News And Events
Lenny Dykstra update
April 24, 2011
SHB as counsel to Bankruptcy Trustee Assist Authorities with Procuring Indictment against Lenny Dykstra for Bankruptcy Fraud.
The Firm obtains complete victory in an appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
January 30, 2011
In November 2010, Shulman Bastian Friedman & Bui LLP attorneys Gary A. Pemberton and Franklin J. Contreras, Jr., representing Robert L. Goodrich, the Chapter 7 Trustee, obtained a complete victory in an appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Goodrich v. Briones (In re Schwarzkopf), 626 F.3d 1032 (9th Cir. 2010). At issue was whether two irrevocable trusts, both of which the debtor controlled and used to pay his personal debts and one of which he created to avoid his creditors, were assets of the debtor’s bankruptcy estate which the Trustee could use to pay the bankruptcy estate’s administrative expenses and the debtor’s creditors. After a lengthy trial and two appeals, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling in favor of the Trustee that the trust the debtor had created to avoid his creditors was invalid and its assets property of the bankruptcy estate because it was created to defraud the debtors’ creditors. The Ninth Circuit also reversed the district court’s ruling against the Trustee by holding that the other trust was the debtor’s alter ego, agreeing with Messrs. Pemberton and Contreras that equitable ownership is a sufficient basis for finding that a trust is the alter ego of a debtor. As a result of Shulman Bastian Friedman & Bui LLP‘s work on the case, it is anticipated that over $2 million will be available to the Trustee to pay his administrative expenses and make distributions to the debtor’s creditors.
Shulman Bastian Friedman & Bui LLP names two new partners
December 15, 2010
Shulman Bastian Friedman & Bui LLP was pleased to announce associates, Franklin J. Contreras, Jr. and Robert E. Huttenhoff, named partners of the Firm. The Firm congratulates both of them.
Holiday Toy Drive benefitting YMCA Camp Pendleton
December 14, 2010
The firm selected YMCA Camp Pendleton Secret Santa Program as the beneficiary this year for our annual toy drive. We are glad everyone joined in and helped us helping the 1,100 Marine families who signed up for the Secret Santa Program to have a better Holiday. Thank you to everyone, again, for your continued support in helping other families less fortunate than we are.
Holiday Food Drive Update
December 10, 2010
Our food drive was a complete success thanks to everyone’s help and contributions. Thanks to everyone for your continued support.
Law Clerk Passes the Bar
November 23, 2010
Congratulations to Rika Kido!