Kalamazoo
Phone: 269-324-3000
Fax: 269-324-3010

Grand Rapids
Phone: 616-254-8400
Fax: 616-254-8410

Battle Creek
Phone: 269-966-3000
Fax: 269-966-3022

Lansing
Phone: 517-316-9000
Fax: 517-482-9006

Contact our firm

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Heather A. Bell

Grand Rapids Office
T 616-254-8400
F 616-254-8410
Heather.Bell@KreisEnderle.com

Practice Areas:

  • Receivership
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Corporate & Business

Education:

  • Residential College of the University of Michigan, B.A.
  • University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D.

Bar Admissions:

  • State of Michigan, 2003
  • State of Wisconsin, 2004
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, 2004
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 2006
  • State of New York (pro hac vice), 2005.

Experience:

  • Represent investor in multi-million dollar facilitator liability lawsuit against national insurance company in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations and related claims presiding in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, including surviving summary judgment on same claims and ultimately negotiating successful settlement in investor's favor.
  • Represent various businesses in commercial disputes including bank workouts, property disputes, contract disputes sounding in fraud and other matters, including breach of non-compete clauses, from inception of dispute through litigation and often resulting in settlement in favor of corporate client.
  • Represent Federal court-appointed Receiver of New Jersey hedge/feeder fund and Joint Official Liquidator of Cayman Islands master fund with combined assets in excess of $360 million in securities enforcement proceedings instituted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission before the US District Court of the Southern District of New York and, in a related matter, the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, including successful negotiation of multi-million dollar global settlements of related litigation filed on behalf of the funds against service providers to the funds.
  • Represent Federal court-appointed Receiver of national “patent services” company that defrauded consumers in the amount of approximately $60 million in enforcement proceedings initiated by the Federal Trade Commission in the US District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia; conduct due diligence to determine whether business could be operated profitably and in compliance with existing court orders; successfully negotiate tax settlements with IRS and state taxing authorities to minimize taxes owed and maximize the return of estate assets to injured consumers.
  • Serve as Special Counsel to Virgin Islands tax Receiver over oil, gas and mineral rights throughout the United States in matter brought by the Government of the Virgin Islands Internal Bureau of Revenue in the US District Court for the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas and St. John Division; and assist in drafting the prevailing appellate brief in related Third Circuit matter.
  • Represent Federal court-appointed Receiver in securities enforcement proceedings brought by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to locate, marshal and preserve the assets of multiple individuals and business entities that comprised an international Ponzi-scheme that swindled close to 3,000 investors out of approximately $300 million; Recover onshore and repatriate offshore assets by institution of litigation against parties to whom assets had been fraudulently conveyed or otherwise wrongfully hidden; Successfully negotiate tax settlements with multiple taxing authorities to reduce liability to the estate and maximize the return of assets to investors.
  • Represent and assist oil and gas expert witness in securities dispute pertaining to disclosure and reporting issues in offering memorandum from Wyoming and Michigan based oil and gas outfit, which resulted in favorable court order directing payment of significant royalties and attorney fees to investor.
  • Represent Michigan based limited liability company in acquisition of existing manufacturing business; conduct underlying due diligence and draft purchase documents.
  • Assist development-stage companies with formation, governance and organizational documentation.
  • Represent manufacturing company in achieving tax abatement for purchase and development of plant property at township level.
  • Represent Federal court-appointed Receiver in enforcement proceedings instituted by the Federal Trade Commission in the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in managing, operating and dissolving a company that was selling business opportunities to consumers in the field of medical claims processing.
  • Appointed to the State of Michigan Board of Social Work.

Professional and Community Activities:

Board Member for the State of Michigan Social Work and Disciplinary Sub-Committee; Vice-President of Northville Cooperative Preschool; State of Michigan Bar Association; State of Wisconsin Bar Association; Young Lawyers Society Member; and Volunteer for Center for Civic Education.