F. Michael Keefe, Esquire

"My bills are all due and the baby needs shoes and I'm busted
Cotton is down to a quarter a pound, but I'm busted
I got a cow that went dry and a hen that won't lay
A big stack of bills that gets bigger each day
The county's gonna haul my belongings away cause I'm busted."

Say what you will, money makes the world go round! Money woes affect us all. It is not hard to get in over your head, with the past days of easy credit and the examples set by our Federal government. Unlike them, we cannot spend more than we make, and we cannot print money or just add zeroes to our debt and ignore it.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people, through no fault or choice of their own.People may live their entire lives working, raising families, paying taxes and otherwise being good citizens, without any contact with lawyers or the legal system.

Unanticipated disability, divorce or death of a spouse, unemployment, company downsizing and the overall global and regional economy have thrust many people into situations they never anticipated happening to them.Debt problems can and do profoundly affect all aspects of your life, from the way you interact with and perceive your spouse, children, friends and co workers, to sleepless nights, anxiety, and the hopeless feeling of despair which attends overwhelming debt.

Before you do things to compromise your financial or personal future, call our offices to arrange an appointment to discuss your financial situation and options. If you have any doubts, take our quiz at the end of this section.

HOW OUR FIRM IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BANKRUPTCY FIRMS

We are a general practice law firm, in practice since 1986, and are proudly in our Twenty-fifth year assisting consumer debtors in seeking reliefunder Federal Bankruptcy laws. In my bankruptcy practice, I do not represent banks, credit card companies or their collection agencies or large corporations

Rather, consistent with the philosophy of our firm, I have focused my practice primarily on consumer debtors, helping individuals and married couples and small business persons find their way out of the morass that attends debt problems.We strive to provide personal, compassionate, and non judgmental assistance to all our clients.

The Federal Bankruptcy Code and forms of organized debt forgiveness have been in place in one form or another in this country for over 125 years.I often tell my somewhat embarrassed Bankruptcy clients that the Federal Bankruptcy Code is a federal right and remedy, put in place and periodically adjusted by the U.S. Congress, and that like any Federal right, it is a remedy put in place for their use and benefit.My clients find it comforting to know, from the very beginning of my relationship with them, that they have nothing to explain, be ashamed of or feel guilty about unless they have done something contrary to the Bankruptcy Code Rules and Requirements, which fortunately is attempted by only a very small group of potential clients.

Unlike some other Bankruptcy lawyers, I will take an hour to an hour and a half during my intake conference to carefully explain your choices and the ins and outs of the Bankruptcy Code to you.It is not my goal to make you a Bankruptcy Lawyer during that time.I do think it is my duty to make you an informed client, so that you can make intelligent choices about your Bankruptcy, the debts that you elect to take from Bankruptcy and your consequences of your election to go forward with a Bankruptcy filing after meeting with us.The Bankruptcy laws required detailed and complete disclosure and expects that all Debtors and their attorneys will file accurate and complete schedules with their bankruptcy petitions.

I also spend a few moments during a Bankruptcy Intake to speak with my clients about how they got into debt difficulty, and how they need to cure whatever habits brought them to my door to avoid enduring the necessity of a Bankruptcy filing again. I spend some time talking about debt relief, and credit rebuilding, which is critical in a society as credit obsessed and as credit driven as ours.

As you may be aware, Congress drastically overhauled the Federal Bankruptcy Code, which revisions became effective as of October 17, 2005. The new law carries the rather ominous title of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act

(BAPCPA).Like most hysterical “reform” movements, several high profile manipulations of the prior bankruptcy process were exploited to present the impression of widespread abuse, which was simply not the case.

The law was the result of intense lobbying and spending by banks and credit card companies. Despite its noble sounding title, it appears that the goal of Congress was to make this process more difficult, more expensive and even more intimidating for someone contemplating bankruptcy relief.

Although I do not have a great impression of many of our elected leaders, they certainly succeeded in this endeavor, on behalf of their constituents the credit card companies!

DO NOT BELIEVE THE RUMORS you may have heard about this law eliminating bankruptcy protection and relief. BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION AND RELIEF ARE STILL AVAILABLE. The new law merely provides more “hoops” for persons to jump through, and requires much more documentation. Most of the relief available under the “old” Code is still available today. However, the new law is at times convoluted and confusing, and there is now a presumption that debtors are abusing the system. Now, more than ever, people need the assistance of experienced competent bankruptcy attorneys to assist them through this process.

All bankruptcy attorneys are required by law to provide this notice:

WE ARE A FEDERAL DEBT RELIEF AGENCY
WE ASSIST CLIENTS IN SEEKING BANKRUPTCY RELIEF

F. Michael Keefe, Esquire

Of all the areas of my general legal practice, I personally enjoy criminal defense work the most.

"Bad boys bad boys, Watcha Gonna Do?
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Bad boys bad boys, Watcha Gonna Do?
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?"

Most of my criminal clients are not “bad boys” (or girls) but rather regular, honest and hard-working people who have for different reasons made bad choices and mistakes. Whether the bad choice was to drink and drive after an office Christmas Party, to strike their spouse in anger, to shoplift, or to “borrow” money from the boss, the majority of those clients have never experienced the terror and apprehension of being caught up in our criminal justice system. From flashing lights on the highway or outside the door, to a ride in handcuffs, fingerprinting and possible questioning, the average person is simply overwhelmed and completely unprepared to deal with the resources of the City, State and even Federal Government and Police Forces. Given that your freedom and life at are at stake, you need an aggressive, knowledgeable and competent criminal defense lawyer at your side throughout the entire process (See “How our Firm Can Help” below).

Of all the areas of my general legal practice, I personally enjoy criminal defense work the most.

Although never a “theater person” in high school or college, I have found that I truly love the theater that is jury trial work. Do not believe what you see on television, it takes hours and hours of preparation and years of experience to be able to effectively handle the pressures and demands of an active criminal trial practice.

Our goal in every criminal matter which we undertake is to win an acquittal for our clients. However, I often tell my clients that wish I might, I cannot change the facts and circumstances which they brought through the door when they first meet with me. After a careful review of the available evidence, and the potential consequences for our client, if a conviction seems inevitable, we strive to obtain alternate sentences, which can include alcohol and drug counseling, intensive supervised probation, suspended jail sentences, or otherwise minimizing the consequences of the poor choices made by people in often difficult situations.

Shaunna L. Browne, Esquire

There are many events in my life that have caused me to concentrate my legal practice in the area of family law. My life experiences have allowed me to develop an appreciation for the dynamics that are involved in any issue that relates to your family, whether it is a potential divorce, parenting situation, domestic violence, alleged child abuse or neglect or other related issue. I knew early in my legal career that I wanted to practice in an area of law that would allow me to have a lot of contact with clients, as well as a lot of court interaction. Family law has allowed me to do both.

Many times I am contacted by individuals who are experiencing some of the worst times of their lives and I believe that it is my obligation to try and make the legal process manageable and understandable for them.

Each client brings with them their own unique set of circumstances and facts and it is my job to ensure that their needs are being met and that their rights are being protected.

F. Michael Keefe, Esquire &
Shaunna L. Browne, Esquire

In addition to the other more easily identifiable areas of practice discussed in this section, our firm is truly a "general practice" firm, an anomaly in today's world of highly specialized (and expensive) legal practices.

We strive to forge lifelong relationships with our clients, and to be there for them when they have a question or need a quick word of advice about a situation they are facing, which is not yet (and hopefully will not become) a legal issue requiring our further involvement. As a result of our philosophy, we have to stay abreast of many diverse areas of the law, since our returning clients look to us for assistance in a variety of areas and issues. In order to service those needs, we remain dedicated to trying, to the extent possible, to remain current and proficient in as many areas of the law as time will reasonably permit.

F. Michael Keefe, Esquire &
Shaunna L. Browne, Esquire

There is no area of our practice that is more rewarding, and on the same hand more frustrating, than personal injury practice.

Unlike our many other clients, the personal injury claimant has done nothing to warranthis involvement with lawyers or the legal process. The personal injury claimant is truly a victim of another person's negligence, and has had his or her physical and economic well-being, family life, employment, and almost all other aspects of their lives radically affected by the momentary negligence of another person, who is usually a complete stranger.

Our personal injury practice focuses exclusively on people like you who have been injured as the result of another's negligence. We do not represent insurance companies trying to cheat otherwise legitimate claimants out of their lawful entitlement, nor do we represent negligent parties in attempting to minimize the consequences of their disruptive actions. Our focus, consistent with the philosophy of our firm, has been on attempting to protect and maximize the position of persons injured through no fault of their own.

Throughout my career, I have enjoyed doing injury work, since I get to meet and help people who would otherwise have no contact with lawyers or the legal system. My injury clients would universally prefer that I be able to turn back the clock and simply undo their injury, but I must tell them that I am neither a magician nor a miracle worker and I cannot do so, wish as we both might.

All the legal system can do for an injured claimant is to compensate them for both their lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering through the payment of money.