The downturn in the economy has been bad news for the homebuilding industry. But it’s meant lots of work for the local bankruptcy bar. More than a dozen bankruptcy attorneys in the Atlanta area have been working on the Chapter 11 case of Florida’s Levitt and Sons LLC. Recent bankruptcy filings by smaller Georgia-based homebuilders have generated work for local lawyers, too.
Levitt and Sons, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., filed for bankruptcy protection in November, citing “unprecedented conditions” in the homebuilding industry. Berger Singerman of Miami is counsel to Levitt and Sons, which is best known for building the planned community of Levittown on Long Island, N.Y. after World War II.
During proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, Levitt and Sons obtained a $3.5 million debtor-in-possession loan from Wachovia Corp. to complete the construction of homes in Georgia, South Carolina and elsewhere.
One Levitt and Sons development in Atlanta is the Seasons at Laurel Canyon, a gated, country club community in Canton that's designed for senior citizens. Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker partner Cindy J. K. Davis [see photo, right] in Atlanta is representing a group of homeowners
from that development. Marks & Williams partner Randolph A. Marks is counsel to Laurel Canyon LLC, the community's developer. Troutman Sanders partner Jeffrey W. Kelley is representing Carrollton homebuilder Patrick Malloy Communities LLC, which built homes in another section of the Laurel Canyon development.
Other local attorneys working on the Levitt and Sons bankruptcy: Powell Goldstein partner Wendy L. Hagenau is counsel to 84 Lumber Co. Cohen, Goldstein, Port & Gottlieb partner Jeffrey J. Cohen is representing Heritage Fireplaces Inc. of Norcross. Kenney & Solomon attorney Lisa H. Baggett in Duluth is representing Sunbelt Asphalt of Auburn. Jampol, Schleicher, Jacobs & Papadakis partner Steven M. Jampol in Alpharetta is representing Hemma Concrete Inc. Howick, Westfall, McBryan & Kaplan partner Louis G. McBryan is counsel to AB Mansell West LLC. And Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein partner Thomas Rosseland is adviser to pipeline contractor Strack Inc.
Other bankruptcy filings by Georgia homebuilders have generated work for local attorneys. Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Martin partner Jimmy L. Paul is counsel to R&B Construction Inc. of Jonesboro. Solo practitioner Debra L. McLean is representing AK Builders Inc. of Buford. Ragsdale, Beals, Seigler, Patterson & Gray partner W. Russell Patterson Jr. is advising Norris Lake LLC of Stockbridge.