Of Counsel Relationships

Katherine Shinn’s legal practice focuses on bankruptcy matters and providing business law services and advice to Michigan businesses.

Since 2007, her legal practice has focused Chapter 7, 11, and 13 Bankruptcy matters. This experience includes addressing all aspects of insolvency and bankruptcy law such as representation of the interests of secured and unsecured creditors, lessors and lessees, in complex debtors’ and creditors’ rights matters, pre-bankruptcy planning, loan workouts, and bankruptcy litigation. In addition to her legal experience, Ms. Shinn is an effective negotiator as demonstrated by her ability to make the “best of bad situations” by reaching resolutions with diametrically opposed parties such as debtors, Court Trustees and creditors.

Ms. Shinn also works with entrepreneurs and business owners to protect their assets and otherwise minimize the risks for filing for bankruptcy. Understanding bankruptcy law is especially important for entrepreneurs and business owners. This is because both are often required to personally guarantee debt, lines of credit, business loans, or risk their personal assets to fund a new business venture. In this regard, Ms. Shinn focuses on collaborating with business owners and entrepreneurs on the front-end to avoid or limit their need for bankruptcy protection.

She also assists companies in responding to preference claims brought by Bankruptcy Trustees who are demanding to recover certain payments received from a business customer that has declared bankruptcy. Generally, the Bankruptcy Code permits a trustee (or a debtor in possession) to recover from creditors certain payments or “preferential transfers” that were made to a creditor a short time before the filing of the business debtor’s bankruptcy. But with proper planning, businesses can often protect themselves against a bankruptcy preference lawsuit. If not, we are ready to defend your company in bankruptcy litigation.

Beginning in 1995 through 2007, Ms. Shinn continuously represented and operated her family business – The Oriental Emporium – an upscale Asian focused import and retail establishment. She was responsible for the day-to-day management of the business as well as compliance with state and local law and ordinances. She also became a certified tax preparer for H&R Block in 2005 and assisted individuals and businesses file state and federal tax returns. So in working with Ms. Shinn, you are not just working with a lawyer. You are working with a business partner that actually knows business.

EDUCATION

Ms. Shinn earned from Wayne State University her B.A. with a Major in Biology in 1994 and her Master’s Degree in Biology in 1996. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University in 2002. Ms. Shinn continues her legal education by attending various seminars, such as Fundamentals of Divorce Practice and Procedure (September 2006), Residential Real Estate Transaction Basics (March 2007), Effective Civil Discovery and Motion Practice (March 2007), and Commercial Litigation in Bankruptcy (April 2008) and the American Bankruptcy Institute Seminars (2007, 2008, 2009).

BAR ADMISSIONS AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Ms. Shinn is admitted to the State Bar of Michigan. She is also a member of the Consumer Bankruptcy Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute.