Criminal Law

• DUI/DWI
• Sex Crimes
  Although Chris came to be widely regarded as one of the top insolvency lawyers in the country, he balanced his client work with many contributions to bar activities, legal education, and community and charitable endeavors, all while raising his family.  Among his many accomplishments, Chris was a member, treasurer and trustee of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and a past member and chair of its Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section. He was a Fellow and Past Chair of the American College of Bankruptcy, a past director of the College’s Foundation, and past chair of the College’s Board of Regents. In addition, Chris was a past president and trustee of the Turnaround Management Association’s Northeast Ohio Chapter. In 2011, Chris received the Chapter’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. For more than 10 years, Chris served as an adjunct professor of law at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He was a trustee of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, and a trustee and board president of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. Although Chris was an outstanding lawyer, he was -more importantly – a fine and decent person who treated all with kindness and respect.  He leaves behind his wife, Jan, and five children, eight grandchildren, and one great grandchild. He will be missed.

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  The firm has been highly ranked by Chambers and Partners and Best Lawyers. In addition to bankruptcy and restructuring, the firm is ranked by peer-review and ratings services in the areas of corporate law, mediation, and real estate law.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  The present firm began in 1974 with the addition of Harley E. Riedel following his graduation from the University of Florida College of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the law review and was also awarded the Order of the Coif. It was Don’s burgeoning insolvency practice that became the principal area of practice of the new firm (then known as “Stichter & Riedel, P.A.”) by 1980, although the firm continued to handle civil litigation and commercial transactions such as loan modifications, asset sales, and mergers and acquisitions (both inside and outside the insolvency arena).
• Business Disputes
  Since joining Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler P.A. as a shareholder in 1985, Mr. Blain has led the firm’s representation of clients in numerous large Chapter 11 cases. His practice, which involves out-of-court workouts and consultation with and advice to clients, as well as litigation in bankruptcy courts, is statewide, and he has served as lead counsel in the representation of debtors in possession in the largest cases ever filed in the Northern District of Florida. He is the immediate past chair of the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar and is a past president of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association.
• Business Transactions
  Russell M. Blain, Richard C. Prosser, and Charles A. Postler joined the firm laterally as partners in 1985, 1990, and 1992, respectively. Scott A. Stichter, who joined the firm as an associate in 1987, became a shareholder in 1995. Since then, the firm has grown adding a number of lawyers and partners. The firm expanded to meet the challenges posed by the Great Recession of 2008. In 2015, following the retirement of Richard C. Prosser, the firm became known by its current name, Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler, P.A.  The firm continues to handle all types of insolvency matters, complex business transactions, and discrete areas of civil commercial litigation.
• Limited Liability Companies
  Representation of three related debtors, individuals and two limited liability companies. The debtors owned a hotel in Sarasota, Florida. Construction of the hotel was completed by using proceeds from a priming loan. A plan was confirmed.
• Construction Contracts
• Intellectual Property

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Bachman concentrated his practice in the areas of transactional real estate law and commercial lending work. He represented institutional lenders in the negotiation and documentation of loan transactions, including construction, permanent and mezzanine lending, asset-based financing, loan workouts and restructuring debt obligations. Mr. Bachman also represented commercial real estate developers in connection with their acquisition, development, financing, and disposition of real property for office, hotel, retail, residential, condominium and mixed use projects.
• Construction Litigation
  In re Barret Home Corp. f/k/a Arthur Rutenburg Corp. (one of Florida’s largest home builders and developers during the 1980s; total debts in excess of $40 million; debtor spun off homebuilding entities to non-filing subsidiaries prior to filing to avoid disruption in completion of residential construction contracts; plan of reorganization confirmed)
• Real Estate Transactions
  Michael joined Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler, P.A. in 2009 and became a shareholder with the firm in 2013. Mr. Bachman handles bankruptcy matters and commercial transactions at the firm, specializing in commercial real estate transactions.
• Condominium Law
  Representation of three related debtors which own a luxury waterfront condominium development and marina facility in Naples, Florida. After the filing of the cases, the debtors obtained a post-petition financing facility in excess of $26 million, which primed $90 million of pre-petition secured debt. The proceeds of the post-petition facility were used to complete the development, and post-completion maintenance and marketing of the units.  A liquidating plan was confirmed.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Representation of Alabama Power, Konica-Minolta, several landlord claimants, several personal injury claimants, and other creditors in connection with these cases involving one of the largest supermarket chains in the United States and approximately $1 billion in claims.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  In addition to his bankruptcy practice, he also represents fiduciaries and other parties in Florida assignment for the benefit of creditors cases and receivership cases. Matt also advocates for clients in a variety of commercial litigation matters, including fraudulent transfer actions, preference actions, litigation against directors and officers, complex creditor enforcement litigation, business owner disputes, real estate litigation, and contract disputes.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  Before joining the firm, Dick served as a law clerk for legendary Chief Bankruptcy Judge Alexander L. Paskay and developed a distinguished career practicing bankruptcy law as a solo practitioner.
• Foreclosure
  In re Caesar, in this difficult pro bono case, confirmed a chapter 13 case avoiding a foreclosure matter for a disable, elderly client.
• Tax Law