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NYT: Top NY Foreclosure Law Firm Threw Homeless-Themed Halloween Party

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    NYT: Top NY Foreclosure Law Firm Threw Homeless-Themed Halloween Party

    October 29, 2011

    A New York Times opinion column from Joe Nocera out on Saturday tells the story of last year’s Halloween Party at the law firm called Steven J. Baum, a practice outside Buffalo that the column refers to as a “foreclosure mill.” The firm thought that they would celebrate last Halloween by throwing a homeless-themed party, complete with the staff dressing costumes that made them look destitute and signs describing the various faux problems their characters had. One sign seems to read “Will Worke For Food [sic]” and photos show part of an office named “Baum Estates.”

    You can see all the pictures that accompany the column here.

    The pictures were sent to Nocera by a former employee of the firm. Nocera described their conversation like this:

    When we spoke later, she added that the snapshots are an accurate representation of the firm’s mind-set. “There is this really cavalier attitude,” she said. “It doesn’t matter that people are going to lose their homes.” Nor does the firm try to help people get mortgage modifications; the pressure, always, is to foreclose.

    Nocera also got in touch with the firm to ask about the pictures and the party, which sent him a statement and attacked the paper.

    “It has been suggested that some employees dress in … attire that mocks or attempts to belittle the plight of those who have lost their homes,” the statement read. “Nothing could be further from the truth.” It described this column as “another attempt by The New York Times to attack our firm and our work.”

    The column also notes that the firm has been under investigation by the New York Attorney General’s Office and recently paid $2 million to settle a US Department of Justice investigation.











    ~~ Filed Over Median Income Chapter 7: 12/17/2010 ~~ 341 Held: 1/12/2011 ~~ Discharged: 03/16/2011 ~~
    Not an attorney - just an opinionated woman.

    #2
    Words can't describe what I think about this.
    Filed 11/17/11 Chapter 13, 341 meeting 12/21/11. Plan confirmed 1/19/12 - DISCHARGED 12/16/15

    Comment


      #3
      While individual conduct at a Halloween party may not express the sentiment of the firm itself, I must say something about another topic. The law firm has absolutely no responsibility to help people with modifications. They are hired to foreclose. That's why they call them foreclosure mills.

      If this is a themed party of the homeless, then it is certainly in very poor taste. However, that's not as bad as what some law firms in Florida are doing that actually affects people. That is, robo-signing and fabricating evidence to foreclose. I hope we don't lose sight of the real problem!
      Chapter 7 (No Asset/Non-Consumer) Filed (Pro Se) 7/08 (converted from Chapter 13 - 2/10)
      Status: (Auto) Discharged and Closed! 5/10
      Visit My BKForum Blog: justbroke's Blog

      Any advice provided is not legal advice, but simply the musings of a fellow bankrupt.

      Comment


        #4
        It almost made me physically ill to see this.
        ~~ Filed Over Median Income Chapter 7: 12/17/2010 ~~ 341 Held: 1/12/2011 ~~ Discharged: 03/16/2011 ~~
        Not an attorney - just an opinionated woman.

        Comment


          #5
          Of course this is tasteless and bad business practice as the firm should have known their party behavior could have "leaked out" and you can bet the "former employee" who reported this was probably fired for some reason and so retaliated against the firm. While lots of Halloween stuff goes on like this as we all know, doing it at a business with a "theme" is bad business practice. Also, I am sure employees were not forced to don attire and did so willingly as Halloween costumes are not a job requirement at any business. Was this organized by the firm's partners or something organized by the employees" Big difference there....
          _________________________________________
          Filed 5 Year Chapter 13: April 2002
          Early Buy-Out: April 2006
          Discharge: August 2006

          "A credit card is a snake in your pocket"

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by justbroke View Post
            .

            If this is a themed party of the homeless, then it is certainly in very poor taste.
            Indeed.

            Not surprisingly so whatsoever, since one must possess absolutely no moral fiber and a ton of poor taste to accept a job in a foreclosure mill, especially nowadays.

            Good luck to us all.
            No person in their right mind files a Ch. 13 with lien strip pro se. I have.Therefore, please consider me insane and clinically certifiable when reading my posts, and DO NOT take them as legal advice of any kind.Thank you.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by shark66 View Post
              Not surprisingly so whatsoever, since one must possess absolutely no moral fiber and a ton of poor taste to accept a job in a foreclosure mill, especially nowadays.
              Perfecto!
              Chapter 7 (No Asset/Non-Consumer) Filed (Pro Se) 7/08 (converted from Chapter 13 - 2/10)
              Status: (Auto) Discharged and Closed! 5/10
              Visit My BKForum Blog: justbroke's Blog

              Any advice provided is not legal advice, but simply the musings of a fellow bankrupt.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by shark66 View Post
                Not surprisingly so whatsoever, since one must possess absolutely no moral fiber and a ton of poor taste to accept a job in a foreclosure mill, especially nowadays.
                The moral equivalent of the infamous Einsatzgruppen troops?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Right guys - I'm not necessarily to say the least, the most religious person in the world, if one believes in any universal "good" or "karma" or whathaveyou, doing this...I'd find that fate, the Universe, whatever, may not ultimately be pleased...

                  On the less philosophical side, this makes me sick...disgusting is not the term. But such as the state of our society and economy today.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by IamOld View Post

                    On the less philosophical side, this makes me sick...disgusting is not the term. But such as the state of our society and economy today.
                    Unfortunately this is the state of our legal system today. Lack of conscience, lack of character, and complete moral collapse of ethical standards have permeated the system.
                    Innocent until proven guilty, preponderance of the evidence and the right to be judged by a jury of one's peers are gone in civil legislation.Today's legal system runs on money and influence. If you have neither, you lose. If you are poor and can't afford a lawyer, you lose everything, including your right to earn a living if a judge issues a summary judgment against you. Today's summary judgments are not about right or wrong, but about who has the most money to buy the court.
                    Last edited by jjim120; 10-31-2011, 12:53 PM. Reason: spelling

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Well said, VERY VERY well said JJIM!!!!!!!

                      Originally posted by jjim120 View Post
                      Unfortunately this is the state of our legal system today. Lack of conscience, lack of character, and complete moral collapse of ethical standards have permeated the system.
                      Innocent until proven guilty, preponderance of the evidence and the right to be judged by a jury of one's peers are gone in civil legislation.Today's legal system runs on money and influence. If you have neither, you lose. If you are poor and can't afford a lawyer, you lose everything, including your right to earn a living if a judge issues a summary judgment against you. Today's summary judgments are not about right or wrong, but about who has the most money to buy the court.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        When I was unemployed for many months, I had several debt collection agencies offer me interviews. I put debt collection agencies and foreclosure mills in the same category - a category I would NEVER work for. I now work in healthcare and volunteer when possible. Being poor, ill or homeless could happen to most of us in the blink of an eye.

                        Comment

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