Monthly Archives: September 2022

Maurice Wutscher’s Alan Hochheiser Speaks to Lawyer Monthly About the State of Bankruptcy and Fraud Litigation in 2022

alan hochheiser

Sept. 28, 2022 — Maurice Wutscher bankruptcy practitioner Alan Hochheiser recently spoke to Lawyer Monthly about the state of bankruptcy and fraud litigation in 2022.

In the article, Mr. Hochheiser explains that following a pandemic-induced shake-up in business practices and solvency, the future for creditors remains uncertain. Discussing how bankruptcy and fraud litigation is developing in the lead-up to 2023, he examines what trends are emerging and what questions remain.

“The current state of bankruptcy litigation is different from what we have seen in the past. As a bankruptcy practitioner for over 30 years, I have seen several highs and lows in the number of bankruptcy filings. In 2021, bankruptcy filings were at their lowest levels since the mid-1980s. There were fewer than 400,000 filings nationally. Through the first half of 2022, filings have remained stagnant. What we can project for the rest of 2022 and into 2023 will depend on many factors, including the state of the economy, interest rates, the job market, the availability of credit, and bankruptcy legislation,” he explains.

Alan Hochheiser is a principal at national business and financial services law firm Maurice Wutscher LLP, where he advises and represents businesses, regional and national banks, credit unions, equipment lessors and other lenders, as well as secured and unsecured creditors. Mr. Hochheiser chairs the ABA Business Law Section’s Consumer Bankruptcy Committee. He has been named to ALM’s list of Cleveland’s Top-Rated Lawyers and is peer-rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the worldwide guide to lawyers.

Maurice Wutscher’s Alan Hochheiser Outlines Current Issues in Consumer Bankruptcy Law in Business Law Today

alan hochheiser

Sept. 14, 2022 — Maurice Wutscher bankruptcy practitioner Alan Hochheiser takes a closer look at the most pertinent issues in consumer bankruptcy law today in a recent article for the American Bar Association’s news magazine Business Law Today.

In “Current Issues in Consumer Bankruptcy Law,” he explains that bankruptcy filings in 2021 dropped to its lowest number since 1984 due to the pandemic. However, he writes, “The recent increase in interest rates by the Federal Reserve could have an impact on the number of bankruptcy filings. Borrowers who have adjustable rates will see their monthly payments increase. This effect, coupled with rising prices and supply chain issues, may cause consumers to look to bankruptcy to reorganize or seek a fresh start.”

Mr. Hochheiser also discusses the impacts of the Small Business Reorganization Act and the Paycheck Protection Program on commercial filings and sums up recent case law activity regarding automatic stay violations, Chapter 13 dismissals, and itemizations in proofs of claim.

Alan Hochheiser is a principal at national business and financial services law firm Maurice Wutscher LLP, where he advises and represents businesses, regional and national banks, credit unions, equipment lessors and other lenders, as well as secured and unsecured creditors. Mr. Hochheiser chairs the ABA Business Law Section’s Consumer Bankruptcy Committee. He has been named to ALM’s list of Cleveland’s Top-Rated Lawyers and is peer-rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the worldwide guide to lawyers.

Litigation Attorney Jacob VanAusdall Joins Maurice Wutscher in Tennessee

Jake VanAusdall

Sept. 12, 2022 — National business and financial services law firm Maurice Wutscher LLP has added Tennessee attorney Jacob “Jake” VanAusdall to practice in the firm’s Consumer Credit Litigation and Commercial Litigation groups where he will predominantly represent financial institutions.

He also has substantial litigation experience representing clients involved in intellectual property, construction, contract, and business disputes. Before joining Maurice Wutscher, he worked for a boutique civil litigation firm in the Nashville, Tennessee area where he represented individuals and businesses in a wide variety of litigation and transactional matters.

Mr. VanAusdall has been recognized as a “Mid-South Super Lawyers – Rising Star” in the area of Business Litigation (2018-2022), and is a former member of the Tennessee John Marshall American Inn of Court.

He earned his Juris Doctor from Tulane University School of Law, and his Bachelor of the Arts from the University of Mississippi. He is admitted to practice law in Tennessee and in the U.S. District Courts for the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of Tennessee.

Mr. VanAusdall joins Maurice Wutscher’s skilled team of litigators who handle appellate matters, business formation and transactions, class action litigation, commercial, construction, consumer credit and employment litigation, contested bankruptcies and foreclosures, data privacy and security law and compliance, insurance recovery and advisory services, intellectual property litigation, regulatory compliance, and trials and evidentiary hearings from offices throughout the United States.

Jake VanAusdall may be reached at (615) 274-8717 or via email at [email protected].

Maurice Wutscher’s Alan Hochheiser to Speak on Bankruptcy Appellate Case Law at ABA Business Law Hybrid Section Annual Meeting

alan hochheiser

Sept. 8, 2022 — Maurice Wutscher bankruptcy practitioner Alan Hochheiser, chair of the ABA Business Law Section’s Consumer Bankruptcy Committee, will speak on recent developments in bankruptcy appellate case law during the ABA Business Law Hybrid Section Annual Meeting on Friday, Sept. 16, at 8 am ET.

The meeting will be presented Sept. 15-17 in Washington, D.C. and also online for those who opt to attend virtually. To register, click here.

Alan Hochheiser is a principal at national business and financial services law firm Maurice Wutscher LLP, where he advises and represents businesses, regional and national banks, credit unions, equipment lessors and other lenders, as well as secured and unsecured creditors. He has been named to ALM’s list of Cleveland’s Top-Rated Lawyers and is peer-rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the worldwide guide to lawyers.