Bankruptcy

Mary-Ann Smyth is originally from northwestern Indiana but has lived in Kentucky for the past thirty years. Mary-Ann graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in criminal justice. She went on to attend Valparaiso University School of Law before joining the United States Air Force, where she was an officer for seven years. During her military career, Mary-Ann served as an attorney in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps and was special assistant U.S. Attorney at Tyndall Air Force Base. She has spent considerable time abroad, most notably at Osan Air Base in South Korea. Following her decorated military career, Mary-Ann developed a successful private practice in Corbin, Kentucky, which quickly became a staple in the local community. Mary-Ann has spent her career practicing in a number of different areas such as family law (divorce, custody, and adoption), estate planning (will preparation and probate administration), bankruptcy law (Chapters 7 and 13), and contract law. She is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association and the Whitley County Bar Association.

Eric Dobberstein is a talented mediator, arbitrator and litigator with 36 years of experience. Eric Dobberstein has served as arbitrator and/or mediator in over 400 cases involving construction, personal injury, commercial and real property disputes. He started practicing law in 1989 and has received numerous accolades for his outstanding work as a trial lawyer. In fact, Eric’s general trial practice has been quite impressive. Eric has appeared in over 850 lawsuits consisting of construction, personal injury, commercial business issues, and domestic relations matters; he has served as legal counsel on construction projects ranging from $5,000 to $9.2 billion dollars. Some of these projects have included the construction for the Clark County School District, City of Henderson recreational center, MGM City Center, Station Casinos, Fontainebleau, Planet Hollywood, and numerous commercial private business centers, including auto malls, pools and residential, commercial, and industrial construction disputes. He has represented and litigated cases with juries as well as judges before Municipal, Justice, District and Supreme Courts of the State of Nevada as well as Nevada Federal District Court, United States Bankruptcy Court, United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. As a mediator, Eric utilizes this vast experience to assist parties on complex multi-party matters assess the strengths and weaknesses of their case in an effort to effectively and productively resolve disputes. His respectful approach and strong people skills make him uniquely qualified to resolve even the most complex claims.

Attorney Omar J. Arcia is the founding force behind Arcia Law Office, bringing over two decades of legal experience and an unwavering commitment to justice. Mr. Arcia graduated with honors from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, earning a degree in Psychology. He continued his academic excellence at Florida State University Law School, graduating in 1995. During his time in law school, Mr. Arcia distinguished himself as a leader and scholar. He proudly served as President of the Spanish American Law Students Association, was selected to join the prestigious Florida State University Law Review, as well as the Journal of Transnational Law and Policy, where his scholarly articles were published. His passion for advocacy was further demonstrated as a member of the Moot Court Trial Team, where he honed his litigation skills early in his career. Following law school, Mr. Arcia began his professional journey at a prominent business litigation firm in Miami, handling complex cases across state and federal courts nationwide. With a strong foundation in litigation, he quickly earned a reputation for skillfully navigating high-stakes legal battles. In 2000, driven by a passion to provide more personalized service, Mr. Arcia founded his own firm in Coral Gables, Florida. His practice initially focused on personal injury, real estate, family law, and business disputes. As client needs expanded, so did his vision. By December 2006, Mr. Arcia expanded his reach by opening a second office in Miramar, FL, establishing Arcia Law Office with locations in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties. This strategic growth enabled the firm to better serve clients throughout South Florida’s legal communities.

At the Botelho Law Group we have different attorneys, with different specializations; to help your case is individual needs. When choosing a lawyer or law firm, one size does not fit all, for this reason, we employ a number of attorneys and legal professionals who are equipped to handle any situation that may arise. Many legal issues that arise for our clients have overlapping matters in different Areas Of Law. Maybe during your Divorce, it would be better if you filed Bankruptcy to handle your financial situations; in a case such as this, we can service all your needs. It’s this type of full-service that allows us to best represent our clients and all their legal needs.

Utah Business Magazine’s list of “Utah Legal Elite” and Super Lawyers have recognized David for his expertise. He provides clients with seasoned legal counsel as he focuses on the most efficient and effective litigation strategies. He works closely and effectively with qualified professionals and expert witnesses, including business evaluators, forensic accountants, clinical psychologists, custody evaluators, social workers, guardian ad litem, and real estate appraisers. David served as a founding editor-in-chief of the Utah Journal of Family Law. He also served as the Managing Editor of the nationally esteemed academic Journal of Legal Studies Education, a publication of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business.

Lance has probably sued and deposed more attorneys than any other single lawyer in Texas. Lance’s career into legal malpractice began more than 20 years ago. During law school, Lance served as Editor-in-Chief of the law review and had the distinction of interning for the Texas Supreme Court and the First Court of Appeals. After graduating from law school with honors, Lance served as Briefing Attorney for the First Court of Appeals. The First Court of Appeals has jurisdiction to review cases from the state district and county courts from 14 counties in and around Harris County. There, Lance reviewed appeals and prepared draft and final opinions with the justices assigned to the cases. These cases encompassed every aspect of Texas State law including legal malpractice. Lance had the opportunity to review trial court error, as well as errors made by lawyers handling cases at the trial court level. Subsequently, Lance left the Court of Appeals to enter private practice in Houston, Texas, where he concentrates solely on plaintiffs’ legal malpractice cases. Lance has personally handled and worked on well over 2,000 legal malpractice cases and has handled numerous appeals involving legal malpractice issues. Lance has represented clients from all over the nation, including Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Virginia and, of course, Texas. Lance has spoken at a number of legal seminars and writes articles involving various aspects of legal malpractice and legal ethics. Though not every case is a multi-million dollar legal malpractice case, Lance has handled many such cases and maintains a consistent record of success, some of which are located here https://kassab.law/news/. Lance is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys in Legal Professional Liability. Professional liability falls within the umbrella of Legal Malpractice. The Diplomate designation is about competence, character and commitment; three terms that define professionalism and exemplify the high standards the ABPLA sets for all of it Diplomates. Lance has been given an “AV” rating from his peers and the judiciary on Martindale-Hubbell, which means he was deemed as having the highest ethical standards and preeminent legal ability. Lance is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which are two of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorney’s who have won a million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. There are over 5,000 members throughout the country. Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. Lance is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is licensed to practice before all Texas state courts and various federal courts, including the United State District Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, the United State Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Christopher D. Leavins is a Principal and Member at our Beaumont and Houston offices and has been with Germer PLLC since 2008. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics prior to receiving his Doctor of Jurisprudence at South Texas College of Law. Chris is Board Certified in Commercial Real Estate Law and Residential Real Estate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Chris has extensive experience in representing real estate developers, lenders, and businesses, as well as individuals in complex real estate transactions, financing, leasing, development, subdivisions, shopping centers and office buildings. In addition, he also has experience in estate planning, probate, business acquisitions, commercial litigation, and advising clients on the formation, operation and dissolution of various business entities. Chris has significant public entity representation, including acting as City Attorney and City Prosecutor for local municipalities, as well as representing economic development corporations and emergency service providers. He has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star, a Thompson Reuters publication, from 2018 – 2022.

Vallee V. Connor is a bankruptcy attorney practicing in the Southern District of Alabama. She was born in Clarke County, where she still has deep roots and extended family. Vallee has always been dedicated to assisting others through difficult times, first as a therapist, and now as an attorney. Vallee personally handles every aspect of her client’s cases, from initial consultation to discharge, and takes a personal interest in their success. Vallee holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree from Faulkner University. In 2019, she graduated summa cum laude from Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law. She joined Frances Hoit Hollinger, LLC as a bankruptcy attorney, before forming her current firm, Hollinger Connor, LLC. Vallee is married with two grown children. An avid photographer and history buff, she is proud to call Mobile, Alabama her home.

Mark M. Berardi is an attorney licensed in Illinois, Indiana, and Florida. He advises business owners, investors, and property owners on asset-focused legal strategy, including estate and wealth planning, real estate acquisitions and dispositions, and entity and ownership structuring. His work is also informed by experience in securities regulation, including an internship with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Enforcement. Mark’s practice is built around protecting ownership, value, and privacy. He helps clients lawfully reduce public visibility into asset ownership, protect identity, and safeguard reputation through discreet planning and transaction design, including for high-net-worth and public individuals. He also represents Florida property owners in major-loss insurance recovery matters, including claims arising from Hurricane Ian, and he works with co-counsel on automotive defect and warranty litigation against major manufacturers, including actions involving FCA-branded vehicles. In Illinois, Mark and his firm regularly represent condominium and homeowners associations on governance, enforcement, and property-related matters, offering practical, full-spectrum counsel for owners and operators of residential, commercial, and investment assets. Under Mark’s leadership, his firm has developed one of Illinois’s most prominent real estate practices, providing comprehensive counsel that blends precision, discretion, and practical judgment.

Kimberly provides services in the areas of Bankruptcy and Social Security Disability. Kimberly Stevens was raised in Midvale, Utah. She earned a degree in Economics from Weber State University. Kimberly attended Western New England College School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts. Upon earning her Juris Doctorate degree, Kimberly worked as an attorney for a municipality and also opened her own law office. Kimberly and her husband then decided to return to Utah.