Southfield Bankruptcy Litigation Lawyers

Representing Debtors & Creditors in Contested Bankruptcy Proceedings

Bankruptcy litigation arises when disputes emerge inside a pending bankruptcy case, pitting debtors, creditors, trustees, and third parties against one another in proceedings that can reshape the course of the entire filing. These aren’t paperwork problems. They require courtroom advocacy, procedural fluency, and a clear understanding of how the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan evaluates contested claims.

At Goldstein Bershad and Fried, PC, we represent both debtors and creditors in bankruptcy litigation matters. Our Southfield team includes a former United States Bankruptcy Court Trustee and counsel for Bankruptcy Trustees, bringing direct procedural knowledge to adversary proceedings that filing-focused firms can’t replicate. With over 100 years of combined experience across the full spectrum of contested bankruptcy matters, we know how the other side thinks because we’ve been there.

Consultations are available at no charge. Call (248) 213-7888 to speak with our bankruptcy litigation attorneys today.

Bankruptcy Dispute Types We Handle

When a bankruptcy case becomes contested, the legal issues compound quickly. Each type of dispute carries its own procedural requirements, evidentiary standards, and strategic considerations. Our goal is to intervene early, anchor the facts, and advance persuasive legal arguments that protect our client’s position.

We handle bankruptcy litigation matters involving:

• Relief from Automatic Stay: A creditor seeking to resume collection action against a debtor or the debtor’s property must file a formal motion; the opposing party has 14 days to respond. We represent both the moving party and those resisting relief.
• Dischargeability Complaints: Adversary proceedings challenging whether a specific debt survives the bankruptcy discharge, including complaints based on fraud, willful injury, or domestic support obligations.
• Preferential Transfer Actions: Challenges to payments made to creditors in the period before a bankruptcy filing that gave that creditor an advantage over others in the estate.
• Fraudulent Conveyance Actions: Claims that a debtor transferred assets to hinder, delay, or defraud creditors, pursued to recover those assets for the estate.
• Claim Objections & Prosecutions: Disputes over the validity, amount, or priority of a creditor’s claim filed against the bankruptcy estate.
• Debtor Securities Violations: Litigation involving securities-related conduct that arises in the context of a bankruptcy proceeding.

Inside Knowledge From Both Sides of the Courtroom

Representing both debtors and creditors isn’t a marketing position. It’s a litigation advantage. When we advocate for a creditor, we know how the debtor’s counsel may frame the defense. When we represent a debtor facing an adversary proceeding, we understand how the trustee’s office identifies targets and builds its case, because members of our team have done that work themselves.

Our team includes a former United States Bankruptcy Court Trustee and a former court-appointed receiver. That background produces procedural insight that goes beyond knowing the rules: we understand how trustees evaluate assets, identify avoidable transfers, and decide whether to pursue adversary proceedings, and that knowledge shapes our litigation strategy at every stage. Our attorneys lecture on bankruptcy, insolvency, and related topics for community and professional organizations in the Southfield area, and many of our clients come through referrals from attorneys, accountants, and real estate professionals across Metro Detroit and throughout Michigan. We operate as a boutique firm, which means each matter receives genuine personal attention, not assembly-line case management.

Bankruptcy Litigation Counsel in Southfield & Beyond

Whether you’re a business debtor facing a preferential transfer claim, an individual whose discharge is being contested, or a secured creditor whose position is disputed in a Chapter 11 reorganization, a bankruptcy dispute demands counsel who understands the full picture. We serve clients in Southfield, Oakland County, and throughout Michigan, and we represent clients outside the state as well.