Patricia K. Hammel
In 2008 she argued on behalf of the debtor in the case of In Re Kuehn, in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, which in 2009 affirmed the decisions of the Bankruptcy and District Courts awarding damages and attorneys' fees to her client whose student transcripts had been withheld despite the fact that her tuition debt had been discharged. By virtue of this decision she was named "Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney of the Month" by the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys in June, 2009. Patricia has lots of experience in consumer bankruptcies and has kept up with the developments under the new bankruptcy laws that took effect in October, 2005. She works closely with clients to meet all the new technical requirements related to credit counseling and documents that need to be submitted in bankruptcies, and in determining the right course of action in each particular case. The new "means test" is particularly challenging, and Patricia communicates with other bankruptcy attorneys and the trustees to keep up with the latest case law developments. Her bankruptcy information is available here. Her family law experience includes representing married individuals and people in non-traditional relationships when the "marriage" comes to an end. She has experience before most of the Dane County judges and court commissioners and with case mediation and binding arbitration, and charges reasonable retainers with monthly fee payment options. She does limit her practice to matters where child custody is not contested. Patricia also drafts marital property agreements to clarify couples' expectations with respect to previously-owned property, future ownership of property and debt-related matters, and as a tool in estate planning for couples. Her experiences with divorce, bankruptcy, and probate provide a useful background. Finally, Patricia Hammel assists people with with planning for their death or incapacity through the use of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and "living wills" to make their wishes known and enable their families and friends to handle necessary financial and legal matters. Patricia strives to keep her legal fees reasonable and to provide access to the legal system to those in need of legal services. In keeping with the King Street tradition of assisting those who want or need to represent themselves, she provides information for those who choose that option and will review documents they draft for an hourly fee. She offers evening appointments on some days, and can be contacted by email or by phone at (608) 257-1369, ext. 226. USEFUL INTERNET SITES FOR BANKRUPTCY AND FAMILY LAW U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Wisconsin: Wisconsin Circuit Court Automation Project (CCAP): Foreclosure avoidance; Mortgage modfications "Means Test" Calculator Credit reports: www.annualcreditreport.com Greenpath Credit Counseling Solutions: www.greenpath.com Wisconsin Circuit Court Forms: Wisconsin State Bar: www.wisbar.org Wisconsin Dept. of Workforce Development Child Support: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau: |
Patricia K. Hammel is a 1980 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School and has been in private practice in Madison, Wisconsin, and for several years in Janesville, Wisconsin, since then. Her practice has emphasized debtor representation in bankruptcy, family law and wills, and probate-related matters since then. She worked for the King Street Alternative Law Office/Law Collective for 17 years, and joined the firm of Herrick and Kasdorf in July of 2006.