Bankruptcy Law/Expert Profile

Expertise

Leon Bayer has successfully represented clients in bankruptcy for over 30 years. He is frequently called upon by the media, the California Bar and other associations to provide insight and help educate attorneys on bankruptcy issues. If you or other readers want to keep up with my blog postings about life in and out of bankruptcy, you can follow my blog at http://www.bankruptcyblogger.org/ and my personal web site at http://www.debt-relief-bankruptcy.com and A Human Guide to Bankruptcy at http://www.thebankruptcyguide.net/ Leon also writes about bankruptcy law for Nolo, see http://www.nolo.com/law-authors/leon-bayer.html and his "Ask Leon" bankruptcy law blog column at http://blog.nolo.com/bankruptcy/

Experience in the area

Leon is a Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law by the State Bar of California, and has been a practicing bankruptcy lawyer in Los Angeles, California for 33 years.

Organizations

National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Lawyers, California Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Publications

Author, ?The Essentials Of Chapter 13,? Daily Journal Report, December 18, 1987.
Contributing Editor, Basic Bankruptcy, California Practice Handbook, Matthew Bender 1992, 1993.
CEB Consultant, CEB-Personal and Small Business Bankruptcy Practice in California, 2003.

Education/Credentials

B.A., J.D.

Awards and Honors

President, 1995-1996-Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum; Member - Los Angeles County Bar Association Committee on Commercial Law & Bankruptcy, 1988. Law Advisory
Commission-Personal & Small Business Bankruptcy Law of the State Bar of California, 1996-2000

MR. BAYER SAYS: The big banks and credit card companys have been working overtime for many years to undermine the Consitutional right of the American people to be able to claim bankruptcy protection. In 2005 the banking lobby successfully convinced Congress and the President to make the laws and proceedures more complicated, hopeing that it will stymie legitimate people from filing bankruptcy. They succeeded in gaining these complex new legal proceedures by greasing the legislative system with hundreds of millions of dollars in "campaign contributions." The good news for the American people is that while the new laws have made the proceedures needlessly complex to the point where inexperienced people can't help but trip over the maze of new rules and regulations, the process is still doable, especially with a lawyer who is well trained and experienced in this specialty.

Past/Present Clients

I have probably handled something on the order of about 15,000 bankruptcy cases thropughout my career.

What do you like about this subject?

MR. BAYER SAYS: The practice of bankruptcy law is extremely satisfying. I know of no other area of law where so much good can be accomplished so rapidly for a client. In most cases we are able to quickly solve problems that have kept our clients sick and sleepless with worry and fear.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

MR. BAYER SAYS: Over the past 26 years I have actually helped about 10,000 people overcome a personal debt crisis. I have seen the emotional damage that debt problems cause in someone's life. I have seen how often debt problems can affect everything else in your world, sometimes ruining marriages and careers because of the stress.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

MR. BAYER SAYS: Bankruptcy law is ancient. The oldest record of a bankruptcy case was left on a clay tablet from ancient Babylon, written about 3000 years ago! Abraham Lincoln, in the years before he became president, handled many bankruptcy cases as a regular part of his law practice. The right to claim bankruptcy relief is imbedded in the U.S. Constitution, in Article 1, Section 8.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

MR. BAYER SAYS: The big banks and credit card companys have been working overtime for many years to undermine the Consitutional right of the American people to be able to claim bankruptcy protection.