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"CHARLESTON &ndash; Unbeknownst to her clients, a Charleston attorney filed for bankruptcy as they lodged complaints with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of her lack of representation in their cases.<br /><br />According to court records, the Golden Law Office, owned exclusively by Ellen Golden, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Jan. 29. Known as \"liquidation\" bankruptcy, Chapter 7 allows the debtor, either an individual, couple or business, to sell all non-exempt property via a court-appointed trustee to pay off creditors.<br /><br />One stipulation of Chapter 7 bankruptcy is that the debtor must receive approved credit counseling at his or her own expense.<br /><br />According to its petition, filed with the assistance of Charleston attorney Marshall C. Spradling, Golden Law listed $3,301 in assets and $77,694 in liabilities.  Of those liabilities, $14,703 were secured $400 were unsecured priority and $62,951 were unsecured non-priority claims.<br /><br />All of the $400 in unsecured priority claims is owed to the city of Charleston for back B&O taxes.<br /><br />Golden Law has apparently paid most of its bills through credit cards or charge accounts as two of its largest unsecured non-priority creditors are financial institutions.  According to court records, Golden Law owes $14,900 to BB&T for one charge account, and $8,300 and $4,900 to Bank of America for two separate charge accounts.<br /><br />Other noteworthy unsecured non-priority claimants include Ogden Directories of Altoona, Pa. and Yellow Book of King-of-Prussia, Pa. <br /><br />Records show Golden Law owes them $7,310 and $2,350, respectively.<br /><br />Furthermore, Golden Law owes $3,400 and $1,632,71 to Lexis/Nexis for past-due accounts.  The latter account, records show, Lexis/Nexis via Buffalo attorney James B. Atkins attempted to collect via Kanawha Magistrate Court on Dec. 19.<br /><br />However, that suit was dismissed on Feb. 20 due to the bankruptcy filing.<br /><br />As far as assets, Golden Law lists $500 of cash on hand though one checking account at BB&T.  Records show the account she set aside for clients contains $1. <br /><br />Golden Law's remaining assets includes $2,000 in accounts receivable and $800 in assorted office furniture at its former location on 1207 Quarrier Street.  None of Golden Law's assets are listed as exempt.<br /><br />According to court records, Golden Law, which opened its doors on April 1, 2000 and closed on Dec. 31, 2007, provided Ellen Golden a cumulative $78,621 income for 2005 and 2006, all of which was earned in 2005.  She lists her total income from her law practice in 2006 as $0.<br /><br />No information is listed in Golden Law's petition as to what, if any, income Ellen Golden earned in 2007.<br /><br />According to court records Golden Law's petition has not been discharged, and the last action in the case occurred on March 26.<br /> <br /><em>U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the southern District of West Virginia, Case No. 08-bk-20055</em>"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://wvrecord.com/stories/510594370-golden-s-law-firm-files-for-bankruptcy-in-midst-of-failing-to-aid-clients-with-theirs>