Joel Michael Grafstein

Joel Michael Grafstein

4.6
Rating: 8.3

Licensed for 51 years

Bankruptcy and debt Lawyer at New Britain, CT
Practice Areas: Bankruptcy & Debt, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

114 West Main Street, Suite 105, New Britain, CT

About Joel

Biography

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Bankruptcy and Debt 90%

Appointed as initial Panel Trustee by the Court Administrator in Washington DC in 1978 and handled numerous cases under Chapter 7 thereafter.

50 years

90%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 60 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Connecticut for 51 years

State: Connecticut

Acquired: 1974

Active

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 1994

Licensed in New York for 51 years

State: New York

Acquired: 1974

Currently Registered

Location

Grafstein & Arcarco LLC

114 West Main Street, Suite 105, New Britain, CT, 06051

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Joel Michael Grafstein's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.6 /5.0

11 Client Reviews

5 star (10)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (1)

Posted by David | July 8, 2016 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Professional and excellent supporter

Joel was supportive and knowledgeable from day one. From feeling that I was a failure to helping me get back on my feet Joel was with me doing what needed to be done legally but equally important was helpful in my ability to move forward and get on with the rest of my life. Joel was a high quality ...attorney but his support for me and what I was doing getting back on my feet was a huge surprise. I can't thank Joel Grafstein enough for his help and I strongly recommend Joel.

Posted by Ray | May 21, 2016 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Bankruptcy Lawyer, (Joel Grafstein)

Hello, I was having a great deal of trouble with my previous lawyer for the past 4 months, I had no one to turn to for help until I was introduced to Mr Joel Grafstein, he was clear, honest , also professional. With a week left until court I fired my lawyer and hired joel & it was the best feeling t...o knowing that someone really cared about the well being of my family. I would recommend joel 100%

Posted by Keith | April 28, 2016 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Chapter 11

Mr Grafstein did an unbelievable job with our case! He review the file which was very complicated. We owned a business that was Incorporated. We sold the business and after a year and a half the new owners defaulted on the loan that had caused multiple debts not be be paid personally and business wi...se. Mr Grafstein was able to clear this Debt from the Business and personal without us loosing our house and some other personal property. Then years later we had another issue with refinancing our house. Seems that one of the creditors filed a lean after the Chapter 11 was sent in motion and they did not clear it from the file. We contacted Mr Grafstein and the creditor was completely in the wrong and apologized. I'm was so impressed with how th is Law firm handled this i would recommend them to anyone! They do an outstanding job and always has their client first!

Posted by Denise | March 4, 2016 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

My experience as a client of Grasfstein & Arcaro, LLC

When I called for a consultation with Attorney Grafstein in the fall of 2014, I was in extremis. Debt was swallowing me whole, and I had exhausted all options (applications for personal and debt consolidation loans, debt counseling, 3rd party settlement which I was cautioned against, negotiatio...ns with individual banks for repayment terms.) I even succumbed to receiving a tribal web loan to pay my past-due vehicle taxes and renew my registration, thinking I could repay the $400. principal in a couple of months with my tax refund, not understanding that the diabolical interest was calculated up front. As I fell behind in my payments, even though I contacted each creditor every month, the late fees piled up and the APR’s increased. No matter how much I reined -in, no matter how I tried to “do the math”, the numbers were humanly impossible. Then, a dear friend referred me to Joel Grafstein, whom she’d consulted when her house was in foreclosure. She said he was “calming”, and I needed calming: unable to sleep, unable to breathe. When I met with him, he was indeed calming, and after I disclosed my situation, he suggested that petitioning for bankruptcy was not just the best but my only option. He assured me that the laws had changed, that I wasn’t permanently destroying my future credit, and mostly that it need not be a shame-based decision. Having grown up with a strong work ethic, I needed to know that that bankruptcy would not brand me a deadbeat. It proved to be a daunting process for me. But especially once the wonderful Lynne Morgan, Paralegal, was assigned my case, I had all my questions promptly answered. I was shepherded through the process and the course requirements, and encouraged throughout. It probably took months longer than for most clients, but the delays were entirely mine; it was difficult to report finite numbers for budgeting and expenses, as my income was variable, and for more than a year I’d been “robbing Peter to pay Paul”, often going without. (When I lost my job, there was no income to report and so the numbers were less complicated.)Finally Attorney Grafstein was able to file my bankruptcy petition. I was not a little nervous about the bankruptcy hearing last March, but Attorney Grafstein’s presence in court was both bracing and a comfort to me. I do not have adequate words to express my gratitude toward Attorney Grafstein and his firm, especially the kind and competent Lynne Morgan. Attorney Grafstein’s wise counsel, and yes, his calming effect as I navigated foreign territory, enabled me finally to get my head above water. And breathe again. Bankruptcy was for me, literally, financial rescue, and I would heartily recommend the services of Grafstein & Arcaro to anybody.

Posted by Shirley | February 15, 2016 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Joel Graftstein

Attorney Graftstein is excellent, straightforward,patience, very easy to talk to. I felt very comfortable with him when I met him in 2012. He explained the bankruptcy procedure in very easy terms to understand. He was always available to answer any questions that we had. The bankruptcy went through v...ery well and we achieved a peace of mind. He is still working with with a questionable loan servicer that bought our mortgage from BOA. This place has upsetted me very much but with Attorney Graftstein he has communicated with them. It is a complicated situation and I trust and appreciate all the time and communication has given us. He is the greatest.

See All Client Reviews

Joel Michael Grafstein's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Joel
Daniel S Blinn headshot
Daniel Blinn

Bankruptcy and debt lawyer | Jul 24

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer's work."

View All Endorsements
Bonnie Cotugno Mangan headshot
Bonnie Mangan

Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer

Susan M Williams headshot
Susan Williams

Bankruptcy and debt lawyer

Experience

Rating:  8.3 (Excellent)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 1994.

Reprimand issued in CT, 1994

updated on 07/11/2012

A reprimand is an order from the Statewide Grievance Committee after it has found that an attorney has engaged in ethical misconduct. If an attorney receives more than 3 reprimands in 5 years, a presentment must be filed against the attorney so the Superior Court can decide if more serious discipline should be ordered.

Honors

2014

Top Lawyers in Connecticut, The Legal Network

Work Experience

2013 - Present

Member, Grafstein & Arcaro, LLC

Associations

1999 - 2015

Connecticut Bar Association, Bankruptcy and Business Law

Member Executive Committee

Sample of Legal Cases

CATIC v. Budnick

Liability reduced from $4,300,000 to $200,000

O'Neil, Trustee v. Jones

Defeated Claim by Trustee

Saucier v. Quantum Varde Asset Fund

Lien Avoided as Impairing Homestead Exemption

Tyler v. Reilly

Established Criteria for Reopening Cases

In Re D'Angona

Lien Avoided

See More Legal Cases

Education

1974

New York University School of Law

LLM

1973

New York Law School

JD - Juris Doctor

1970

University of Bridgeport

BS

Speaking Engagements

2013

National Business Institute

Bankruptcy Litigation 101

2007

Bankruptcy for Beginners

Fundamentals of Bankruptcy

Publications

1984

Connecticut Foreclosures 1984 Supplement

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 1994
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution