flint, Michigan

• Staff Attorney

  • Apr 2010 - Jan 2013

  ● In-House Counsel to the Standing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee. ● Litigation Attorney: attend all court dockets, conduct confirmation hearings, 341 hearings, conduct discovery, negotiations, evidentiary hearings and trials. ● Conduct legal research, draft all legal pleadings and briefs. ● Perform work with minimal supervision. Exercise independent judgment and discretion to analyze facts and legal issues, formulate legal action plan and advise the Trustee in matters arising during case administration. ● Analyze debtor financial records, assets and income for accuracy, reporting errors and omissions. Investigate badges of fraud. ● Retain, advise and supervise outside counsel, appraisers and professional persons. ● Maintains extensive contact with judges, court personnel, counsel and interested parties. ● Speaker at local continuing legal education programs. Develop and present staff training and “Brown Bag” educational seminars for local attorneys.



Potestivo & Associates P.C.

• United States
• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Supervising Attorney and Bankruptcy and Litigation Manager

  • Oct 2003 - Apr 2010

  Executive Management Committee member in 100-employee law firm. Developed and implemented office policy. Performed staff evaluations, implemented promotion and salary decisions. Established marketing budget and plan. ● Responsibility for Hiring/Attrition, employee training, mentoring and motivation. ● Litigation Department Manager: supervised four attorneys and nine support personnel who conducted mortgage lending and servicing litigation. Maintained active case load providing defense against claims of unlawful foreclosure, fraud, breach of contract and violations of RESPA, TILA, MCPA and FDCPA. ● Bankruptcy Department Manager: Counseled banks, mortgage lenders and servicers and financial institutions in Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings. ● Active in litigation in the Bankruptcy and U.S. District Courts in Michigan, Ohio and Illinois, and the 6th Circuit Court, including adversary proceedings, lien avoidance actions, defense-of-claim proceedings, motion practice, discovery, confirmation hearings and all post-confirmation matters. ● Developed an understanding of the specialized needs of the mortgage servicing industry. ● Responsible for complicated investigations where compliance with bankruptcy law, regulatory requirements or client directives is implicated, where there is a risk of loss; ● Guided and trained bankruptcy team in all client and departmental procedures and systems and act as liaison between clients or the firm Owner and staff in all matters; ● Maintained extensive personal contact with judges, court personnel, clients, managing counsel, opposing counsel and parties and supervised outside counsel. ● Regular presenter at local and national mortgage industry professional development seminars, client education classes and continuing legal education programs to assist clients in their regulatory and legal compliance initiatives.



UAW-GM Legal Services Plan, Warren, Michigan

• Staff Attorney

  • Jan 2000 - Jan 2003

  ● Representation in Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy matters. Engaged in civil litigation in consumer protection matters. ● Representation in Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy matters. Engaged in civil litigation in consumer protection matters.



Bankruptcy Lawyers, PLLC, Waterford, Michigan

• Attorney and Counselor

  • Jan 1994 - Jan 2000

  ● Founder of private law firm and consumer bankruptcy law partnership. Extensive experience in state trial and appellate court litigation. Drafted and responded to complaints; conducted discovery, motion practice, voir dire, trial and appeal. ● Founder of private law firm and consumer bankruptcy law partnership. Extensive experience in state trial and appellate court litigation. Drafted and responded to complaints; conducted discovery, motion practice, voir dire, trial and appeal.



Hilda R. Gage

• Court Clerk

  • Jan 1990 - Jan 1994

  Served as courtroom clerk, bailiff and liaison between the court, attorneys, parties and the public. Coordinated courtroom operations and docket management. Served as courtroom clerk, bailiff and liaison between the court, attorneys, parties and the public. Coordinated courtroom operations and docket management.



First of America Bank Corporation

• Internal Auditor

  • Jan 1986 - Jan 1989

  Performed internal audits on regional banks, branch banks and departmental operations. Observed bank operations. Interviewed bank staff and employed sampling techniques on bank records to assess compliance with written bank procedures. Recommended methods to improve compliance, to secure assets and data and to reduce risk. Performed internal audits on regional banks, branch banks and departmental operations. Observed bank operations. Interviewed bank staff and employed sampling techniques on bank records to assess compliance with written bank procedures. Recommended methods to improve compliance, to secure assets and data and to reduce risk.