James A. Tiemstra
James A. Tiemstra is the principal of the Tiemstra Law Group, PC. Throughout his more than 30 year career, Mr. Tiemstra has focused his practice on business bankruptcy law, including business reorganizations, creditors’ rights and workouts, equipment leasing law, title insurance claims assessment and defense. He is Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification and is one of the original volunteer Resolution Advocates for the Bankruptcy Dispute Resolution Program of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California. He is a Member of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association. He also is a longtime member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, and is a member, former President and founding Director of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum.
Mr. Tiemstra’s active practice has involved him in all aspects of bankruptcy law in cases across the nation. He has represented virtually all of the different participants in bankruptcy matters. He is admitted to all federal bankruptcy, trial and appellate courts in California, Arizona and Hawaii, and is a member of the bar of the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois and the Western District of Michigan. Mr. Tiemstra also is admitted to the United States Supreme Court where he represented the appellee in Moldo v. Matsco, Inc. , 534 U.S. 1130, 122 S.Ct. 1069, 151 L.Ed. 2d 972 (2002). He holds an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and has been named a Northern California Super Lawyer since the inception of the nomination and polling process conducted by Law & Politics Magazine.
Mr. Tiemstra’s practice has involved him as lead counsel in complex appeals, a number of which have resulted in “cutting edge” decisions, e.g. , In re Cybernetic Services, Inc. , 252 F.3d 1039 (9th Cir. 2001); In re Haley, 950 F.2d 588 (9th Cir. 1991); and In re Montclair Retail Center, L.P. , 117 B.R. 663 (9th Cir. BAP 1995).
In addition to his busy practice, Mr. Tiemstra also has been a frequent speaker at seminars addressing bankruptcy issues and has written extensively on the subject of bankruptcy law. Mr. Tiemstra’s publications include a recent article on the Impact of the New Bankruptcy Amendments on Real Estate Law & Practice in The Los Angeles Daily Journal, July 8, 2005, as a co-author of “Designation Rights” Sales: Triumph of Expedience Over the Code? ABI Journal, Vol. XX, No. 7, Sept. 2001. Recently, he served as a moot court judge and expert guest speaker for the “Lawyering: Business Bankruptcy” course at Golden Gate University School of Law. He is also a contributing author of the Chapters on Landlord and Tenant, and Deeds of Trust in Miller & Starr, California Real Estate 3d. (2000).
Lisa Lenherr
Lisa Lenherr joined Tiemstra Law Group, PC as an associate in December 2008. Ms. Lenherr represents debtors and creditors in all aspects of Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 business bankruptcy matters. Prior to joining Tiemstra Law Group, PC, Ms. Lenherr was an extern for the Honorable Robert E. Jones, United States District Court, District of Oregon, and clerked for the Oregon Department of Justice, Antitrust Unit.
Ms. Lenherr is admitted to the California State Bar; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern and Central Districts of California. In addition, Ms. Lenherr is a member of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum; Bar Association of San Francisco, Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section; and Alameda County Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section.
Ms. Lenherr graduated from Sidwell Friends School, in Washington D.C., received a B.A. in Philosophy from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, and a J. D., cum laude, from Lewis & Clark Law School, where she served as an Associate Editor of Lewis & Clark’s Annual Law Review, and was a recipient of the Outstanding Client Advocacy Award.
Eric D. Tetrault
Eric D. Tetrault is an associate Tiemstra Law Group, PC. Mr. Tetrault represents creditors and debtors in all aspects of Chapters 11 and 7 business bankruptcy matters. Prior to joining the Tiemstra Law Group, PC, Mr. Tetrault practiced in the area of general civil litigation and tax controversy. Mr. Tetrault interned for a year in the Tax Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco. Mr. Tetrault also, beginning Fall 2011, is an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University School of Law as the coach for the law school’s ABA Appellate Moot Court team.
Mr. Tetrault is a member of the California State Bar, and is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern and Central Districts of California. Mr. Tetrault is also a member of the Bar Association of San Francisco, the Alameda County Bar Association, as well as the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum.
Mr. Tetrault received a B.A., cum laude, in Philosophy from the University of Arizona, a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law where he received multiple academic awards, and an LL.M. in Tax Law, with distinction, from Golden Gate University School of Law.
