MIAMI – Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. (www.miamibankruptcy.com) is pleased to announce that Managing Shareholder, Timothy S. Kingcade recently received an AV rating from LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell. An AV rating is the highest level of professional excellence and ethical standards an attorney can receive.
“I am honored to have received the AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell,” said Timothy S. Kingcade. “This is a testament to the commitment that I make to each and every one of my clients and the ethical standards we uphold as a law firm. It is gratifying to know that my colleagues respect and acknowledge my legal abilities and the continued dedication to my clients.”
The AV rating attained by Timothy is the preeminent rating, achievable only after admission to the bar for at least ten years, indicating the highest level of legal ability and ethics. This rating indicates that an attorney’s colleagues and the judiciary perceive him to be at the pinnacle of professional success. LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell conducts peer review ratings throughout the country in an effort to identify lawyers with the highest legal ability and ethical standards.
The General Ethical Standards rating denotes adherence to professional standards of conduct, ethics, reliability and diligence. The Legal Ability ratings are based on performance in five key areas, which include: Legal knowledge, analytical capabilities, judgment, communication ability and legal experience.
Attorney Kingcade practices exclusively in the field of bankruptcy law, handling Chapter 7 filings and foreclosure defense cases for the Southern District of Florida. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy attorney, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws, which protect them and achieve desired results.
Miami-based Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. was established by managing partner and bankruptcy attorney, Timothy Kingcade in 1996. The firm represents clients throughout Florida in Chapter 7 bankruptcy and foreclosure defense cases. The firm is committed to providing personalized service to each and every client, clearly explaining the options according to the unique circumstances of his or her life. The office environment and the service provided are centered on a culture of superior client care. All partners and associates at Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. specialize in consumer bankruptcy and foreclosure and have dedicated their practices to this area of the law. Additionally, all attorneys and staff members at the firm are bilingual speaking Spanish.
Florida Bar
Miami-Dade to get new Foreclosure Mediators
The State’s largest foreclosure mediation program is coming under new leadership, after its original managers lost a bid to continue heading up the Supreme-Court mandated process. Oasis Alliance, which won the contract through an open bidding process, will begin transitioning to replace The Collins Center on March 28.
Like many foreclosure prevention programs that have surfaced in the wake of the housing collapse, court-ordered mediation has not been able to meet the expectations of its creators. A recent report from the Office of the State Courts Administrator found that only 6 percent of distressed homeowners eligible for mediation worked out a resolution with the bank. In Miami-Dade County, that percentage is 5.6 percent.
The main roadblock has been getting borrowers to show up at the negotiation. Homeowners were reached in only about half of cases eligible for mediation in Miami-Dade, the report found. Of the borrowers that actually attended mediation, 32 percent reached an agreement with their lender.
Miami-Dade County’s multilingual population, large geographical area and battered housing market make it a particularly difficult region for managing foreclosure mediations. There are about 70,000 unresolved foreclosure cases in Miami-Dade County court, compared to about 15,000 in the judicial circuit where Oasis is currently operating.
To read more on this story, visit:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/04/2098336/collins-dumped-as-foreclosure.html
Foreclosure defense attorney, Timothy Kingcade has helped many facing foreclosure alleviate their stress by letting them stay in their homes for at least another year, allowing them to re-organize their lives. If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.
Foreclosure Firms Face Action from the Florida Bar
This month, the Florida Bar investigated 43 reports of foreclosure fraud involving 32 lawyers. The investigation prompted the Florida Bar to add a new category solely for foreclosure fraud complaints. To find new cases, the head of the Florida Bar is asking judges around the state to report lawyers who break the rules, pointing specifically to news coverage of claims about foreclosure suits. Judges have been asked to send in copies of any orders they write that mention misconduct, in foreclosures or anywhere else.
Florida Attorney General, Bill McCollum’s office opened investigations of three high volume South Florida foreclosure firms which included: the Law Offices of Marshall C. Watson, the Law Offices of David J. Stern, and Florida Default Law Group. It’s reported that fraud arguments are still rare in foreclosures, but recently Florida is seeing more defense lawyers trying them. It’s argued that for some, the goal is just to delay a foreclosure, not resolve the debt. Bad documentation isn’t evidence of fraud as much as a sign that law firms are trying to handle a lot of work fast and cheap.
To read more on this story, visit http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2010-11-15/story/foreclosure-firms-facing-action-florida-bar.
If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure, please feel free to contact foreclosure defense attorney, Timothy Kingcade at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.
Recent Florida Bar Advertising Rules: How it affects Consumers and the Practice of Law – by Timothy Kingcade
The Florida Supreme Court recently enforced some strict advertising rules when it comes to attorneys promoting themselves via Web sites, legal profiles, blogs, social media tools, billboards, ads, etc. The most recent ruling on November 19th states that lawyer Web sites may not:
• Make statements that characterize the quality of legal services being offered;
• Provide information regarding past results;
• Include testimonials.
The Florida Supreme Court says the purpose of these new rules is to protect consumers from misleading information, provide them with accurate and helpful information in the selection of a lawyer, and respect lawyers’ abilities to provide information about themselves to the public. They contend that these new rules benefit the consumer and protect the practice of law.
However, many attorneys are arguing that it’s their first amendment right to engage in truthful advertising on the Internet. For example, publishing their successful verdicts/settlements and positive client reviews on their firm’s Web site.
One of the negative implications for consumers is that it levels the playing field of all Florida law firms, no longer allowing the “best firms” to showcase impressive verdicts and settlements received on behalf of their clients. This in turn will make it more difficult for consumers to make informed decisions on legal representation.
Also, these new laws have the potential of putting Florida law firms at a competitive disadvantage with other law firms nationwide. Attorneys practicing in other states are not as restricted with the content placed on their Web sites, blogs and social media tools. These rules are scheduled to take effect January 1st, 2010.
To keep up to date on the latest attorney advertising rules in the State of Florida visit the Florida Bar at www.floridabar.org. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. Web site at www.miamibankruptcy.info/. If you have any questions about this topic, please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100.
-Timothy Kingcade