Michael J. O'Connor Albany, New York
| Partner | |
| phone | 877-886-4029 518-444-4172 |
| fax | 518-641-7000 |
| Email Me | |
MICHAEL J. O'CONNOR (AV Rated)
Michael J. O'Connor is a 1973 graduate of Siena College, a 1976 graduate from Western New England College where he earned his J.D., and a 1978 graduate of the University of Dublin, Trinity College, Ireland, with a Masters in Business Administration.
Michael is a Board Certified Commercial and Consumer Bankruptcy Specialist (American Bankruptcy Board of Certification). He was admitted to the New York State and federal bars in 1978 and is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Court of International Trade.
Michael is the recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award (1976), the Distinguished Service Award from the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (1989), and the President's Award for Pro Bono Services, New York State Bar Association (1989 and 1993). He has frequently lectured on bankruptcy issues for the New York State Bar Association, the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustee's Conventions, the New York State Credit Union League and the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute in Atlanta, GA (2003).
Michael is a Chapter 7 Trustee and was appointed to the Chapter 7 Trustee Panel for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York (1986), the Northern District of New York Local Rules Revision Committee (1993, 1998, 2000), and was chairman of the Judicial Merit Selection Committee for the Northern District of New York (1994). He also was appointed a member of Committee on Character and Fitness, Third Judicial District of New York, 2009.
Michael is a contributing editor (N.Y.S. exemptions) of West's Bankruptcy Exemption Manual (2003).
- Areas of Practice:
- 60% Consumer Bankruptcy/Reorganization
- 30% Chapter 7 Trustee
- 10% Commercial Bankruptcy/Reorganization
- Real Property Law
- Certification/Specialties:
- Consumer Bankruptcy, American Bankruptcy Board of Certification, 1992
- Commercial Bankruptcy, American Bankruptcy Board of Certification, 1992
- Bar Admissions:
- New York, 1978
- U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, 1978
- U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1982
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1998
- U.S. Tax Court, 1980
- U.S. Court of International Trade, 1980
- Education:
- Western New England College School of Law, Springfield, Massachusetts,
1976
J.D.
Honors: American Jurisprudence Award - University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, New York, Ireland,
1978
M.B.A. - Siena College, Loudonville, New York,
1973
B.B.A.
Minor: Accounting & Finance
- Representative Cases:
- GMAC v. Valenti, 105 F.3d 55 (2nd Circ. 1997)
- Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Speaker, Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute, Atlanta Georgia, 2003 - Present
- Speaker, Bankruptcy Seminars, New York State Bar Association, 1982 - Present
- Speaker, Annual Conference, Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, 1988 - Present
- Speaker, Annual Conference, New York State Credit Union Association, 1987 - 1992
- Adjunct Faculty, Business Law, College of St. Rose, 1978 - 1991
- Speaker, Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association Annual Seminars
- Speaker, Bankruptcy Issues, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustee's Conventions
- Speaker, Bankruptcy Issues, New York Credit Union League
- Speaker, Bankruptcy Issues, Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute. Atlanta, GA, 2003
- Honors and Awards:
- President's Award, New York State Bar Association-Pro Bono Services, 1989 - 1993
- Best Lawyers in America, 1996 - 2002
- Distinguished Service Award-Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, 1989
- Rensselaer County Bar Association Pro Bono Award, 1988
- American Jurisprudence Award, 1976
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, 1991 - Present
- Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, 1996 - 1997
- President
- Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association, 1992 - 1996
- Director
- American Bar Association, 1985 - Present
- Member, Consumer Bankruptcy Committee
- New York State Bar Association, 1992 - Present
- Member, Bankruptcy Committee
- Northern District of New York, 1995
- Chairman, Bankruptcy - Merit Selection Committee
- National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
- National Association of Chapter 7 Trustees
- National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees
- AARP Attorney Reference Program
- United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of New York
- Appointed Panel Trustee
- Northern District of New York Local Rules Revision Committee
- Member 1993, 1998, 2000
- Northern District of New York, 1994
- Chairman, Judicial Merit Selection Committee
- Third Judicial District of New York, 2009
- Appointed Member of Committee on Character and Fitness
- Past Employment Positions:
- Lee & Leforestier, Partner, 1978 - 1991
- Carter, Conboy, Case & Blackmore, Of Counsel, 1991 - 1993
- Ancillary Businesses:
- Chapter 7 Trustee Northern District of New York Appointed 1986
