PRACTICE AREAS

Bankruptcy - Wheelis & Rozanski provides Bankruptcy representation to Commercial, Agricultural, and Individual clients. The firm focuses on Business Reorganizations and Creditor’s rights. Services provided to clients include filing and defending claims, stay relief actions, plan confirmation and objections, adversary proceedings, appeals and discharge litigation. The firm represents clients in all Chapters: 7, 11, 12, and 13. Stephen Wheelis is a Board Certified Business Bankruptcy Specialist, as certified by the Louisiana State Supreme Court. He devotes approximately 75% of his practice to bankruptcy representation. As a result of the central geographic location of the firm, the members actively practice in all divisions of the Federal Bankruptcy Court in Louisiana, including Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Lafayette/Opelousas, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Business and Commercial Law - We provide a full range of legal services to our commercial and business clients. Initially, we assist in selecting the type of organization best suited for the client. We establish the corporate entity and prepare all collateral agreements such as operating agreements, shareholder agreements, non-compete contracts, and all other necessary documents. For an established business, we conduct contract negotiations, purchases, and prepare financing arrangements, and serve as general legal counsel. We have extensive experience in transactional work including business and/or asset purchases, mergers and acquisitions, and real estate development.

Real Estate - Our firm is experienced in individual and commercial real estate transactions. We consistently assist individual consumers, investors and commercial clients in the sale and purchase of real estate throughout Louisiana and in Mississippi. Richard A. Rozanski is a licensed title insurance agent for Lawyers Title Insurance Company and authorized to insure land purchases in both Louisiana and Mississippi. We offer statewide services to mortgage companies and banks and are approved by major lenders to conduct closings on their behalf. Our services include pre-purchase advice such as preliminary title information, abstract review, survey review, closing information, costs, financing options and curative title work. From a commercial perspective, we assist the developer or investor beginning with the initial title evaluation of the site, potential problems with zoning ordinances and local regulations, environmental Phase review, compliance with wetland and Departmental regulations, identification of survey and right of way issues, and general investor concerns unique to the potential site.

Litigation - We are approved trial attorneys for Allstate Insurance Company and American International Group, Inc. in Louisiana and Mississippi. We also represent numerous clients in litigation matters. The firm offers a combined 28 years of litigation experience and serves its clients in all State and Federal Courts in Louisiana and in selected courts in Mississippi.

Personal Injury - We provide quality representation to clients who have sustained injuries, property damage, or have become involved in disputes with others as a result of accidents, negligence of others, defective products or other misconduct.

Banks and Banking- The firm represents several local and regional banking clients and stands ready to assist clients with general banking issues, foreclosure and collection matters, secured transaction issues and other banking related matters.

REPRESENTATIVE CASES
(Articles)

Rig Masters, Inc. v. U. S., 42 Fed.Cl. 369(Fed.Cl.,1998)

Angus Chemical Co. v. IMC Global Operations, Inc., 1997 WL 280740, 65 USLW 2679(W.D.La.,1997)

In Re Dowden, 207 B.R. 514(W.D.La., 1997)

Matter of Delaney, 97 F.3d 800(5th Cir., 1996); 185 B.R. 521(W.D.La.,1995); 190 B.R. 77(W.D.La.,1995).

Cottonport Bank v. Dicharia, 193 B.R. 798(W.D.La., 1996)

State v. Soniat Exploration, 665 So.2d 718(La. App. 2Cir. 1996)

F.D.I.C. v. Caplan, 874 F.Supp. 741(W.D.La., 1995); 838 F.Supp. 1125(W.D.La., 1993)

Commercial Union Ins. V. Turner, 577 So.2d 1219(La.App. 3^rd Cir., 1991)