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Patricia J. Scott

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Lansing
313 South Washington Square
Lansing, MI 48933-2114
T 517.371.8132
F 517.367.7132

Overview

Patricia serves as the Finance, Real Estate and Bankruptcy Practice Group Leader. Patricia helps creditors and trustees enforce their rights and protect their interests in all aspects of individual and commercial bankruptcy proceedings, as well as out-of-court workouts and restructurings. Patricia helps individuals and businesses collect money that is rightfully due in both judicial and non-judicial settings. She also represents small and mid-sized businesses to large corporations in multi-faceted litigation matters in state and federal court. Her work with financial institutions includes collections, loan workouts, foreclosures, receiverships and various complex banking and finance issues.

Patricia concentrates her practice in the following areas:

  • Bankruptcy: Represents creditors and trustees in connection with complex bankruptcy issues in Chapter 7, 11, 12 and 13 cases. By way of example, her experience includes negotiation of and objections to plans, nondischargeability actions, motions for relief from stay, objections to exemptions, reaffirmation agreements, avoidance of security interests, asset administration, and preference and fraudulent transfer actions.
  • Banking & Finance: Represents banks, credit unions, secured creditors, and other types of financial institutions in loan workouts, foreclosures, collections, and various complex banking and finance issues.
  • Collections: Represents banks, credit unions, creditors, individuals, and other types of businesses in negotiations, litigation, appointment of receivers, and post-judgment activities to collect on judgments, delinquent accounts, and contractual obligations.
  • Real Estate: Represents banks, credit unions, businesses and individuals in simple and complex real estate matters, including judicial foreclosures, quiet title actions, foreclosures of construction liens, receiverships, and issues surrounding breach of Michigan Builder's Trust Fund Act. As a former real estate agent, Patricia is familiar with the sale of residential and commercial real estate and represents both buyers and sellers.
  • Commercial Litigation: Represents small and mid-sized businesses to large corporations in multi-claim litigation, including receiverships, business dissolution and separations, and other contentious matters in state and federal court.

Prior to joining the firm Patricia excelled in both academic and applied pursuits. She graduated with a perfect 4.0 from Saginaw Valley State University, earned a full scholarship to Thomas M. Cooley Law School where she earned nine certificates of merit (highest grade in the class), served as the Managing Associate Editor of Thomas M. Cooley Law Review, and graduated second in her class with magna cum laude honors.

Honors & Recognitions

Michigan Super Lawyers "Rising Star," 2016-2018

Marquis Who's Who® in America

Featured Alumna at The Board of Fellows Meeting, Saginaw Valley State University, January, 2010

The Sol Siegel Award Recipient, Thomas M. Cooley Law School 2009

Affiliations

Memberships & Affiliations

Legal Affiliations:
  • State Bar of Michigan
  • Ingham County Bar Association
    • Bankruptcy Section, Co-Chair
  • American Bar Association 
  • FBA Bankruptcy Steering Committee for the Western District of Michigan
Industry & Professional Associations:
  • American Bankruptcy Institute
  • Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce
    • Legal Counsel, 2019
    • Board Member, 2019

Community Involvement

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters
    • Board of Directors, 2017-Present
  • Junior League of Lansing
    • Board of Directors, Treasurer 2014-2015
    • Endowment Board of Directors, Treasurer 2015-2016
  • Small Talk Children's Assessment Center
    • Board of Directors, 2015- February 2019
    • Vice-President, 2017

Experience

Representative Matters

  • Settled out-of-court on a case where a client was sued for over $300,000 and 42 cows on claim and delivery and conversion claims for $13,000 and one cow.
  • Represents financial institutions and bond trustees in receivership actions, including liquidation of corporations and schools.
  • Regularly represents bankruptcy trustees in all matters concerning the administration of the estate, and successfully recovers assets for the bankruptcy estate.
  • Represents financial institutions and business creditors in enforcement of debt obligations, including settlement negotiations, litigation matters, foreclosure actions, appointment of receivers and recovery against personal guarantors.
  • Counsel business and financial institution clients in collection methods, including best practice measures and how to minimize outstanding accounts receivable.
  • Assisted in representation of numerous defendants in a multi-claim state fraudulent conveyance action for several million dollars that resulted in a favorable settlement for the clients.
  • Assisted in representation of a large corporation sued in bankruptcy court in a one million dollar preference action that resulted in a successful settlement for approximately one-tenth the amount pursued.
  • Assisted in having debt owed the client declared nondischargeable by motion for summary judgment in a bankruptcy case of a debtor who had been operating a Ponzi scheme.

Communications

Recent Blog Posts

Michigan Bankruptcy Blog

Publications

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News & Events

Speaking Engagements

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News

Media

Other Videos

A Systematic Plan for Debt Collection

Education

Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D., 2009, magna cum laude

Saginaw Valley State University, B.A., 2006, summa cum laude

Bar and Court Admissions

Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Michigan

Lansing
Southfield
Grand Rapids
Detroit
Holland
St. Joseph
Traverse City