James M. Hoffman

Principal

Bethesda Office

James Hoffman

Contact

Email: jhoffman@offitkurman.com

Phone: 240.507.1710

Fax: 240.507.1735

Mailing: 7501 Wisconsin Ave.

Suite 1000W Bethesda , MD 20814

Linkedin: James Hoffman

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PRACTICE FOCUS

James Hoffman is a corporate, bankruptcy and litigation attorney. James focuses his practice in the areas of representing various business types, particularly closely held businesses and has a broad base of experience representing creditors, receivers, trustees and debtors in bankruptcy cases and litigation.

In his business practice, James represents businesses through their life cycles from creation to formulating employment and shareholders agreements, creating contracts, collecting debts, selling assets and ownership and closing the business through sale or liquidation. James has represented nine (9) different Chapter 7 trustees, and several Chapter 11 trustees and receivers. Thus, he is “a lawyer’s lawyer.”

Additionally, James has been involved in handling a broad range of litigation before state courts, including disputes involving complex commercial litigation, breach of contract actions, and collection cases.

Prior to bringing his expertise as a bankruptcy lawyer to Offit Kurman, James had been a senior partner within the largest law firm in Montgomery County, Maryland, before leaving after a twenty-year tenure.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

James has experience handling matters on behalf of creditors in many states. He is litigation counsel for a client that transacts a regulated business in 16 states as well as other clients that do business in multiple states involving diverse issues. For example, he:

Represents a public company in litigation between management and the majority shareholders to prevent corporate waste
Represents a receiver in three (3) consolidated receiverships involving more than 200 creditors, more than $50 million in claims and approximately $40 million in assets
Has represented attorneys and law firms in the acquisition of other firms or developing shareholder agreements
Assisted several clients to contemporaneously closing on the sale of multiple franchised restaurants in Maryland.
Prevailed on an appeal where the District Court affirmed the Bankruptcy Court's decision upholding a contract between a bankruptcy trustee and an individual owner of a business in bankruptcy when the individual owner waived the right to participate in portions of the remaining bankruptcy case
Expedited injunctive relief on behalf of a client before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The client alleged in the Complaint that a former franchisee had, among other things, violated federal trademark law, engaged in unfair competition, and violated the franchise agreement. The order granting injunctive relief was entered less than one (1) month after the filing of the Complaint and pleadings with the Court, and the Office of the U.S. Marshals assisted James to enforce the Court’s order
He is litigation counsel to the largest private vendor of “811” one call notification services in the United States
Represented a Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee in the pursuit of assets and the investigation of more than a hundred million dollars of claims. Ultimately, general unsecured creditors were paid 100% of their allowed claims
James represented a Receiver who is liquidating a nationwide collection law firm, which proceeding is more than five (5) years old
With the assistance of the Bankruptcy Court and the U.S. Marshals, James, on behalf of a Chapter 7 Trustee, compelled a two (2) time heavy-weight champion to turn over possession of his heavyweight belts and a gold ring he was given at the Boxing Hall of Fame
He represented multiple trustees in connection with complex, individual bankruptcy proceeding. Ultimately, the Court authorized the removal of the debtor (an attorney), his family and all personal property from their home. The U.S. Marshals and local police assisted counsel in the removal of the individuals and the disposal of all the personal property. The real property was liquidated, the Court awarded sanctions of more than $70,000 against the attorney and his family in favor of the bankruptcy trustees and the Court denied the debtor his discharge

PUBLICATIONS

Baltimore SmartCEO, "Attorney of Roundtable" section, which includes Baltimore's top lawyers
Journal of the American Society of CLU & ChFC, “Proper Use and Abuse of Family Limited Partnerships,” Co-Author
Commercial Leasing Law & Strategy, “Guiding the Court – Don’t Underestimate Bankruptcy Clauses in Commercial Leases,” Co-Author

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

He has been a speaker at corporate and bankruptcy related programs.

Bar Association of Montgomery County CLE program, Bankruptcy Primer: “How to Keep Yourself and Your Client Out of Trouble”, March, 2022

Additional Speaking Engagements:

Rockville Chamber of Commerce, Women in Business Conferences, Speaker, 4 Years
Annual Spring Break Continuing Legal Education Weekend, Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Speaker

RECOGNITIONS

Maryland Super Lawyer, 2014 - 2023
Washingtonian Top Lawyer, 2023
Martindale-Hubbell's AV Preeminent^® Top Rated Lawyers, 2019 - 2023
Best Lawyers in America, Bankruptcy Litigation from 2013 - present
Bethesda Magazine Top Attorneys, Bankruptcy, Creditors' Rights and Corporate, 2019-2021

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

I have been thinking about you and my current state of affairs. Two years ago I was in dire straits. No jobs were to be found, I was bleeding money and could see my finances falling into disrepair. Today thanks to your help, ideas, and encouragement ... I am in much better shape. Your help with the business credit cards has allowed me to concentrate on paying my personal cards. I am happy to tell you I now have zero debt. No personal debt, or business debt. And I have been able to secure jobs, as well as save some money.

— Jim Vecchione, Current Client

Thank you for everything! I may have seemed to question things as we went along, but I always knew I was in good hands with you. I will always feel like they cheated me ( which they did) but I’m so happy to have them out of my life and this nightmare behind me. You’re awesome!

— Current Client in Commercial Litigation matter

Awards

Practice Areas

Education & Admissions

University of Maryland, J.D.
James Madison University, B.A. cum laude

Maryland
District of Columbia
U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Professional Affiliations

Served and continues to serve as a director for nonprofit organizations
National Association of Bankruptcy Litigators
Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Former Director
Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Chapter 13 Committee, Former Chairman, 3 Consecutive Terms

Posts

"Splintering Door Frames (Almost) as U.S. Marshals Enforce Order of the Bankruptcy Court"

Last month, Jim Hoffman of Offit Kurman, P.A., Counsel to Cheryl E. Rose, a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Trustee, accompanied the…

"Chapter 7 Trustee’s Perspective: Selling Litigation in Bankruptcy is Prohibited?"

Chapter 7 Trustee’s Perspective: Selling Litigation in Bankruptcy is Prohibited? | Share: A Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee may receive…

"Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny and Bankruptcy – Proof Promissory Notes"

For more than 100 years, Virginia has been misled with the fib: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” But…