(Source; The Chase Connection, Mar-2003)

TRUSTEE SPOTLIGHT STACEY L. MEISEL

 


Stacey L. Meisel lives in Montclair, New Jersey. She was born in Schenectady, New York but has lived as far south as Alabama. Stacey is one of the founding members of the Firm of Becker Meisel LLC and has worked in the field of bankruptcy law since 1994. She attended Rutgers The State University to obtain a Bachelor of Arts Degree and obtained her Juris Doctor from Villanova School of Law. She frequently represents Chapter 11 Debtors, Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 Trustees, individual creditors and other interested parties in bankruptcy proceedings in New Jersey and other states.

Background On The District Of New Jersey-
Stacey L. Meisel receives approximately 60-75 cases per month. In the District of New Jersey, all cases wherein the Debtor holds an interest in real property require the Trustee to do a formal abandonment before closing the case. This procedure is especially helpful to a Trustee because it helps to shield her from later liabilities that may arise after the case has been closed.

Interesting Investigative Technique-
Some of Stacey's best asset cases are the result of a tip from an angry creditor, spouse or employee of the Debtor. She never discounts these tips but instead tries to get the "tip" memorialized in writing. Through this investigative process Stacey once discovered that a Debtor, who listed no viable assets on his Petition, actually had an offshore bank account worth more than $100,000.00. Up until directly confronted with the facts of the account, the Debtor continuously denied any assets. In another case, the Debtor wholly excluded a life insurance policy from estate property, which seemed to fit the particulars of the state law exclusion but after a "tip" from a creditor, which occurred before the 341(a) meeting, Stacey was able to determine that the policy was, in fact, a self-made annuity arising from a personal injury to the Debtor. After she moved for turnover of the annuity, Stacey ultimately settled with the Debtor

Cont'd next page >>


<< Back