Severson and Werson

As a member of the firm's Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights practice group, Mr. Cram prosecutes lenders' suits to collect loans and enforce loan agreements including applications seeking appointment or receivers, attachments, claim and delivery actions, real property foreclosures, and enforcement of guaranty contracts. Mr. Cram also defends manufacturers with respect to administrative claims brought before the California New Motor Vehicle Board.

Mr. Cram advises financial institutions as to practices, procedures and compliance with federal bankruptcy laws. He has extensive experience in representation of secured and unsecured creditors in Chapter 7 and 11 business bankruptcies; negotiating agreements and litigating the use of cash collateral; motions for relief from stay; negotiating and litigating confirmation of reorganization plans; and defense of preference and avoidance actions.

Mr. Cram is experienced in all aspects of consumer bankruptcies, including: relief from stay and adequate protection issues; Chapter 13 plan objection, confirmation and modification issues; discharge and dischargeability issues; consumer Chapter 11 disclosure statements and plans of reorganization; lien avoidance issues; vehicle valuation and evidentiary hearings; and lease assumption issues. He also prosecutes non-dischargeability complaints, defends creditors in adversary proceeding litigation, and defends financial institutions in other matters in Federal District Court. Mr. Cram is acknowledged by the bankruptcy bench and bar as a leader and as a provider of superior legal services for secured creditors in business and consumer cases throughout California.

Mr. Cram received his JD from Southern Methodist University School of Law and holds a BBA in Finance from Texas Christian University. He is admitted to the Bar in California and Texas and is a member of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum, and currently sits on the Insolvency Law Committee for the State Bar of California. Mr. Cram is a frequent speaker on bankruptcy issues.

Mr. Cram practices primarily in the areas of consumer, commercial and financial litigation, with an emphasis on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights.

Mr. Cram's specific experience includes:

Consumer Bankruptcy: Representation of automotive finance companies and mortgage lenders in Consumer bankruptcy cases of Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 debtors; experienced in all aspects of consumer bankruptcies including relief from stay and adequate protection issues; Chapter 13 plan objection, confirmation and modification issues; discharge and dischargeability issues; Consumer Chapter 11 disclosure statements and plans of reorganization; lien avoidance issues; vehicle valuation and evidentiary hearings; lease assumption issues.

Commercial Bankruptcy: Representation of secured and unsecured creditors in Chapter 7 and 11 business bankruptcies; negotiating agreements and litigating the use of cash collateral; motions for relief from stay; negotiating and litigating confirmation of reorganization plans; and defense of preference and avoidance actions.

Compliance: Advise financial institutions as to practices and procedures and compliance with federal bankruptcy laws.

Litigation: Prosecution of lenders’ suits to collect loans and enforce loan agreements including appointment of receivers, attachments, claim and delivery, real property foreclosure, and enforcement of guaranty contracts; enforcement of judgments; prosecution of non-dischargeability complaints; defense of creditors in other adversary proceeding litigation including preference and avoidance actions; defense of financial institutions in Federal District Court; defense of manufacturers with respect to administrative claims brought before the California New Motor Vehicle Board

Biographical Information:

Education: Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance, Texas Christian University. J.D., Southern Methodist University School of Law.

Admitted to Practice: California, 1992; Texas, 1989.

Professional Affiliations: Member, State Bar of California, Member of the Insolvency Law Committee; Member, State Bar of Texas; Member, Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum (BABF); Member, Sacramento Valley Bankruptcy Forum (SVBF); Member, Bench-Bar Liaison Committee for the Northern District of California 2001-2004; Associate Member, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (NACTT); Member, American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI).

Speaking Engagements: BABF – Consumer Bankruptcy Developments 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002; SVBF – Proofs of Claim; National Business Institute – Aligning Your Practice With the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005; Fundamentals of Bankruptcy Law and Procedure in California; Barristers Club of San Francisco – Relief from the Automatic Stay.

• The Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum's Consumer Developments Program (San Francisco, California, April 2008).
  
• The Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum's Consumer Bankruptcy Developments Program (San Francisco, California, April, 2007).
  
• "Bankruptcy Fundamentals for the Financial Services Industry A Handbook for Non-Lawyers," American Bankruptcy Institute (2007).