- Lawyer Directory
- William Smelko
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Bill brings more than thirty-five years of experience to his representation of clients in litigation, with an emphasis on business bankruptcy, restructuring and corporate governance disputes. Bill has successfully litigated all aspects of bankruptcy matters from both the creditor’s and debtor’s perspective. His practice also involves advising banks, credit unions and other financial institutions on a variety of bankruptcy related matters, including plan confirmation objections, asset disposition and use motions, stay relief litigation, lease disputes and the prosecution and defense of discharge objections and nondischargeability complaints. Bill has successfully argued a number of appeals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and California's Fourth District Court of Appeal. Bill teaches Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy Procedure and Workouts, Collections & Foreclosures at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law while also coaching Thomas Jefferson's Bankruptcy Law Moot Court and Negotiation Teams.
Bill is an experienced federal and state court litigator with extensive experience in defending and prosecuting writs, due process violation claims and political challenges based upon both statutory and constitutional rights claims for relief. Most recently, in October 2016, Bill successfully defended the Ballot Statement Writ Challenge brought against the Proponents of Measure A in the San Diego Superior Court. In addition to his experience as a litigator in state and federal courts, Bill also served as a Member of the Board of Adjustment for the City of La Mesa directly evaluating challenges to various ordinance, zoning and planning determinations made by the Board for project developments. Bill worked with public agencies and municipalities in connection with claims seeking reimbursement of insurance benefits and bankruptcy crossover related claims and defenses. Bill also prosecuted and defended class action litigation for private clients in state and federal court proceedings. As the Chief Legal Counselor for the past 37 years at the California Boys State Program, Bill annually revises and updates the Manual of California Government used in the Program to educate student delegates about state, county and municipal governance issues and concerns.
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