Nicholas A. Zingarelli | Cincinnati Bankruptcy Lawyer

• U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio,
  2005
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Kentucky,
  2006
• U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit,
  2008
• U.S. Supreme Court,
  2012
• Cincinnati Bar Association Practice of Law Committee, Vice Chair, –
  2006 / 2011
• Better Business Bureau, Member, –
  2010 / Present
• State of Ohio, Member of the Bar, –
  2005 / Present
• Commonwealth of Kentucky, Member of the Bar
• Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers (CALL) Class XVI Fellow, –
  2012 / Present
• United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Ohio, Judicial Liaison Committee, Cincinnati, Member, –
  2012 / Present
• Potter Stewart Inn of Court, Member, –
  2011 / Present
• Accredited business with Better Business Bureau, February –
  2010 / Present

• American Bankruptcy Institute Medal of Excellence
  2005

I represented a couple that previously owned restaurants throughout greater Cincinnati. We filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy for them to discharge the various debts associated with the operation of the business following the shut-down of the restaurants. My clients were sued inside of the bankruptcy by one of the banks they owed. The bank was trying to establish that my clients acted dishonestly in incurring and maintaining the debt with the bank. We vigorously defended against the bank's litigation and the bank ended up agreeing to dismiss their bankruptcy litigation. It was an incredibly satisfying result for two wonderful people that deserved a fresh start.

I have built a successful practice by treating each client as a person and not as a number. We know that our client's problems are incredibly personal and that many of our clients are at the low points of their professional and personal lives by the time they meet with us. By treating each client with respect and dignity, our clients are confident in referring their friends, relatives and acquaintances to us because they know we will provide quality service. We also treat our legal adversaries respectfully and professionally, which results in many attorneys trusting us with their clients when these clients face financial challenges.

Clients should look for an attorney that is respected within the industry and has significant experience with the type of case that they need to be handled. Our practice has focused on serving our clients in bankruptcy and related areas since the firm's inception. I have seen some of the most difficult consumer and small business bankruptcies through to discharge. A client should look for an attorney that welcomes a challenge, not one that shies away from anything that is outside the ordinary.

It's important to use an attorney that is familiar with the region because much of bankruptcy practice is based upon knowledge of state law (for exemption purposes). It's also helpful to hire an attorney that has a rapport with the trustees and judges. Attorneys are only as good as the reputation that they have built within the community. Clients should pick an attorney where attention to detail and professionalism is automatically expected by the trustee and/or judge in that case. If the attorney has built a negative reputation, that attorney's client may be pre-judged by the company they chose to keep.

We normally do not provide phone consultations because nothing can take the place of an in-person face to face meeting. However, we are happy to schedule a free first appointment with all clients at any of our three greater Cincinnati locations.

Clients are not required to bring anything to the first appointment that we schedule. However, when an appointment is scheduled, we will send a welcome letter that provides a list of documents and information that the client can gather if the client chooses. This way, we can get to work for the client as quickly as possible assuming that the client wants to move forward with our representation of him or her at the first appointment.

We provide quality service with significant attention to detail in every case. This ensures a smooth journey through the bankruptcy process from the time the case is filed through the time that the court ultimately issues its discharge order. We see the client through every step of the process. We also have been recognized by Avvo (rated 10 out of 10), Super Lawyers (rated as a Rising Star for the last three years) and Martindable Hubble (BV rated).

The most rewarding part of my job is the difference that I make in people's lives. In my experience, most bankruptcies are caused by job loss, medical issues and/or divorce. These are issues that you can't plan for when they arise in your life. By giving my clients a fresh start through bankruptcy, I am giving them an opportunity to start over again after they have been through a particularly challenging time in their lives. The work I do gives people hope when all can seem lost.

I enjoy spending time with my family, exercising, reading, going to concerts and attending sporting events (Go Bearcats, Go Reds, and Who Dey!).

I am the co-chair of the Associate Board of Tender Mercies, a charitable organization that provides security and dignity with a place to call home to people with mental health challenges that were previously homeless. I also serve by appointment on the Cincinnati Bar Association Grievance Committee and Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. Both committees help to protect the public from lawyers and non-lawyers, respectively, that act outside the boundaries of law, ethics and/or professionalism. I also am a member of the Dean's Advisory Board for the University of Cincinnati McMicken College of Arts and Sciences while also serving as the chair of the Community Engagement Committee of this board.