Sara E. D. Fazio

Grand Rapids Office
T 616-254-8400
F 616-254-8410

Practice Areas:

Civil and Commercial Litigation
Receivership Law and Administration
Conservatorship and Liquidations
Asset Recovery
Creditors’ Rights
Bankruptcy Litigation
Probate Litigation
Commercial Workouts
Tax Workouts
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Probate Estate and Trust Administration
Guardianships and Conservatorships

Education:

Michigan State University, B.A. with high honors
Detroit College of Law, J.D., cum laude 

Bar Admissions:

State of Michigan
State of Georgia
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Sixth & Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals 

Professional Activities:

• 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 appellant 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.
• Serve as Special Counsel to Receiver in a Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement action involving defendants who sold over $150 million in affinity bonds prior to being shut down by the Commission. Assisted in the formulation of a distribution plan and the conduct of the claims administration.
• Represent Federal court-appointed receiver in criminal matter brought by the United States Attorney’s Office involving property and assets of several defendants. Duties included securing and liquidating various types of assets including securities, real estate, art work, and sports collectibles and distributing the assets to victims of a criminal fraud scheme involving workers compensation insurance premiums.
• Represent Federal Receiver in matter of Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement action involving a fraudulent bond scheme. Sold assets including a vintage car restoration business and hotel under construction.
• Represent rehabilitation and nursing care provider in petitioning for guardianship and conservatorship of an eighteen-year-old brain injured man who had been reported as deceased following an automobile accident due to a mistake in identity.
• Represent personal representative of complex estate involving conflicting will and trust documents, a land contract dispute, and titling issues on closely held stock.