"Whether in bankruptcy or divorce, my goal is to help clients find creative solutions to complex problems so they can move forward from a very difficult time to a brighter more secure future."

Overview

Helping clients make a fresh start. Alan R. Crane is a Partner in the firm who represents clients facing two of the most difficult legal challenges known: bankruptcy and family law. In both areas, Alan's knowledge of complex laws and his creative problem-solving capabilities help individuals and businesses make a fresh start and gain a clearer picture of their futures.

Extensive experience in all facets of bankruptcy. As a seasoned bankruptcy attorney, Alan represents debtors and creditors, individuals and businesses alike. In assisting debtors that need to file bankruptcy, Alan explores the available options and guides individuals and businesses through the process that is in their best interests. When representing creditors or defendants in a bankruptcy proceeding, Alan seeks to protect their rights and assets.

Solutions tailored to each client. From experience Alan knows that all bankruptcies are not the same and clients are looking for individualized guidance. Alan takes time to listen, understand, and advise clients on utilizing the law to their advantage in each case. Going through bankruptcy is difficult for businesses and individuals alike as they look for answers. Alan's counsel takes the weight of uncertainty off their shoulders, enabling them to preserve assets, shed debt, and see a way forward.

Strong advocacy, steady guidance for families. Family law clients, too, often feel that their world has turned upside down. Whether the issue is divorce or post divorce matters, Alan advocates effectively for his clients and guides them steadily through the process. He works through the options with his clients so they can choose the most favorable approach. Alan explains traditional litigation or the Collaborative Law process, which can reduce the stress of divorce and eliminate the need for a lengthy and expensive court trial. Alan's goal is to help family law clients find creative solutions to complex problems so they can move forward from a very difficult time to a brighter more secure future.

Representative Experience

  • Represented a debtor who had $1.3 million in secured debt, comprised of four investment properties that were all upside down. In addition, he had $785,000 in unsecured debt. He was able to discharge all of his debts without paying anything to the bankruptcy estate.
  • Represented the husband/business owner in a divorce-custody proceeding. A negotiated settlement allowed him to retain ownership of the business, keep the marital home and gain custody of the minor children.
  • Represented a practicing dentist in bankruptcy who had IRS debt and an additional $488,000 in unsecured debt, and was behind on the mortgage payments on his principle residence. Loan modification allowed him to save his principle residence and reduce his interest rates. He was able to maintain the payments on his non-dischargeable student loans and pay other general unsecured creditors $1200 while saving all of his assets, including his professional practice.
  • Represented the victim of a Ponzi scheme created by a financial advisor.  The financial advisor committed suicide after the Ponzi scheme collapsed and was exposed. A negotiated settlement with the financial advisor's estate recovered the client's' life savings and her children's college funds.
  • Represented a wife whose husband had been a successful doctor and owner of several businesses, including surgical centers. During the midst of their high profile divorce, the husband filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  Her domestic support obligations were protected and the court appointed a Chapter 11 trustee.
  • Represented a financial services professional and his spouse in bankruptcy. They had significant IRS debt, a second mortgage on their residence and over $300,000 in unsecured debt. The plan allowed him to keep all of his assets, pay the IRS over five years, strip and avoid the second mortgage and pay 17 cents on the dollar to his general unsecured creditors.
  • Represented the bankruptcy trustee where the debtor was a business that conducted clinical trials for most of the pharmaceutical companies in the world. A negotiated settlement with the storage facilities and the pharmaceutical companies prevented the loss of their records, which would have cost millions of dollars and delayed bringing drugs to market.

Areas of Practice

  • Bankruptcy – Personal and Business
  • Family Law
  • Collaborative Family Law Commercial and Business Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • Florida, 1992
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Education

  • Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
    • J.D. – 1992
  • University of South Florida
    • B.S. – 1987

Published Works

  • A Trustee's Role In Determiing Domestic-Support Obligations, American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) Journal
  • Demystifying the "B" word in Family Law Cases Key Bankruptcy Concepts for Family Law Attorneys, Strategies for Family Law in Florida (Inside the Minds)

Honors and Awards

  • Florida Legal Elite 2015, Florida Trend Magazine
  • The Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award in 2011
  • The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc. Pro Bono Award for Bankruptcy in 2010
  • The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc. Pro Bono Award for Child Advocacy in 2000 Professional Associations and Membership

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Palm Beach County Bar Association
  • Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida
  • American Inns of Court LIV, Craig S. Barnard Chapter, Emeritus Member