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Jane H. Downey is an experienced bankruptcy attorney at Baker Donelson. Certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a specialist in bankruptcy and debtor/creditor law, Ms. Downey brings more than 30 years of experience in representing individual and business debtors and creditors in commercial and consumer bankruptcy matters. Ms. Downey is also certified as a specialist in business bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification.  

Ms. Downey has represented clients both in and outside formal proceedings. She has extensive experience in corporate restructurings, representing debtors, secured lenders, unsecured creditors, and other parties in connection with bankruptcies, receiverships, out-of-court workouts, and other related bankruptcy litigation. She has led corporate clients, landlords, doctors, car dealerships, farmers, realtors, and developers, among others, through financial restructurings and reorganizations under Chapters 7, 9, 11, 12, and 13 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. 

Ms. Downey is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a mediator and arbitrator and is currently on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolinas list of mediators. She is a frequent speaker and author on bankruptcy topics and very active in her community. 

Education

Emory University School of Law, J.D., 1990 

Furman University, B.A., 1987, cum laude

Lauren J. Schumann grew up in Summerville, SC and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wofford College in 2007.  She received her Juris Doctor from the Charleston School of Law and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 2011.

While in law school she received the "Giving Back" award for her volunteer work on pro bono initiatives.  She entered law school with the goal of practicing bankruptcy law and began an internship with the Chapter 7 Trustee while still in school.  Afterwards she continued her active practice for over three years with The Chapter 7 Trustee as an attorney.

Today, Lauren represents debtors in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies, and also practices real estate and probate law at Steadman Law Firm, P.A..  She is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association and the South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association. She continues her pro bono service as a member of the SC Bankruptcy Court Care Committee (Credit Abuse Resistant Education - a national education initiative). Lauren is an active member of the Church of the Holy Communion, an Episcopal church in Charleston, and serves as a member of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry.

Lauren lives in West Ashley with her husband Skip, a physician at MUSC, and their 3 daughters.
 

Michael is a member of his firm’s Business & Banking Practice Group and focuses on creditors’ rights and collection law, bankruptcy, commercial litigation, corporate transactions, board governance and fiduciary duty matters.  He has experience representing lenders and other secured and unsecured creditors with debt collection efforts including litigation, workouts, collateral dispositions such as foreclosures and UCC sales, evictions, and post-judgment enforcement matters.

Over the course of his career, Michael has advised creditors, debtors, landlords, committees, trustees and other interested parties in all aspects of bankruptcy cases and related litigation including defense against fraudulent transfer and preferential transfer claims.  He also represents court-appointed receivers in state and federal court receivership matters.

Active in the community, Michael is a past president of the South Carolina Bankruptcy Law Association and previously served on the Board of the J. Bratton Davis Bankruptcy American Inn of Court.  He currently serves on the Board of the Midlands Business Leadership Group.  He is a 2017 graduate of Leadership South Carolina, and a 2011 graduate of Leadership Columbia.

Tara Nauful currently practices law at Best Law P.A. In private practice for almost 30 years, Tara represents clients in all aspects of the financial services arena, including restructuring and workouts, bankruptcy, and financial services litigation. Tara is a certified mediator and has been certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a specialist in Bankruptcy/Debtor-Creditor law since 1998. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Bankruptcy Litigation, and she holds Martindale-Hubbell’s highest (AV) rating for ethical standards and legal ability.

In addition to her practice, Tara is a frequent author and speaker on bankruptcy and legal ethics.

Education

University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1992

·         Associate Editor, ABA Real Property, Probate & Trust Journal

·         Order of Wig and Robe

University of Virginia, B.A., Psychology, 1989