OUR PHILOSOPHYWe view each engagement with our clients as a reciprocal investment. Our clients invest in our legal counsel and entrust us with their legal problem, and in turn, we provide our clients with sound and practical legal counsel grounded in thirty years of experience. We take pride in being responsive to our clients from the outset until the conclusion of an engagement. Our goal is for our clients to believe hiring us was an investment that paid off through the results we achieve.
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BANKRUPTCY & DEBT RESTRUCTURINGIf you or your company are confronted with financial stress, the obstacles to recovery can appear insurmountable. There may be solutions in bankruptcy or in debt restructurings negotiated with creditors out of court. What you need is effective representation by an experienced attorney. We collaborate with you on a plan that suits your objectives and that is feasible to carry out.
If the matter includes bankruptcy proceedings, Mr. Bellinger is a highly respected advocate for his clients in the bankruptcy court, and he has represented virtually every type of party in interest in bankruptcy proceedings, including:
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LITIGATIONIf you or your business are confronted with having to file a lawsuit or defend a lawsuit, there are a few certainties; litigation is stressful, time consuming, and expensive. A significant advantage goes to the party who has a skilled advocate in the courtroom and an experienced advisor to guide them through difficult decisions you will face.
Joseph J. Bellinger is known by his legal counterparts for his thorough case preparation and ability to see the bigger issues at hand. In the courtroom, Joe is direct, honest, and composed, focusing on his client's goals and how to best achieve them. |
Mediation of DisputeS
"Bury the Hatchet Without Going To Trial"
People and businesses often end up in lawsuits over disputes they could not resolve on their own. Consequently, they spend the next several months or more embroiled in a costly and stressful legal battle with no certainty as to the outcome. In a lawsuit, the court may order the parties to mediate their dispute before going to trial.
Mediation is a process in which a trained and impartial person, the mediator, facilitates a discussion among the parties. Even when mediation is ordered by a court, mediation itself is always voluntary because the court cannot order the parties to reach an agreement. What is said in mediation is confidential, and may not be used in court. With the assistance of a neutral mediator, parties to a dispute may be able to reach a resolution that satisfies all of the disgruntled parties. The resolution, if one is reached, is therefore completely self-determined.
While serving as a bankruptcy trustee and managing hundreds of lawsuits at a given time, Joe found mediation as an effective way to resolve lawsuits that he filed to recover money or property for the benefit of the bankruptcy estates he administered. Instead of long court battles with high legal fees, through mediation, he was able to negotiate settlements that conferred a favorable net benefit to the estates. As a result of his own success with mediation as a bankruptcy trustee, Joe completed the Civil Mediation Training pursuant to Maryland Rule 17.
When serving as a mediator, Joe impartially facilitates a discussion among the parties. In his role as a mediator, Joe does not serve as legal counsel, he does not give legal advice to the parties, or make decisions for any of the parties. Rather, Joe will bring the parties together and facilitate a discussion that will allow the parties to determine if they can reach a resolution and, if so, on what terms.
Mediation is a process in which a trained and impartial person, the mediator, facilitates a discussion among the parties. Even when mediation is ordered by a court, mediation itself is always voluntary because the court cannot order the parties to reach an agreement. What is said in mediation is confidential, and may not be used in court. With the assistance of a neutral mediator, parties to a dispute may be able to reach a resolution that satisfies all of the disgruntled parties. The resolution, if one is reached, is therefore completely self-determined.
While serving as a bankruptcy trustee and managing hundreds of lawsuits at a given time, Joe found mediation as an effective way to resolve lawsuits that he filed to recover money or property for the benefit of the bankruptcy estates he administered. Instead of long court battles with high legal fees, through mediation, he was able to negotiate settlements that conferred a favorable net benefit to the estates. As a result of his own success with mediation as a bankruptcy trustee, Joe completed the Civil Mediation Training pursuant to Maryland Rule 17.
When serving as a mediator, Joe impartially facilitates a discussion among the parties. In his role as a mediator, Joe does not serve as legal counsel, he does not give legal advice to the parties, or make decisions for any of the parties. Rather, Joe will bring the parties together and facilitate a discussion that will allow the parties to determine if they can reach a resolution and, if so, on what terms.