Both Don M. Stichter and Harley E. Riedel have been associated with the firm since 1974. At that time, although he conducted a general business and litigation practice, Don Stichter was widely recognized as one of the few Tampa lawyers with expertise representing debtors under Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act of 1898. When the "stagflation" and high interest rates of the late 1970s drove many Florida borrowers into default, the volume of cases caused the firm to focus its practice and to specialize in insolvency and bankruptcy law. Russ M. Blain, Richard C. Prosser, and Charles A. Postler joined the firm as partners in 1985, 1990, and 1992 respectively. Since then the firm has added a number of additional lawyers and partners, and it continues to expand to meet the challenges posed by the current economic crisis. Profiles of the attorneys appear in the “Attorneys” section of this website.
The firm's offices are located in a century old office building in downtown Tampa (see “Our Offices” for a further description), in close proximity to the bankruptcy and federal district courthouse.
The professional accomplishments of the firm and its members include the following (other activities and awards appear in the attorney biographies section of this website):
The firm is listed in Martindale-Hubbell's Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers.
In 2001, Don M. Stichter was named "Outstanding Lawyer in Hillsborough County" by the Hillsborough County Bar Association - a 3,000 member bar association encompassing the City of Tampa and all of Hillsborough County.
Don Stichter and Harley Riedel were two of the initial three recipients of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association's highest award - the Douglas P. McClurg Award - which recognizes a lawyer for outstanding effectiveness in judicial proceedings through preparation, civility and courtesy, to counsel and parties, and highest standards of ethics and professionalism. Only four lawyers have ever been awarded this honor.
Don Stichter, Harley Riedel and Russ Blain are Fellows of the American College of Bankruptcy.
Six of the firm's lawyers, Don Stichter, Harley Riedel, Russ Blain, Richard Prosser, Charles A. Postler, and Scott A. Stichter, were listed as among the best bankruptcy lawyers in the nation in the 2010 edition of "Best Lawyers in America." This marks more than twenty consecutive years that Don Stichter and Harley Riedel have been listed in that publication. Messrs. Blain and Prosser have been continuously listed for at least ten years.
The firm is one of only four firms in Florida (the only one in Tampa) to have continuously (2004-2008) received a top-tier ranking in the Insolvency and Corporate Recovery category in the Chambers USA Guide to the Best U.S. Business Law Firms and Attorneys. In addition, Don Stichter, Harley Riedel and Russ Blain were recognized in that publication as among the top insolvency and bankruptcy lawyers in Florida.
Eleven Firm Lawyers Recognized as "Florida Super Lawyers" or “Rising Stars” in the 2009 Edition of Super Lawyers Magazine. Don M. Stichter, Harley E. Riedel, Russell M. Blain, Richard C. Prosser, Charles A. Postler, Scott A. Stichter, and Stephen R. Leslie were named among Florida's Super Lawyers in the 2009 edition of Super Lawyers Magazine. Elena Paras Ketchum, Edward J. Peterson, Amy D. Harris, and Daniel R. Fogarty were recognized as “Rising Stars,” in the bankruptcy/insolvency practice area. For the second year, Messrs. Stichter and Blain were also named among the top 100 lawyers in the State of Florida in all practice areas. Harley E. Riedel, also a founding shareholder of the firm, was named for the second consecutive year as one of the top 10 lawyers in the State of Florida.
For several consecutive years four of the firm’s lawyers, (Don Stichter, Harley Riedel, Russ Blain, and Richard Prosser) were recognized in Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite, a peer selected group of the top 1.7% of all Florida Bar Members.
In addition to the four name partners, Charles Postler, Scott Stichter, Stephen Leslie, Elena Ketchum & Becky Ferrell-Anton have been given the highest "AV" rating by Martindale-Hubbell.
Don Stichter, Harley Riedel, Russ Blain and Richard Prosser have each served as president and as chair of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association. Scott Stichter served a four-year stint as a director of that association. Elena Ketchum has served as a director and is currently an officer of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association. Edward Peterson is also a current director of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association.
Harley Riedel, aided by other firm members, authored the chapters on representation of Chapter 11 debtors in possession in the Norton Handbook for Trustees, Debtors in Possession, and Committees published by West Publishing Company.
Firm members have spoken on bankruptcy topics for the American Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, The Florida Bar, and numerous other professional and business groups.
Russ Blain has been active in the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar and currently serves as Chairman of the Business Law Section.
Don Stichter has served as President of the Hillsborough County Bar Association and was named outstanding Local Bar President by the Florida Bar.
The firm has acted as counsel for parties in over three hundred published decisions.
The firm handles numerous consumer matters on a pro bono basis for deserving clients who cannot afford to pay for legal services. In recognition of these activities, in March 2002 the firm was given the "Have a Heart Award" by the Hillsborough County Bar Association for "outstanding pro bono service by a law firm."
On March 15, 2005, Scott A. Stichter was honored as the recipient of the 2005 Jimmy Kynes Pro Bono Award. The award is given annually to an outstanding pro bono attorney selected by the Hillsborough County Bar Association and the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit's pro bono program, H.A.V.E. A Heart. It is dedicated to the memory of former general counsel for the Jim Walters Corporation, Jimmy Kynes.
On November 26, 2008 The Florida Bar awarded Scott A. Stichter the Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award for 2009 from the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. Each year, the Florida Supreme Court and The Florida Bar give special recognition to lawyers who have freely given their time and expertise in making legal services available to the poor. Mr. Stichter was recognized for the time and professional expertise he contributed in making legal representation available to those otherwise unable to afford it.
Harley Riedel and Russ Blain have taught the Advanced Bankruptcy Class at the University of Florida College of Law. Harley Riedel and Steve Leslie have taught the Advanced Bankruptcy Class at the Stetson College of Law.
In addition to the services to organized bar associations described above and elsewhere, the firm's lawyers serve on boards and committees for a variety of charitable, civic, religious, educational, and service organizations. It sponsors the Stichter, Riedel, Blain and Prosser Book Award for the Advanced Bankruptcy Course at the University of Florida College of Law. |
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Significant
Cases
The
firm has represented numerous debtors in Chapter 11 cases including
Hillsborough Holdings Corp., f/k/a The Jim Walter Corporation,
and its 32 subsidiaries, which had combined assets and liabilities
of more than $3 billion; Koger Properties, Inc., a New York
Stock Exchange company at the time of filing with assets and
liabilities of more than $500 million; The Koger Partnership,
Ltd., a publicly traded limited partnership with assets and
liabilities of more than $200 million; Bicoastal Corporation,
f/k/a The Singer Company, a corporation with assets in excess
of $500 million and over $2 billion in asserted claims; Lykes
Bros. Steamship Co., Inc., the third largest U.S. Flag international
shipping company with assets and liabilities in excess of $300
million; JumboSports Inc., a major national retailer of sporting
goods with 59 stores in more than 20 states and assets and liabilities
of more than $300 million; Linc.net, Inc., a Miami-based construction
company with annual revenues and liabilities in excess of $300
million; Viasource Communications, Inc., a Ft. Lauderdale-based
company with annual revenues and assets exceeding $100 million;
Moltech Power Systems, Inc., a Gainesville-based manufacturer
of rechargeable batteries with annual revenues of $140 million
and assets and liabilities of approximately $80 million; Wm.
G. Roe and Sons, Inc. and Wm. G. Roe and Company, Inc., the
largest packer and shipper of tangerines in Florida; The American
Ship Building Company, a New York Stock Exchange company at
the time of filing; and Trust America Service Corp., an American
Stock Exchange company at the time of filing.
The firm also represents mid-size and smaller businesses and
individual debtors on a regular basis and with a high degree
of success. Formulating a strategy at the outset of these cases
and implementing that strategy is key to handling these cases
on an economical basis.
The firm has also represented substantial creditors, purchasers,
defendants, committees, or other parties in interest in a number
of significant Chapter 11 cases, including those of The Celotex
Corp. (a manufacturer of home building products with annual
revenues of $400 million), Silas Creek Retail, L.P., d/b/a Piece
Goods Shops and d/b/a Northwest Fabrics (the fourth largest
retail fabric chain in the nation with 195 locations throughout
the United States), Murray Chris-Craft (a leading recreational
boat manufacturer), American Family Publishers (a Time, Inc.
subsidiary), The Eli Witt Company (a large food and tobacco
distributor), Braniff Airlines and Grand Union Co. (cases in
which the firm represented a member of the Official Creditors'
Committee), Fabric King, Inc. (a 74-store retail fabric chain),
Gardinier, Inc. and Mulberry Phosphates (each a large phosphate
and fertilizer processor), and the W.T. Grant Co. (a large national
retailer).
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