Southern California Event Planning Committee

Joel Berman

Joel Berman's practice, spanning more than 30 years, includes general business, corporate and commercial law.

Joel assists business owner clients in preparing for, implementing and completing sales and other capital events, such as equity capital raises and borrowings.

As co-chair of the Financial Services Group, Joel is a discerning specialist in secured transactions with an emphasis on asset-based lending, creditors' remedies and loan workouts. In addition, Joel has extensive experience representing all types of lenders and also represents parties in structuring and implementing mergers and acquisitions.

Joel's work principally involves acting as general and strategic counsel for small- and middle- market companies; negotiating stock and asset acquisitions; structuring and documenting all elements of financial transactions, including revolving and term loan agreements, subordinated and senior debt transactions, syndicated transactions, leveraged buyouts, loans secured by all types of collateral, agency, participation and intercreditor agreements, equipment leases and letter of credit facilities; and exercising all forms of creditor's remedies.

In addition to his transactional experience, Joel has extensive experience in conducting and supervising commercial litigation in the state and bankruptcy courts. Joel has been the lead attorney in charge of workouts involving personal property, real property, mixed collateral and unsecured loans for national banks, community banks, mortgage companies, financial institutions, manufacturers and other business entities.

Steven Bloom

Mr. Bloom is an AV Rated lawyer who has practiced with the firm since 1979, and is its President. Mr. Bloom’s practice emphasizes real property and commercial financings, debt restructurings and risk management. He has lectured throughout California on these topics for, among other organizations, the California Bankers Association, RMA, Western Independent Bankers, and various financial institutions. His transactional work includes real property and other asset sales, documenting business arrangements and loan documentation for banks and other providers of financial services. Mr. Bloom is a member of the Financial Institutions Committee of the Business Law Section of the State Bar of California. He is also a board member and past president of CASA of LA, which provides Court Appointed Special Advocates for children under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Dependency Courts.

Mr. Bloom was born in Los Angeles, California. He earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Southern California, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D., cum laude, from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.

Jeff Brandlin

JEFF FOUNDED BRANDLIN & ASSOCIATES in 1980 to fulfill the unique needs of capital sources, service industry firms and closely-held businesses. His vision for B&A has resulted in an exceptional accounting firm that:

  * Spans the chasm between capital sources and their borrowers/investments;
  * Lowers the operating costs of routine accounting functions for service industry firms; and
  * Maximizes cash flow and profitability for closely-held businesses.

Jeff and his colleagues combine superior technical expertise with years of practical experience to add value to their clients with such services as: litigation support; workout consulting; collateral review for lenders and investors; representation of debtors in possession, creditors, trustees and receivers; forensic accounting; financial due diligence; operational consulting; financial statement preparation; and accounting.

Jeff’s extensive experience encompasses serving clients in a broad range of industries, including: corporate, asset-based and mezzanine lenders; equity sponsors; manufacturing; distribution; software; clothing manufacturers; food processors and packaging; entertainment; food service; oil and gas production, refining and distribution; healthcare; construction; retail; financial and professional services; merchants; and non-profit organizations.

He graduated from San Diego State University in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, has been licensed to practice accountancy in California since April 1976 and is a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA).

Barry Freeman

Barry Freeman specializes in bank and asset-based lending, creditors' rights and Article 9 of the UCC, and is a member of the Firm's Corporate and Bankruptcy Reorganization Group, resident in the Los Angeles office.

Barry's practice focuses on all aspects of secured and unsecured lending, banking, asset-based and unsecured lending, syndicated and participated credits, representing both agents, participants and line banks; workouts and restructurings; creditors' rights; business bankruptcies; corporate reorganization; real estate; agricultural lending; and litigation counseling involving lender liability issues.

Barry represents manufacturing clients in a variety of fields, including the sale and distribution of manufactured goods on open account and secured basis and has substantial expertise in the automotive, tire, and agribusiness industries.

Barry also represents auctioneers and possesses substantial expertise in this industry, and has conducted several seminars on a national basis to fulfill the auction industry's continuing education requirements.

An active national lecturer, Barry serves as an instructor for the American Bar Association Business Law Section's Loan Documentation Committee, the California State Bar's Continuing Education of the Bar Programs on "Bankruptcy Reorganization, Debtor-Creditor Rights and Secured Transactions," and several times a year for The Practicing Law Institute and The Banking Law Institute on national panels.

Barry is an active arbitrator of commercial disputes for The American Arbitration Association.

Barry has been elected as a Fellow in the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. He is also a past chair of the Loan Documentation Committee of the American Bar Association's Business Law Section and is a past chair and current vice chair of the California State Bar Association's Agribusiness Committee. He is a member of the Advisory Council for The Banking Law Institute.

Barry is a member of the California and Montana bars, and he is admitted to practice in the States of California, Montana, their respective State and Federal Courts, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Barry A. Smith

Barry A. Smith is a Shareholder in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group in Los Angeles. Mr. Smith focuses his practice on representing financial institutions and other business entities both domestic and international. Mr. Smith has extensive experience in business and commercial litigation, creditors’ rights, loan workouts and restructuring, provisional remedies, collections, post-judgment enforcement. He also handles complex defense litigation including tort, contract law and real estate.

Mr. Smith is a frequent speaker on creditor’s rights, enforcement of judgments, prejudgment remedies, workouts and turnarounds, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, business and banking fraud, arbitration, toxic waste, lender liability, legal ethics, probate estates and trusts and collection strategy and tactics. He speaks at numerous seminars and conferences including the California Independent Bankers, Risk Management Association, Special Asset Managers Association, National Association of Chinese American Bankers, California Bankers Association, Western Independent Bankers Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Associations, and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Smith is a former Professor of Law, teaching courses on trial tactics and litigation techniques. He is named one of "Who's Who in Banking and Finance" by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Mr. Smith is a member of the Financial Lawyers Conference, American Trial Lawyers Association, Los Angeles Business Trial Lawyers Association, California Bank Counsel, the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section and the Provisional and Post-Judgment Section. He is also an Associate Member of the Community Bankers of California, National Association of Chinese-American Bankers, Risk Management Association, Credit Managers Association and the Southern California Mortgage Association.

Mr. Smith earned his J.D. Degree at Southwestern University in 1970 and received his B.S. Degree in Finance and Economics at California State University, Northridge.