O'Connor, Michael J.

Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Michael is a board certified commercial and consumer bankruptcy specialist (American Bankruptcy Board of Certification). He is admitted to the New York State Bar, as well as the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. His concentration of practice is in the representation of debtors and trustees in bankruptcy liquidations and reorganizations.

Michael is the recipient of the President's Award for Pro Bono services, New York State Bar Association (1989, 1993 and 2007), and the Distinguished Service Award from the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (1989). He is also a member of the Empire Counsel Group of the New York State Bar Association. Michael is also the recipient of the 2007 Distinguished Counsel Award from the United State District Court for the Northern District of New York and the Federal Bar Association for providing pro bono services. He has lectured frequently on bankruptcy issues for the New York State Bar Association, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, and other regional and national bar associations.

Michael is a Chapter 7 Trustee and was appointed to the Chapter 7 Trustee Panel for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York in 1986. He served on the Local Rules Revision Committee for the Northern District of New York (1993, 1998, and 2000) and was Chairman of the Judicial Merit Selection Committee for the Northern District of New York (1994). Michael is a contributing editor for the West Bankruptcy Exemption Manual (2003-2008). He is a member, past president, and past director of the Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, as well as a member of the American Bar Association, Consumer Bankruptcy Committee and the New York State Bar Association Bankruptcy Committee. He is a member of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees and Associate Member of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, and the American Bankruptcy Institute.

Visit Mike’s website to learn more about debt relief and reorganization options at: www.debtreliefnewyork.com

Areas of Practice

• Consumer Bankruptcy/Reorganization
• Chapter 7 Trustee
• Commercial Bankruptcy/Reorganization
• Real Property Law

Representative Cases

• GMAC v. Valenti, 105 F.3d 55 (2nd Circ. 1997)

West Practice Categories

Bankruptcy, Real Estate

Bar Admissions

• New York, 1978
• U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, 1978
• U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1982
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1998
• U.S. Tax Court, 1980
• U.S. Court of International Trade, 1980

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, 1991 - Present
• Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, 1996 - 1997 (President)
• Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, 1992 - 1996 (Director)
• American Bar Association, 1985 - Present (Member, Consumer Bankruptcy Committee)
• New York State Bar Association, 1992 - Present (Member, Bankruptcy Committee)
• Northern District of New York, 1995 (Chairman, Bankruptcy - Merit Selection Committee)
• National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
• National Association of Chapter 7 Trustees
• National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees
• AARP Attorney Reference Program
• United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of New York (Appointed Panel Trustee)
• Northern District of New York Local Rules Revision Committee (Member 1993, 1998, 2000)
• Northern District of New York, 1994 (Chairman, Judicial Merit Selection Committee)
• Third Judicial District of New York, 2009 (Appointed Member of Committee on Character and Fitness)

Honors and Awards

• President's Award, New York State Bar Association-Pro Bono Services, 1989 - 1993
• Best Lawyers in America, 1996 - 2002
• Distinguished Service Award-Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, 1989
• Rensselaer County Bar Association Pro Bono Award, 1988
• American Jurisprudence Award, 1976

Classes and Seminars

• Speaker, Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute, Atlanta Georgia, 2003 - Present
• Speaker, Bankruptcy Seminars, New York State Bar Association, 1982 - Present
• Speaker, Annual Conference, Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, 1988 - Present
• Speaker, Annual Conference, New York State Credit Union Association, 1987 - 1992
• Adjunct Faculty, Business Law, College of St. Rose, 1978 - 1991
• Speaker, Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association Annual Seminars
• Speaker, Bankruptcy Issues, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustee's Conventions
• Speaker, Bankruptcy Issues, New York Credit Union League
• Speaker, Bankruptcy Issues, Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute. Atlanta, GA, 2003

Past Employment Positions

• Lee & Leforestier, Partner, 1978 - 1991
• Carter, Conboy, Case & Blackmore, Of Counsel, 1991 - 1993

Education

• Western New England College School of Law, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1976
  J.D.
  Honors: American Jurisprudence Award
• University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, 1978
  M.B.A.
• Siena College, Loudonville, New York, 1973
  B.B.A.
  Minor: Accounting & Finance

Ancillary Businesses

• Chapter 7 Trustee Northern District of New York Appointed 1986

Offers Free Initial Consultation

Address

20 Corporate Woods Boulevard
Albany, NY 12211-2396

Phones

877-886-4029
518-465-0400

Faxes

518-641-7000

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.1stlaw.com
http://www.upstatenyautoaccidentinjurylaw.com
http://www.bankruptcyny.com