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Michael Jay Berger

Michael Jay Berger

Law Offices of Michael Jay Berger
  • Bankruptcy, Collections, Appeals & Appellate ...
  • California
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Claimed Lawyer ProfileQ&ALII GoldSocial MediaResponsive Law
Biography

Serving Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Fernando Valley, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara and Riverside. I am a Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law. I am an "AV"* rated attorney with 40 years of experience in solving bankruptcy problems. I am a Mensa certified genius with a strong ability to analyze and solve problems. If you are being hounded by creditors, I can legally erase your debts and get you a fresh start. If your business needs reorganization, I can give you protection from your creditors while you reorganize. If you have a claim against an individual or company that has filed for bankruptcy, I can help you collect to the maximum extent possible. My fee is always much less than I save you. My initial consultation is always free. I represent debtors and creditors in Chapter 7, 11 and 13 bankruptcy proceedings throughout Southern California. I know the law and I know the courts, the judges and the trustees. I know the local rules. I can guide you through any bankruptcy proceeding. I use state-of-the-art technology to help my clients, including Best Case Bankruptcy Software, Lexis Nexis Research Software and the United States Bankruptcy Court's Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. This system enables me to review and print out detailed information on all recent bankruptcy cases. I use CIN Legal Data Services to instantly get your credit records upon your request to aid in the preparation of your bankruptcy schedules. All of my employees use ACT! Premium 2019 to manage our contacts and calendar. All of our attorneys have Smartphones so that we can receive and reply to client calls, e-mails and texts even when we are out of the office. I handle emergency cases that other lawyers refuse to take. I have been 100% successful in stopping foreclosures, even when first called one day before the scheduled foreclosure sale.

My firm and I are leaders in filing Chapter 11 Cases and confirming Chapter 11 plans!

Education
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco
J.D.
Honors: Thurston Honor Society. Order of the Coif. Phi Alpha Delta.
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco Logo
Duke University
B.A. | English
Honors: Member, National Honorary Society. Delta Sigma Rho Tau Kappa Alpha.
Activities: Captain of the Debate Team. Chairman, North Carolina Public Interest Research Group.
Duke University Logo
Professional Experience
Attorney
Law Offices of Michael Jay Berger
- Current
Started my own firm which includes clients such as doctors, lawyers, dentists, accountants, actors, screen writers, song writers, managers, entrepreneurs, advertising agencies, television stations, lenders, teachers, construction workers, insurance sales people, real estate brokers, real estate developers, real estate investors, film companies, manufacturing companies, construction companies, publishers, hotels, hospitals, restaurants, nightclubs, landlords and tenants.
Attorney
Rifkind & Sterling
-
Consisted of 50 attorneys.
Certifications
Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law
State Bar of California, Legal Board of Specialization
Awards
Superb Rated Attorney 10/10
Avvo
AV Preeminent -- The Highers Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
Martindale-Hubbell
AV Preeminent -- The Highers Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
Martindale-Hubbell
Rated AV-Premininent, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards, every year from 1995 - 2018
Superb Rated Attorney
Avvo
AV Preeminent -- the Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
Martindale-Hubbell
AV Rated Continuously from 1995 - 2015
Superb Rated Attorney
Avvo
AV Preeminent -- The Highers Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
Martindale-Hubbell
Michael Berger is an AV Rated attorney, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. He has maintained this AV rating continuously for more than 20 years, from 1995 to the present
Superb Rated Attorney 10/10
Avvo
Superb Rated Attorney 2012-2015
AV Preeminent -- the Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
Martindale-Hubbell
Superb Rated Attorney 10/10
Avvo
AV Preeminent -- the Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
Martindale-Hubbell
Superb Rated Attorney 10/10
Avvo
AV Preeminent -- the Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
Martindale-Hubbell
Superb Rated Attorney 10/10
Avvo
AV Preeminent -- the Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
Martindale-Hubbell
Professional Associations
State Bar of California
Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law
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Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney's Association
Member
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Activities: All Educational Programs
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American Bankruptcy Institute
Member
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Activities: Educational Programs
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California Bankruptcy Forum
Member
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Activities: All Educational Programs including the Annual Insolvency Conference
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Beverly Hills Bar Association -- Bankruptcy Section
Member
-
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
California
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9th Circuit
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Fees
  • Free Consultation
    Initial consultation is always free!
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    Firm Fees I handle most Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases on a flat fee basis. My fees for a Chapter 7 range from a minimum of $1,500.00 to a maximum of $5,000.00, depending on the complexity of the case. My median fee for a Chapter 7 is $2,000.00. My flat fee covers many things that paralegals cannot do, and other bankruptcy attorneys charge extra for. Half of the fee is due when you hire me, half is due immediately before filing of the bankruptcy petition. All costs are included except the Bankruptcy Court filing fee, which is $335.00 for a Chapter 7 and $310.00 for a Chapter 13. I typically charge $5,000.00 for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case for debtors who work for a company, and $6,000.00 for debtors who are self-employed, though complicated cases may involve additional fees. I typically ask my clients to pay me $2,000.00 before the filing of the Chapter 13 petition, with the balance of my legal fees being paid through the Chapter 13 plan. This allows my Chapter 13 clients to file bankruptcy and save their homes without having to pay me the entire legal fee before the filing of the bankruptcy petition. Regular wage earners who are able to make regular plan payments but do not have money for a retainer may qualify for my special no money down Chapter 13 plan. This lets my clients file Chapter 13 bankruptcy by paying only the court filing fee of $281.00 prior to filing bankruptcy. All legal fees are paid to me through the plan. This is an incredible deal. Adversary Proceedings and Motions are handled either on a flat fee basis or an hourly basis, according to the preference of the client. Chapter 11s are handled on an hourly basis. My hourly rate is $595.00/hour. The hourly rate for my Senior Associate Attorney Sofya Davtyan is $495.00/hour. The hourly rate for my mid level Associate Attorney Carolyn Afari is $395.00/hour. The hourly rate for my Associate Attorney Samuel Boyamian is $295.00/hour. The hourly rate for my law clerks and senior paralegals is $225.00/hour. The hourly rate for my paralegals is $200.00/hour. These rates are substantially less than those charged by other bankruptcy attorneys with similar experience. Unlike other attorneys, I never raise my hourly rates in the middle of a bankruptcy case. Chapter 11 business reorganizations are billed hourly, with a typical retainer of $20,000.00 for an individual or small business Chapter 11. The filing fee for a Chapter 11 is $1,717.00. For an exact fee quote in writing for your matter, call me at 310.271.6223 to discuss the specific facts and circumstances of your case.
Practice Areas
    Bankruptcy
    Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Debt Relief
    Collections
    Appeals & Appellate
    Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
    Business Law
    Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
    Construction Law
    Construction Contracts, Construction Defects, Construction Liens, Construction Litigation
    Real Estate Law
    Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
    Foreclosure Defense
Languages
  • Armenian: Spoken, Written
  • English: Spoken, Written
  • Hebrew: Spoken, Written
  • Russian: Spoken, Written
  • Spanish: Spoken, Written
Legal Answers
Q. I'm high I live in California I want to know what's the steps for filing bankruptcy
A: Call me. That's it. I will explain the rest to you.
Q. I'm 64 years old w/around $70k CC debt (mostly due to losing my job in March 2020. I need legal advice on how to get
A: If you no longer live in America, filing bankruptcy in California is not an option for you.
Q. Would it be hard for me to file my own bankruptcy without a an attorneys help? I would be filing a chapter 13
A: Yes, too hard! Almost all Chapter 13 cases filed by non attorneys fail. My advice: Hire a certified specialist in bankruptcy law to represent you. Doing so my save your home and save you many thousands of dollars.
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Websites & Blogs
Website
Website
Blog
Contact & Map
Law Offices of Michael Jay Berger
515 South Flower Street, 36th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Monday: 8:30 AM - 7 PM (Today)
Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 7 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 7 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM - 7 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM - 7 PM
Saturday: 12 PM - 5 PM
Sunday: Closed
Notice: Video and telephone conferences always available
Law Offices of Michael Jay Berger
11801 Pierce Street Suite 200
Riverside, CA 92505
Law Offices of Michael Jay Berger
333 City Boulevard West
Orange, CA 92868
Law Offices of Michael Jay Berger
9454 Wilshire Blvd. 6th Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212-2929
Telephone: (310) 271-6223
Law Offices of Michael Jay Berger
6320 Canoga Avenue 15th Floor
Woodland Hills, CA 91367