Professional Experience
James L. Ugalde is an attorney in the Commercial Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights Group. He focuses his practice on the representation of creditors in bankruptcy proceedings, and the enforcement of creditors’ rights through nonjudicial trustee’s sales, receivership and deficiency actions. Mr. Ugalde also routinely advises commercial landlords regarding their contractual and statutory rights, including enforcing such rights through eviction actions and lock-outs. Representative cases include:
- Assisted lender that foreclosed on commercial property with forcible detainer action to remove a national retail boat dealership, involving bankruptcy court litigation and requiring numerous sheriff’s deputies to assist with takeover of commercial property.
- Assisted landlord with trial to evict operating fitness gym from multiple locations.
- Representation of licensee holder of FCC licenses in contested bankruptcy proceedings to protect licensee holder’s interests.
- Successfully litigated stay relief and plan confirmation issues in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases involving operating businesses and commercial real estate projects.
Education and Honors
- Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2003)
Pedrick Scholar (Dean’s List).
- Arizona State University (B.S., magna cum laude, 1999)
Major: International/Global Business. Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society Collegiate Schools of Business.
Bar Admissions
Arizona,
2003
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 2003
U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, 2013
Professional Recognition
Selected for inclusion in the
Southwest Super Lawyers®–Rising Stars 2012 and 2013 Editions (Bankruptcy & Creditor/Debtor Rights).
Professional and Civic Activities
- State Bar of Arizona (Member).
- City of Chandler, AZ (Chairman, Board of Adjustment).
- Habitat for Humanity - Central Arizona (Committee Member, Public Relations & Marketing Committee).
- Volunteer Lawyers Program of Maricopa County (Volunteer).
- Turnaround Management Association (Member).