Our Lawyers & Staff

David R. Hagen

David R. Hagen is one of the better-known bankruptcy attorneys in the Los Angeles area. He was recently named one of the top 25 attorneys in the San Fernando Valley by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. He was also recently appointed as a panel Trustee for the United States Trustee's Office for the Central District. He is the only panel Trustee in the Central District who also has an active Debtor practice. (Dave now divides his time between representing debtors and bankruptcy estates, feeling that his experience for one side enhances his abilities to represent the other.)

Dave graduated cum laude from California Lutheran University in 1978 and received his law degree from Southwestern University in 1982. He initially began practicing law in Los Angeles with two firms on the west side. In 1988, he formed the firm of Merritt & Hagen.

Merritt & Hagen has been "AV" rated by Martindale Hubbell for many years. ("AV" is their highest rating.) The firm has consulted with more than 9,000 individuals and businesses in financial trouble and filed more than 6,500 bankruptcy cases over the years.

Teaching is a passion for Dave. He has taught college level courses for paralegals at several local colleges. He was an instructor in the MBA program at California Lutheran University for two semesters teaching business law. He has made several presentations to the Individual and Consumer Bankruptcy Sub-committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He also taught the Bridging the Gap program at the San Fernando Valley Bankruptcy Court for several years.

Dave also tries to make time for public service. He served on the Board of Directors of TreePeople for six years. During this time, he did a two-year stint as Chairman of the Board. He was a Trustee of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association and served as the President during 1996 and 1997. He has received the President's Award twice, in 1998 and 2003, for his service to the Bar Association. In 1997, Dave served as a Trustee for the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Legal Foundation which provides free legal services to those who cannot afford them.

Dave has published many materials for lawyers and the public alike. In 1985, he published a booklet entitled The Basics of Bankruptcy for Accountants and Attorneys. This publication has received much acclaim among professionals. David also produced the cassette tape entitled "How to Prosper". This provides advice to individuals on how to avoid bankruptcy. The written version of this tape appeared on page two of the Business Section of the Los Angeles Times in January 1997. He also wrote and produced the CD "5 Sneaky Secrets the Credit Card Companies Don't Want you to Know." Most recently, Dave was asked to write a chapter in the recently released publication Individual and Small Business Bankruptcy Practice published by CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar, an extension of the Board of Regents of the University of California).

Dave is the co-creator and host of the cable television program "Legal Forum." The program deals with various topics of public interest and airs on the East and West valley cable networks.

Laurie Burns - Laurie has been with the office since 1993. She initially worked as a receptionist, but now works as Dave Hagen's assistant.

Our Practice

BANKRUPTCY

By far, the largest portion of the firm's practice is Bankruptcy. The firm has been involved in thousands of Bankruptcy cases from very small personal Bankruptcies to complex business reorganizations. A sample of clients includes a national manufacturer of auto racing parts, a well-known chain of restaurants, printing companies, apartment complexes, retailers, and a chain of trade schools. The firm has also helped many, many individuals resolve their financial problems through the effective use of Bankruptcy.

The firm files Bankruptcy petitions under all three chapters of the Bankruptcy Code (Chapters 7, 11, and 13). By filing under all three chapters, the firm can effectively counsel clients on the widest array of remedies and help them choose which type of Bankruptcy is best suited for their needs.

All of the firm's attorneys regularly participate in seminars and study groups on Bankruptcy. They have also written and lectured on many bankruptcy topics such as pre-bankruptcy planning, student loans, and discharging taxes in Bankruptcy.

The firm feels that our representation of individuals and small businesses is second to none. They have pioneered new and different ways to advise and inform their clients about the bankruptcy process. This includes not only generous amounts of one-on-one pre-petition planning and consultation, but also the use of written materials, recorded information and video tape.

BUSINESS LAW AND LITIGATION

On a selected basis, the firm represents individuals and businesses in all types of business law. This includes:

Business Formation

The firm organizes corporations, general and limited partnerships, sole proprietorships, and other business entities. Because of our bankruptcy experience, we can provide advice and guidance to help ensure the success of your business.

Corporate Representation

The firm provides ongoing advice to small and mid-sized businesses. We advise management and the Board of Directors as to the legal implications of anticipated corporate actions as well as helping them plan business expansion.

Transactional Services

The firm negotiates and drafts all types of contracts as they relate to business, including leases, employment agreements, and all other legal documents.

ESTATE PLANNING AND PROBATE

Estate Planning

Almost anyone can write a simple will. However, very few firms address all the related issues and develop a complete "estate plan." The firm advises clients regarding the basic principles of federal estate laws to ensure that their estate will incur a minimum of estate, gift, and even property taxes. When appropriate, the firm encourages the use of "living trusts", as well as the use of joint tenancy to avoid probate. Durable Powers of Attorney (living wills) are also considered to be part of a complete estate planing package.

Probate

Upon death, the firm assists survivors with the orderly transfer of assets through the Probate Courts when necessary and advises on ways to avoid probate when appropriate. The firm is equipped to handle simple inter-spousal property transfers as well as large and complex probate matters.

OTHER AREAS OF LAW

To be effective and cost efficient, we have deliberately focused our practice on Bankruptcy and a few other very limited areas of law. However, we have developed an extensive referral list for attorneys who practice in many other areas of law. Most of these individuals we have known for years and we have referred many clients to them. Finding the right type of lawyer for a particular matter is a difficult task. We have assisted our existing clients with this task for some time as a client benefit. We would be happy to assist others that identify themselves as viewers of our web site.

Our Philosophy

We firmly believe that the practice of law is a service oriented business. Firms which recognize this truth and provide quality, individualized legal services have traditionally been very successful. This is why the primary goal of our practice is to provide quality, individual attention to each and every one of our clients. Some of the ways we try to distinguish ourselves and achieve this goal are:

We want our clients fully informed at all times. Clients receive copeis of all correspondence and documents as part of our standard operating procedure. We attempt to return all calls as soon as possible

We Pride ourselves  on explaining legally complex situations using simple language. We believe that part of our jos is to ensure that our clients understand the law and how it applies to their particular circumstance. We do not believe in using legalese. Mosta find our letters and documents refeshingly easy to understand.

Few things are worse than expending a tremendous amount of time and money in pursuit of a weak case. We provide a realistic appraisal of our clients position up front so that an informaed decision to prceed can be made. We believe that an informed decision should always include a cost benefit analysis to ensure that proceeding makes econonmical sense.

Each and Every Client deserves and receives personal attention fromour attorneys and staff. We believe that this is one of the primary reasons our clients appreciate our services. We utilize state of the art software to ensure that each client receives clean, concise documentation which is custom prepared for them.

The Field of law can change so fast that a lawyers knowledge can become obsolete in a very short period of time. Accordingly, we attend many seminars each year to stay abreast of current legal developments. We also make it a priority to teach several seminars every year because we find that nothing enhances our knowledge of a topic more than preparing to teach it.