ABOUT US Steven A. Ablitt, Esq. - Mr. Ablitt earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He was awarded his Juris Doctorate by New England School of Law, in Boston, Massachusetts. As chair of the firm’s Creditors Rights Group, where he is legal counsel to national lending institutions, regional Banks, and numerous fortune 500 companies. He chairs the American Foreclosure Network’s Corporate Committee. Mr. Ablitt continues to serve as the firms lead bankruptcy and foreclosure attorney, handles regulatory and compliance matters for his clients, and represents his clients before the appellate courts. Mr. Ablitt is a member of the Massachusetts Bar, and is licensed to practice before the Federal courts located in the Commonwealth. Mr. Ablitt is a member of the American Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, the Association of Trial Attorneys of America, and the Bankruptcy Institute. His practice focuses on Bankruptcy law and litigation, Debtor/Creditor law, Federal and State Fair Trade regulations, and Real Property law before the United States Bankruptcy Courts, and in the Land Courts for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. James L. Rogal, Esq. - Mr. Rogal earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Lawrence University in 1978. He is graduate of New England School of Law receiving a Jurisdoctorate in 1983. Mr. Rogal has concentrated his practice in all aspects of real estate including litigation, conveyancing, land use, foreclosure, landlord/tenant and bankruptcy. He has extensive trial and appellate experience. Mr. Rogal has been involved in community affairs having served on the Topsfield Zoning Board of Appeals and was past Chairman of the Topsfield Board of Selectmen. He is currently the Managing Attorney of the firm. William Walsh – Associate - Mr. Walsh is a member of the Rhode Island bar, and Massachusetts bar, and is admitted in to the Bar for the Federal District of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. William J. Amann, Esq. - Attorney Amann received his Undergraduate degree in English from Saint Anselm College, and was awarded his Juris Doctorate degree from The Massachusetts School of Law. Prior to joining Ablitt & Charlton, Attorney Amann worked for Ford Motor Credit Company and Fidelity Investments, where he earned his Series 7 Securities License. Attorney Amann started his legal career with Ablitt & Charlton in 2000 and left the firm for two years to focus on real estate and commercial litigation in New Hampshire. Attorney Amann's practice focuses on bankruptcy litigation, real estate and real estate related litigation. He has served as Lead Counsel for many national and regional secured creditors in Chapter 7, 11 and 13 Bankruptcy Case in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Attorney Amann is admitted to practice before the Massachusetts and New Hampshire State Bars, the Federal District Courts for Massachusetts and New Hampshire and before the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Districts of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Attorney Amann is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and is a contributing Editor to the New Hampshire Bar Association's article series entitled "The New Hampshire Supreme Court-At a Glance" in December 2003 and 2004. Bill's wife, Melissa, and their two sons live in New Hampshire. Norman Cohen – Of Counsel - Mr. Cohen was born Washington, D.C., June 9, 1942; admitted to bar, 1967, Maryland; 1968, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia; 1969, Vermont and U.S. District Court, District of Vermont; 1971, U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit. Education: George Washington University (B.A., 1964), University of Maryland (LL.B., 1967). Phi Alpha Delta. Lecturer, Residential Real Estate, Vermont Bar Association Skills Course, 1985-1992; Vermont Bar Association Legal Malpractice-Real Estate, 1987-1991. Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Vermont, 1969-1972. Chairman Rutland Town School Board 1985-1988. HUD Foreclosure Commissioner; 1996-. Member: Rutland County, Vermont (Chairman, Committee on: Arbitration of Fee Complaints, 1980-1981; Economics of Law Practice, 1983-1984; and American Bar Association. TRANSACTIONS: Involved for debtor/senior creditor/purchaser in the following Chapter 11 proceedings: Chatham Precision, Inc.; Haystack Ski Area; Idlenol Dairy; United Press International; Vermont Electric Cooperative; Vermont Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative. Mr. Cohen concentrates on Bankruptcy, Real Estate, Foreclosure, Probate and Civil Litigation in the State of Vermont. Juan A. Ramos-Diaz - Mr. Ramos-Diaz is a partner of Ablitt, Acosta, & Ramos, Inc. of San Juan, PR. He was born San Juan, Puerto Rico, September 20, 1947; admitted to bar, 1974, Puerto Rico; 1977, U.S. District Court, District of Puerto Rico and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Bachelor in Economics degree from the University of Michigan (1969); M.B.A. in Finance from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico (1970); Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico (1974). Member, University of Puerto Rico Law Review, 1973-1974. Member: Bar Association of Puerto Rico; American Bar Association; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Arbitrator at the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Ramos has been involved in complex litigation such as the In Re San Juan Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire litigation, M.D.C. 721 and the Pedro Roselló et. al. V. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., et. al., Civil Case Number 97-1910. Luis J. Acevedo-Bengoechea – Mr. Acevedo is an associate of Ablitt, Acosta, & Ramos, Inc. of San Juan, PR. He was born Oklahoma, U.S.A. October 28, 1967; admitted to bar January 1993, Puerto Rico; U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico, 1995, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, 1993. Education: Interamerican University of Puerto Rico (B.A. Finance 1989); University of Puerto Rico School of Law (J.D. 1992). Member: American Bar Association, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Nu Signa Beta, Lions Club International. Mr. Acevedo practices in the areas of real estate, contract law, banking, construction law and litigation, corporate law, estates and trusts and general state and federal litigation. Benjamin Acosta, Jr. - Mr. Acosta is a partner of Ablitt, Acosta, & Ramos, Inc. of San Juan, PR. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1971 from Texas A & M University and was awarded his Juris Doctorate in 1974 from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. He established his own private practice in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1975 and his firm developed an extensive insurance and litigation practice. Mr. Acosta is admitted to practice before all of the Courts of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Bar, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Acosta is a member of the American Bar Association, International Association of Defense Counsel, Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel, Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, International Association for Insurance Law, Defense Research Institute, Federal Bar Association, and Puerto Rico Bar Association. Mr. Acosta is fluent in both the English and Spanish languages. Brian T. LaManna - Associate - Attorney LaManna earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University, and was awarded his Juris Doctorate degree from Suffolk University School of Law. Prior to joining Ablitt & Charlton, PC, Attorney LaManna practiced juvenile criminal defense and civil litigation. Attorney LaManna is a member of the Massachusetts Bar, and is licensed to practice in the Federal District Court of Massachusetts, the First Circuit Court of Appeals for the United States, and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts. Attorney LaManna is a member of the American Bar Association and the Massachusetts Bar Association. Matthew R. Braucher - Associate – Mr. Braucher is an associate at Ablitt & Charlton P.C. in Stoneham, MA. He was born in Concord, MA in 1977 and grew up in the Boston area. Mr. Braucher completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a BBA, cum laude and received his Juris Doctorate degree from the New England School of Law in 2006. He is currently admitted to practice before the Massachusetts State Bar and the Federal District Court for Massachusetts. Before joining Ablitt and Charlton P.C., Mr. Braucher worked in general civil practice and residential real estate law. Mr. Braucher is a member of the American Bar Association and the Massachusetts Bar Association. Stephanie Caponigro - Attorney Caponigro earned her undergraduate degree in Business Management from Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts. She was awarded her Juris Doctorate by Suffolk University Law School in 2002. Attorney Caponigro's practice is devoted primarily to real estate matters, including foreclosures and residential real estate closings. Attorney Caponigro was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 2002. She is also a member of the Women's Bar Association and the Real Estate Bar Association. Prior to joining the firm, Attorney Caponigro worked in the real estate field, specializing in residential real estate with a focus on the representation of buyers, lenders and sellers. Steven G. Manchini, Esq. - Mr. Manchini earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Providence College in 1993, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and he earned his Juris Doctorate degree from Suffolk University Law School in 1996, graduating Cum Laude. Mr. Manchini was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1996. Prior to joining Ablitt & Charlton, P.C., Mr. Manchini specialized his practice in areas of civil litigation, residential conveyancing and collections law; he also gained valuable experience as a title examiner. Since joining Ablitt & Charlton, P.C., Mr. Manchini has devoted his practice primarily to real estate matters, including real estate owned transactions, residential real estate closings, and foreclosures. Walter H. Porr, Jr., Esq. - Attorney Porr received his Undergraduate degree in History from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, as a member of the Class of 1980. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and was on active duty for five years, serving primarily as an Adjutant and Legal Officer. Attorney Porr left active duty to pursue his Juris Doctor degree at the George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Virginia, graduating with the Class of 1988. Attorney Porr was admitted to the State Bar of California on December 7, 1988. He was simultaneously admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Since then, Attorney Porr has been admitted to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court, the 1st and 9th Circuit Courts of Appeal, the Central District of California and in 2004, to the Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the District Court of Massachusetts. Attorney Porr has been a trial and appellate attorney for the majority of his career, most significantly in a municipal government setting. Attorney Porr served as an Assistant/Deputy City Attorney for the City of Bakersfield, California, for 12 years; as an Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Revere, Massachusetts, for nearly 2 years; and, as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Boston assigned to its Inspectional Services Department for 13 months. Attorney Porr and his wife, Susan, reside in Boston. They have seven children. William A. Dorry IV - Mr. Dorry earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Rhode Island College, and was awarded his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law. He has experience in compliance law, real estate and business matters. Mr. Dorry is a member of the Massachusetts Bar, Rhode Island Bar, and is licensed to practice in Federal District Courts for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He is also a member of the Title Standards & Practices Committee for the Rhode Island Bar. Prior to the practice of law, Mr. Dorry served in the United States Navy for six years.