Buddy D. Ford, Esquire has an excellent reputation as an experienced business attorney in the state of Florida, as well as in other jurisdictions. Mr. Ford is Board Certified by the American Board of Certification. He has litigated in Federal Court in Las Vegas, Nevada; Medford, Oregon; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston, Massachusetts; Wilmington, Delaware; Lexington, Kentucky; and throughout various Federal Courts in the State of Florida. He has represented a wide array of clients from simple to complex business bankruptcy reorganizations; individual bankruptcies' representing Chapter 7, Chapter 13 and Chapter 11 Debtors and Creditors. His clients have included, debtors, creditors, committees of creditors, receivers, banks and other lending institutions and trustees.
Mr. Ford clerked for the Honorable Joe Lee, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky and served as a Chapter 7 Trustee from 1987 through 1997 in the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division. He has served as attorney for creditors' committees; served as Chapter 11 Trustee; represented Chapter 7 Trustees; and has administered thousands of bankruptcy cases during his professional career.
His Debtor representation ranges from individuals and small businesses to large corporations, including publicly traded companies.
His Creditor representation has included major lending institutions such as First Union National Bank, N.A.; Barnett Bank; SouthTrust Bank; NCNB; U.S. Bank; and numerous credit unions.
Although Mr. Ford's practice emphasizes bankruptcy and bankruptcy related proceedings, his practice also includes commercial and business litigation outside bankruptcy. As Plaintiff's attorney in a case filed in the Las Vegas District Court in Nevada, styled, European American Resources, Inc. v. Martin Sportschuetz, et.al., Case Number: CV-S-01-0128-KJD-PAL, Mr. Ford as lead Plaintiff's counsel obtained a Judgment against a former Officer and Director of a publicly traded company in an amount in excess of $20,000,000.00. The claim included fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and racketeering. The Judgment was obtained in 2004.
In the case, Naturally Beautiful Nails v. Wal-Mart , Adversary Proceeding No. 8:98-ap-727, Mr. Ford as Plaintiff's counsel prosecuted a breach of contract claim against Wal-Mart resulting in a $1,000,000.00, award in favor of his clients and $500,000.00 in punitive damages. Although Wal-Mart subsequently appealed, the case settled with Wal-Mart paying $1,000,000.00 to Plaintiff's estate.
Mr. Ford has been successful in discharging millions of dollars in tax obligations owed the Internal Revenue Service. In a case decided in 2004, styled, William O'Callaghan v. Internal Revenue Service , Adversary Proceeding No.: 8:99-ap-589, and after protracted contested litigation, the Court discharged more than $2,064,558.00 in taxes owed by the Debtor to the Internal Revenue Service. Another 2005 case where Mr. Ford was counsel, styled, Ron Murphy v. Internal Revenue Service, Adversary Proceeding No.: 8:05-ap-0005, resulted in more than $246,511.17 in taxes being discharged. John Burks v. Internal Revenue Service, Adversary Proceeding No.: 8:05-ap-00517, was another 2005 case where $1,258,900.00 in taxes were discharged.
Mr. Ford served as a two-term County Commissioner in Pike County, Kentucky; was the recipient of the Republican Senatorial Medal of Freedom (2004); recipient of the Florida Businessman of the Year Award by the Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) (2003); appointed to the Congressional Business Commission (2003); was appointed to the Presidential Business Commission by the NRCC (2004); received the Florida Republican of Year Award from the NRCC (2000); recipient of the National Leadership Award (2000); member of the American Bar Association and National Business Institute.
Mr. Ford is licensed to practice in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida; United States Supreme Court; United States Tax Court. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Florida Bar; Hillsborough County Bar; and Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association.
Representative Cases
• Naturally Beautiful Nails v. Wal-Mart, 8:98-ap-727
• European American Resources, Inc. v. Martin Sportschuetz et al., 2004, Las Vegas District Court, CV-S-01-0128-KJD-PAL
• ________ v. Internal Revenue Service, 2004, 8:99-ap-589
• _________ v. Internal Revenue Service, 2005, 8:05-ap-0005
• _______ v. Internal Revenue Service, 2005, 8:05-ap-00517
Honors
• Best of Tampa Bay Profile Series
• Republican Senatorial Medal of Freedom
• Florida Businessman of the Year Award, Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee
• Presidential Business Commission, NRCC
• Florida Republican of the Year Award, NRCC
• National Leadership Award
• Congressional Business Commission
Representative Clients
• First Union National Bank, N.A.
• Barnett Bank
• South Trust Bank
• NCNB
• U.S. Bank
• Lafayette State Bank
• Chrysler Credit
Past Positions
• Eastern District of Kentucky, Clerk for the Honorable Joe Lee, United States Bankruptcy Judge
• Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, Chapter 7 Trustee, 1987 to 1997
• Pike County, Kentucky, County Commissioner
• Creditors' Committees, Attorney
Certified Legal Specialties
• Board Certified - Business Bankruptcy Law, American Board of Certification
Current Employment Position
• President
