Richard L. Costella is a principal in the firm's Baltimore office, where he is a member of the Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy group. Rich's practice focuses primarily on bankruptcy and commercial litigation matters. In this respect, he represents a wide variety of lenders and financial institutions in virtually all aspects of consumer and commercial bankruptcy cases. He has experience in pursuing motions for relief from the automatic stay, as well as litigating confirmation, dischargeability, preference, cash collateral, DIP financing and avoidance actions. Rich also represents numerous lenders in consumer finance litigation involving the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Rich is a regular speaker at legal education seminars sponsored by the Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland. In recent years, his presentations at these seminars have included Predatory Lending and Creditor Abuse in bankruptcy matters, Electronic Discovery in bankruptcy litigation, and Understanding the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2005. Rich is a member of the Maryland bar and is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. Rich has also co-authored several briefs and presented oral argument on appeal in both the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Rich graduated from the West Virginia University School of Law in 1998 where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and the Executive Editor of the West Virginia Law Review. Rich received his B.S. from Towson University in 1987, and his M.S.B., with honors, from Johns Hopkins University in 1994. After graduation from law school, Rich clerked for the Honorable L. Edward Friend, II in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. Credentials American Bankruptcy Institute American Bar Association Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, At-large Director (2006-2009, 2011); Baltimore Chapter Vice-Chair (2009-2010); Baltimore Chapter Chair (2010-2011); Spring Break CLE Planning Committee (2008-2011) Maryland Bar Association Maryland Super Lawyers®: Selected for inclusion in the area of Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights, Business Litigation (2011-2012) Turnaround Management Association, Chesapeake Chapter, Board of Directors (2007-2010); President(2010) Publications "West Virginia Landlord and Tenant Law: A Proposal for Legislative Reform," West Virginia Law Review (1998). "Substantially Prevailed Damages: Fee Shifting in West Virginia Insurance Law," West Virginia Law Review (1997). Speaking Engagements "Proposing, Confirming & Performing A Chapter 11 Plan in an Individual Case," Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Annapolis, Maryland (May 2011). "Bankruptcy Forum, What Judges and Trustees Want You to Know (Session on Individual Chapter 11 Cases)," National Business Institute, Baltimore, Maryland (October 2010). "Predatory Lending and Creditor Abuse," Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Annapolis, Maryland (May 2009). "Electronic Discovery in Bankruptcy Cases," Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Annapolis, Maryland (May 2007). "Lien Avoidance Litigation in Bankruptcy," Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Annapolis, Maryland (May 2001). "The Discovery Process in Bankruptcy Litigation," Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Annapolis, Maryland (May 2003). "TILA Litigation in Bankruptcy," Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Annapolis, Maryland (May 2002). "Understanding The Bankruptcy Reform Act Of 2005," Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland, Annapolis, Maryland (May 2005). |