Joseph Martin Adams

Joseph is a native of Southern California. He earned his undergraduate degree in criminal justice from California State University, Fullerton, where he was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and Alpha Phi Sigma (national criminal justice honor society). Joseph earned his law degree from Loyola Law School – Los Angeles, where he graduated cum laude and Order of the Coif. While attending law school, Joseph was a member of the St. Thomas More Law Honor Society, designated a Sayre Macneil Scholar, received the Dean’s Academic Achievement Scholarship, and received the First Honors Award (highest grade in class) in Civil Procedure, Civil Discovery and Criminal Procedure.

After graduating law school, Joseph accepted a position as an associate with the law firm of Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth in Newport Beach. At Stradling, Joseph practiced in the area of general municipal law, which involved advising clients on the applicability and requirements of Ralph M. Brown Act, Public Records Act, Political Reform Act and various other matters relative to general municipal and local government law. Joseph regularly attended city council and planning commission meetings to render advice concerning a variety of legal issues, such as applications for discretionary land use and development permits, the applicability and application of the Subdivision Map Act and general procedural rules governing the conduct of public meetings. Joseph frequently drafted resolutions and ordinances, including ordinances that regulate land use and personal/business activity and conduct, including ordinances that impose a business license requirement on the owners of residential rental property, regulate land use relative to the sale of alcohol and regulate the sale of tobacco products. He also routinely engaged in litigation concerning the scope, applicability and constitutionality of local regulatory ordinances, compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, Public Records Act, Political Reform Act and tort claims involving public entities.

Joseph is excited to now focus his practice in the area of consumer bankruptcy law, which he finds extremely rewarding because he has the opportunity to assist individuals who are experiencing financial distress exercise their right to bankruptcy relief and a fresh start. Joseph regularly counsels clients on the availability of relief under Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code, explores non-bankruptcy alternatives, files cases on behalf of clients under Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code, and represents and advises clients on various other bankruptcy-related matters, such as issues involving the automatic stay, lien avoidance and stripping, dischargeability of particular debt and a variety of other contested matters. Joseph’s goal is to provide exceptional, efficient and highly personalized service to clients.