May 2023

Best Of: Inside Johnson & Johnson’s bankruptcy two-step

This is an audio transcript of the Behind the Money podcast episode: ‘Best Of: Inside Johnson & Johnson’s bankruptcy two-step’

Michela Tindera
Hey, everyone. Just to note that we’re taking a break this week. So instead, today we’re resharing one of our episodes. Now be sure to stick around till the end. We’ll have an update on what’s happened since this episode first came out last June. So let’s get on to the show.

On May 5th 2020, a couple named Val and Holly Johnson officially make a decision that has been stewing for months. They decide to file a lawsuit against one of the world’s largest healthcare companies, Johnson & Johnson. In their lawsuit, they say that Johnson & Johnson sold them talc-based baby powder that had asbestos in it — a known carcinogen.

Val Johnson
They conspired. This was not an accident that they did this.

Michela Tindera
That’s Val. He’s 61 years old, and he and his wife, Holly, say that Val’s use of Johnson’s baby powder led to his diagnosis of mesothelioma. He found out that he had this rare and deadly form of cancer just months earlier.

Val Johnson
If they would have taken

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May 31, 2023 by ATTORNEY

Study: Md. tops most states in online searches for lawyers

Maryland is among the top 10 states where residents are most often searching online for lawyers, according to research conducted by a Texas personal injury firm.

The study analyzed which states had the most online searches for various types of lawyers and ranked each state’s average monthly search volume based on the number of searches per 100,000 people.

Maryland ranked seventh with 374 searches per 100,000 people, coming in just below Virginia, which had 376 searches per 100,000 people.

The study by the Patel Firm found that people in Maryland searched most for immigration lawyers. Other popular searches in Maryland were for family lawyers and medical malpractice lawyers.

Colorado ranked first for online lawyer searches, with 534 searches per 100,000 people. Most searchers there were interested in family lawyers, immigration lawyers and employment lawyers.

The other states in the top 10 are North Carolina (462 searches per 100,000 people), where people searched most for bankruptcy lawyers; Georgia (405, with a focus on family lawyers); New York (396); Florida (393); New Jersey (370); Illinois (367;) and Pennsylvania (358).

People in New York, Florida, New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania most frequently searched for immigration lawyers. Virginians also searched for immigration lawyers

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May 28, 2023 by ATTORNEY

Minnesota hog farms say they were fleeced by Windom pork plant’s bankruptcy

The HyLife pork plant in Windom, Minn., owes money to an increasingly long list of creditors that now includes hog farmers, according to bankruptcy filings.

On May 12, attorneys for farmer Greg Strobel filed a court document in Delaware testifying that his farm transferred hogs to HyLife Foods in Windom the same day the pork slaughterhouse filed for bankruptcy.

More of his hogs were delivered into HyLife’s possession the next day, April 28. The Pemberton, Minn., farmer, and many others like him, have yet to be paid for those deliveries as the list of HyLife’s creditors grows in bankruptcy court.

HyLife owes Strobel more than $950,000, his attorneys said in a court filing, “Strobel Farms operated under the Agreement and delivered [hogs] to [HyLife] on April 27 and 28.”

The fallout from HyLife Windom’s sudden demise — including a shortfall in the local school’s funding, an unfinished housing project and the city’s wastewater treatment upgrades — continues to ripple throughout the region.

More than 1,000 workers will likely be laid off at the start of June, and bankers, contractors and electricians who are owed money are filing petitions in the pork processor’s bankruptcy case, seeking to claw back what

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May 27, 2023 by ATTORNEY

Modern Vascular files for bankruptcy following Republic investigation

Every morning Charles Raymond realizes how much he lost.

He prioritizes God, family and work. He’s 66, he was successful in business, and he has supported eight kids. 

He has a tiger tattoo on his right forearm, a dragon on his left. Inspired by Bruce Lee, he’s a kung fu fighter who feared no evil thanks to his potent kick.

Then he went to Modern Vascular.

After eight surgeries, which he says weren’t all necessary, his left leg was damaged. Other doctors tried to save it. But ultimately, it was amputated.

He’s grown dependent on his wife of 42 years. But she was driven from their bed because he wakes in the night screaming in pain.

When morning comes, the 6-foot-2 former college football player has to remember he’s missing a leg. He has forgotten before, and he fell.

He twists into his wheelchair and maneuvers to the bathroom, squeezing through a narrow doorway to get to the toilet. 

To get to breakfast in the kitchen, he grinds his wheelchair over carpet in his Glendale home. The resistance feels like lifting weights.

Still, he has energy for a fight.

He saw Arizona Republic stories about Modern Vascular that revealed the

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May 25, 2023 by ATTORNEY

The importance of bankruptcy lawyers for the Hispanic community in the USA

Bankruptcy lawyers play a crucial role for any individual or business facing financial distress, including the Hispanic community in the USA. They are instrumental in providing legal advice, helping navigate complex laws, and representing clients in court.

Here are some of the reasons why bankruptcy lawyers are particularly important for the Hispanic community:

  1. Language Barrier: For many in the Hispanic community, especially first-generation immigrants, English may not be their first language. Legal jargon is difficult to understand even for native speakers, and this difficulty is compounded when English is a second language. Bankruptcy lawyers who are bilingual or who have support staff who speak Spanish can help bridge this language gap, ensuring that their clients fully understand their rights, obligations, and the implications of the decisions they are making.
  2. Cultural Understanding: A lawyer who understands the cultural nuances of the Hispanic community can provide more tailored and effective advice. For example, in many Hispanic cultures, there’s a strong emphasis on community and family, which might influence decisions around financial management and bankruptcy. A culturally aware lawyer can help navigate these complexities.
  3. Navigating the Legal System: The U.S. legal system can be complex and daunting, especially to those unfamiliar with
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May 24, 2023 by ATTORNEY
May 2023
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