MATTHEW C. FERGUSON, Shareholder
Matt specializes in general litigation, aviation law, real estate litigation, and commercial litigation, including business torts.
E-mail: ferguson@garfieldhecht.com More...
RONALD GARFIELD, Managing Shareholder
Ron specializes in business acquisitions and sales representing lenders and buyers, commercial lending, and real estate law.
E-mail: garfield@garfieldhecht.com More...
Bob specializes in the areas of family law and commercial litigation.
E-mail: rkendig@garfieldhecht.com More...
Andy specializes in real estate and administrative law with an emphasis in land use matters and commercial and residential real estate development.
E-mail: ahecht@garfieldhecht.com More...
CHRISTOPHER J. LaCROIX, Shareholder
Chris specializes in corporate law, business organization, real estate, commercial lending and trademark licensing.
E-mail: clacroix@garfieldhecht.com More...
Dave specializes in commercial litigation, real estate litigation, personal injury litigation, and domestic relations.
E-mail: chagen@garfieldhecht.com More...
DAVID H. McCONAUGHY, Shareholder
David specializes in real estate and land use law, municipal law, water law, construction law, and related civil litigation.
E-mail: dmcconaughy@garfieldhecht.com More..
Chad specializes in commercial litigation, real estate litigation, construction litigation, and personal injury litigation.
E-mail: cschmit@garfieldhecht.com More...
Kursten specializes in real estate law with an emphasis in commercial and residential real estate development, leasing, financing, construction contracts, and homeowners' association matters, and business law with an emphasis on business organization and asset transfers.
E-Mail: kcanada@garfieldhecht.com More…
Steve specialized in the areas estate planning, probate, and local governemnt law.
E-mail: esands@garfieldhecht.com More...
Bill specializes in the areas of estate planning, taxation, probate, business law and real estate.
E-mail: wguest@garfieldhecht.com More...
E. MICHAEL HOFFMAN, Of Counsel
Michael specializes in real estate law and business organization.
E-Mail: mhoffman@garfieldhecht.com More…
Ed specializes in the areas of municipal law and local government law.
E-mail: esands@garfieldhecht.com More...
NICOLE D. GARRIMONE, Associate
Nicole specializes in water law, municipal law, special district law, real estate and land use law.
E-mail: ngarrimone@garfieldhecht.com More...
CHRISTOPHER D. BRYAN, Associate
Chris concentrates on general civil litigation, land use and environmental law, appellate practice and commercial litigation.
E-mail: cbryan@garfieldhecht.com More...
Greg specializes in real estate law with an emphasis in land use matters, business organization, corporate and general litigation.
E-mail: ggordon@garfieldhecht.com More...
Ryan specializes in family law and commercial litigation.
E-mail: rkalamaya@garfieldhecht.com More...
Eric specializes in general litigation, real estate law and commercial litigation, including business torts.
E-mail: emusselman@garfieldhecht.com More...
Daniel specializes in real estate law and business organization.
E-mail: dreynolds@garfieldhecht.com More...
Natasha specializes in corporate law, business organization and real estate law.
E-mail: nsaypol@garfieldhecht.com More...
E-mail: asimpson@garfieldhecht.com More...
Dave specializes in municipal law, land use law, and real estate law.
E-mail: dsmith@garfieldhecht.com More...
The intricate, litigious character of this society means that you could be sued – or need to sue someone – at any time. Protecting your property and welfare has become increasingly difficult as laws are being interpreted in a very broad manner and the potential for loss is always threatening. Having a quality attorney fighting for you is absolutely essential for success when purchasing mountain property.
Vail Law Firms come in all shapes and sizes so make sure yours concentrates specializes in whatever manner of law is being disputed. That seems obvious, but many attorneys only have a general practice and do not necessarily have advanced abilities in any particular field of law. You want a lawyer who has a lot of experience with your type of case rather than an attorney who dabbles in many things.
As a case in point, let’s look at land transactions. Real estate and property law is highly detailed and there are always lots of clauses and intricacies in any contract and deed procedure. Each step of the road is a metaphorical snare that could result in a serious loss. Title attorneys do exactly what it sounds like they do – they ensure the validity of a client’s title or deed to tracts of land and/or the different mineral rights.
What is described in the newspaper docket column as a simple land transaction actually involves mountains of paperwork and fine points that entails a very narrow scope of expertise – if a desirable outcome is wished for, that is. Usually, land contracts involve large sums of money and financial commitments on the part of two distinct entities – the buyer and the seller – with two distinct incentives, so the litigation in a land deal can become very tangled immediately. If your team does not have a good leader in the figure of a skilled and highly trained attorney, then chances are you will lose the case.
Perhaps you purchased a piece of property from Person A for a substantial cost that you took out a loan for. Six months later Person B arrives with proof that he is the successor to a previous owner and is therefore entitled to your property. You may suddenly have to relinquish possession of your property – but you still owe the bank a fortune. Of course, you would have the option of attempting to recover your money from Person A, but now you have to hire a good attorney. If you had hired a title attorney to handle your land transaction before you started you would have discovered the title issues and you could have avoided the problem altogether.
Why you Need To Hire a Vail Lawyer
If you are involved in any form of legal proceeding – from a basic speeding ticket to a big lawsuit – hiring a quality attorney is crucial. The rationale of why you need to hire an attorney in every legal issues are as extensive as the legal system itself.
Simply put, the ordinary person is not capable of understanding the legal system well enough to defend themselves adequately. Most all of us have received a speeding ticket at some point in our lives. Usually, we realize that we are guilty of the citation so we just check the appropriate box, mail in the penalty and and allow the state to add points to our license. That small infraction will now impact our insurance prices – and even our credit stats – for years to come. However, if we were to seek legal help, our attorney would probably find a better alternative. Perhaps, after an initial consultation, the attorney picks out a mistake in the issuing officer’s report, or finds a judgment deferral process that keeps your license and driving record clean.
The legal process is built with no regard for public consumption. An attorney technically cannot make anything happen that an average person can – the attorney merely knows the system and fine points of the legal process and therefore is able to facilitate your desires and rights. Of course, a well-connected law firm has nurtured contacts over time with important people within the legal system; associations which often increase the odds of a positive outcome.
Often winning is not simply beating a case – often it is obvious that the case brought against you in a criminal or civil case is stronger than your case. In these times a lawyer is invaluable at helping you get the verdict you want. A judge usually looks for a precedent before deciding a litigation case or civil result, and a good trial lawyer can cite precedents more favorable to you or argue as to why your case is unique and therefore should be subject to lesser penalties.
For most of you, tort and probate matters may be the main issue why you need to hire a lawyer. Most everyone will need a will or have to deal with the estate of a deceased loved one. Increasingly common are bankruptcies and intricate real estate sales due to foreclosures and abandonment. Tort and probate law is especially confusing and often entirely unknown to average people.
More Avon Law Office help: http://www.garfieldhecht.com/
PRESS RELEASE from Aspen Attorneys Garfeidl and Hecht P.C.
COURT FINDS IN FAVOR OF WESTLB AG IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS CONCERNING THE DANCING BEAR DEVELOPMENT IN ASPEN -- FORECLOSURE OF DANCING BEAR MAY PROCEED
On May 25, 2011, the Honorable Michael E. Romero, a federal judge with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado, entered a 23-page written Opinion granting WestLB AG’s Motion for Relief from Automatic Stay. WestLB AG is a bank that had provided over $58 million in financing for development and construction of the Dancing Bear, a fractional-unit private residence club in Aspen, Colorado.
The Dancing Bear development consists of a fully constructed building adjacent to Wagner Park in downtown Aspen and a skeleton frame of an unfinished building across the street. The Dancing Bear project was not completed, experienced large cost overruns, as well as difficulty marketing and selling its inventory of fractional units.
After the Dancing Bear entities defaulted on their loans, followed by numerous work-out attempts and agreements to forbear, WestLB commenced foreclosure proceedings in Pitkin County District Court. The Court subsequently appointed a receiver to oversee and manage day-to-day operations of the Dancing Bear project. In 2010, various single-asset real estate entities affiliated with the Dancing Bear project sought protection from its creditors by filing for bankruptcy, which, under federal statute, automatically stayed all other proceedings. As the Debtors in the bankruptcy case, the Dancing Bear entities sought to reorganize and to obtain the upwards of $35 million in additional financing from other sources to complete the project.
Judge Romero’s detailed Opinion concluded that the automatic stay should be lifted so that WestLB can pursue its remedies as a creditor of the Dancing Bear project. The bankruptcy court determined that WestLB would not be “adequately protected” because the Debtors had no feasible plan to ensure repayment to its creditors, the largest of which was WestLB. Specifically, the court found that the Debtors’ proposals “are simply too speculative and too attenuated to comprise a reasonable probability of a successful reorganization within a reasonable time.”
The bankruptcy court’s Opinion is available for public viewing at www.garfieldhecht.com.
Case Judgement: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=18e4XhybcmxB3ULA7eVUr6MlWa1RJRHrzPAJfych_HTCuY5XTuGsO8koijF-n&hl=en_US
Garfield & Hecht, P.C. was founded in 1975 by Ronald Garfield and Andrew Hecht. The firm has been rated AV by its peers, which is the highest possible rating.
The firm has offices in Aspen, Avon, Basalt and Glenwood Springs. The firm serves local, regional and national clients, including major corporations and high profile individuals. The firm has a strong transactional legal practice and litigation practice. The litigation practice includes commercial, construction, domestic relations and products liability matters. The transactional practice includes real estate (including representing commercial and residential developers), lending, commercial law, business organizations, municipal and special district law, administrative law (with an emphasis on land use) and landlord/tenant matters.
For more information, contact Garfield and Hecht here.
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