| HOME | ABOUT THE FIRM | ATTORNEYS | CHAPTER 11 ISSUES | LIBRARY & LINKS | CAREER OPPORTUNITIES | CONTACT US |
|
 |
 |
 |
About Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller, P.A.: The law firm of Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller, P.A. offers its clients a sophisticated business insolvency practice including workouts and bankruptcies under both Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 and offers experienced representation in all aspects of complex Debtor/Creditor litigation in all courts, with a focus on bankruptcy related litigation. Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller, P.A. represent a diverse client base including creditors, debtors, trustees, assignees, receivers, and institutional lenders in some of the most high profile cases filed in South Florida. A major component of the Firm's bankruptcy related practice includes representation in all aspects of bankruptcy litigation, including fraudulent conveyances, preferences, turnover, stay relief, dismissal and conversion. In 1998, the Firm commenced one of the only two (2) jury trials before the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller, P.A., is also highly qualified to represent its clients through the appellate process after trial. The Firm has successfully obtained decisions on its clients' behalf on precedent setting issues such as the transfer of intangible property rights, bankruptcy dismissals, fraudulent transfer of assets into exempt homestead, and that pre-petition writs of garnishment do not constitute a lien against assets of a bankruptcy estate (which has since been superseded by statute). The Firm acted as co-counsel for the insolvency administrator for the Flowtex/Schmider insolvency proceedings in the Federal Republic of Germany. The Flowtex insolvency and its related cases are believed to be the fifth largest fraud ever perpetrated in the Republic of Germany. The fraud is estimated at over 1.5 billion dollars. Additionally, the firm filed the involuntary petition that commenced the Financial Federated Title and Trust Case and then acted as Co-Counsel to the Trustee. The firm has successfully prosecuted cases that pierce the immunity provided by Florida's Homestead Exemption when funds, which were the proceeds of a fraud were used to purchase, improve or invest in homestead property. The Bankruptcy Court decision, which was affirmed and adopted on appeal in the 11th Circuit, is now binding precedent in the 11th Circuit. See Kozyak v. Levy (In re Financial Federated Title and Trust, Inc.), 273 B.R. 706 (Bankr.S.D.Fla. 2001), aff'd 347 F.3d 880 (11th Cir. 2003). Fraud detection and remediation constitutes a significant portion of the Firm's litigation practice both in and out of bankruptcy. History: The Firm first formed in 1980 as Arthur Halsey Rice and Associates, P.A. In 1996 Kenneth B. Robinson joined the Firm from Greenberg, Traurig's bankruptcy department. In 1996 Lisa Schiller, who had been with the firm since 1993, was named a partner. In 2002, Chad P. Pugatch merged his practice, known as Pugatch & Associates, P.A., with the Firm, adding three additional lawyers and a Ft. Lauderdale office. In addition to the Firm's offices in Fort Lauderdale, Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller, P.A., is associated with Browning, Eden & Sireci, P.A., in Key West on an of counsel basis. Browning, Sireci engages in a diverse general practice with principal representation in corporate, commercial business, zoning and land use law, and litigation, with a particular emphasis on commercial and residential real estate transactions. The firm presently has 8 lawyers, 4 paralegals and 10 staff persons. Additionally, Arthur Rice has been a receiver for several large estates including American Financial Group of Aventura, and members of the Firm have served as receivers at the request of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission. Case Highlights: Sun Cruz Casinos, LLC; APL Corp. (a Victor Posner Holding Company); NAL Financial Group; Roy Talmo; Jetlease Finance, Inc.; Linen Supermarket, Inc; Commodore Cruise Lines; Green Isle Partnership; Linc.net, Inc.; Financial Federated Title and Trust; and Dedicated Resources. The APL case resulted in a fifty percent (50%) dividend to general unsecured creditors holding in excess of $30,000,000.00 in allowed claims. In 1998, the Firm represented the NAL Financial Group, a publicly traded sub-prime lender, and its various subsidiaries as chapter 11 debtors-in-possession. The NAL bankruptcy involved over $250 million dollars in debt and resulted in a plan of reorganization confirmed in a record six (6) months which yielded a distribution to unsecured creditors in a range of eighty to one hundred percent (80 to 100%). In Commodore Cruise Lines the firm represented the Debtor in a Chapter 11 Reorganization of seven companies, which operated five ships and resulted in confirmation of a Plan which provides a significant dividend to unsecured creditors. In Green Isle Partners, Ltd. the firm represented the Official Unsecured Creditors Committee in the reorganization of the Ritz Carlton San Juan Hotel and was able to negotiate plan treatment, which ultimately provided for a 100% dividend to unsecured creditors. In Dedicated Resources, Inc. the firm represented the Investors' Committee and protected the rights of investors through a confirmed plan, which provided a mechanism, to continue the servicing of viatical policies to maximize the possibility of recovery on these investments. Other Major Cases:
|
|
| © Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller, P.A. | Terms and Conditions |