I attended McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, part of the University of the Pacific. I graduated from law school in June 1984 with a Juris Doctor. I was admitted to the State Bar of California in December 1984. I continued at McGeorge for an additional year and obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Business and Taxation. I worked for two law firms in Bakersfield, California from 1985 through 1989 practicing in the areas of tax planning, business planning, estate planning and resolution of tax debt through the United States Tax Court and federal and state administrative procedures, including offers in compromise.

I established a solo practice in Bakersfield in 1990. I continued to deal with tax planning matters and also with resolution of tax debt through the US Tax Court and through administrative procedures such as offer in compromise. I begin to practice bankruptcy as a means of resolving tax debt, however, my bankruptcy practice included all types of debt issues including mortgages, business debt and personal debt. I narrowed my practice to debtor bankruptcy only with emphasis on saving homes, saving businesses and discharge of tax debt. I use straight bankruptcy (Chapter 7) and reorganization bankruptcy (Chapters 11, 12 and 13) to resolve all types of debt, whether business or personal. Please see Types of Bankruptcy for more information.

In addition to being admitted to practice in California, I am admitted to practice in the Federal District Courts and Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern District of California (covering Redding to Bakersfield), Central District of California (covering Los Angles, Riverside and Santa Barbara) and Southern District of California (San Diego area). I am admitted to practice before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

I have dealt with appeals before the United States District Court, the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

I lived in Paradise from the age of 10 until I left the area to attend school for undergraduate studies and then law school. I've recently moved back to Paradise, and relocated my law office to Chico.

I am married, living with my spouse in Paradise. I have five children, all now adults. My wife works for Chico Unified School District. One of my children is a contractor, one has an undergraduate degree in philosophy and a teaching credential in history, one has an undergraduate degree in elementary education, and two are working to continue with school.