Portrait of John Lapinski

John A. Lapinski

Principal

john.lapinski@offitkurman.com
Los Angeles, CA – 213.341.1318
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John A. Lapinski is a principal attorney in the firm’s Creditors’ Rights, Reorganization and Bankruptcy Practice Group. He focuses his practice on creditors’ and debtor’s rights and insolvency matters, including Chapter 11 and assignments for the benefit of the creditors. His experience includes representing numerous lenders and borrowers in workouts, negotiating settlements, liquidating collateral and obtaining payment of loan facilities. A significant portion of his practice involves commercial tractions and commercial litigation.

John consulted on the Secured Transactions in California Commercial Law Practice in 1986, and Debt Collection Practice in California in 2008. Both were published by Continuing Education of the Bar and the California Practice Guide, Enforcement of Judgments and Debts by The Rutter Group.

Representative Matters

  • Represented lenders in liquidating collateral and obtaining full payment of multi-million loan facilities
  • Represented borrowers in workouts with lenders and negotiated settlement with guarantors
  • Represented debtor in Chapter 11 proceeding involving discharge of asbestos liability
  • Represented the City of Montebello in Orange County Chapter 9
  • Represented numerous companies and creditors involving the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act
  • Participated in bench bar committee involving drafting of local bankruptcy rules

    Education

    • University of West Los Angeles School of Law (J.D.)
      • American Jurisprudence Award in Bankruptcy Law
    • Pennsylvania State University (B.S.)

    State Bar Admissions

    • California

    Court Admissions

    • United States District Court for the Northern District of California
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
    • United States District Court for the Southern District of California
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
    • Supreme Court of the United States

    Professional Affiliations

    • Los Angeles County Bar Association, Member
    • Commercial Executive Committee, and Bankruptcy Section of the LACBA, Member
    • Federal Bar Association, Member

    Recognitions

    • Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2025-2026)
    • Selected to Southern California Super Lawyers® for Bankruptcy (2007, 2009 - 2019)

Services

Firm Highlights

  • Podcasts
    Love, Trusts, and Prenups: "Strangers: A Memoir of a Marriage"
    Hosts Danielle Friedman and Herb Fineburg dig into the New York Times bestseller Strangers by Belle Burden, using the book's real-life inspired story to unpack how prenuptial agreements and trusts actually work when a marriage ends. The conversation centers on Belle's inheritance from her wealthy family, the prenup she signed under pressure from her husband James, and the costly decision to pull money from an irrevocable trust to buy real estate in joint names. Danielle and Herb break down the critical difference between a prenup, which can be modified or waived by the couple, and a trust, which cannot be changed once established. They examine where Belle's trustees fell short, why titling inherited assets jointly can undo the protection a trust is designed to provide, and what a trustee should do instead when a beneficiary asks to withdraw significant funds. The episode closes with practical lessons for anyone who is a trust beneficiary, a trustee, or entering a marriage with inherited wealth, including why independent counsel matters at every stage.  
  • Publications & News
    32 Offit Kurman Attorneys Recognized in 2027 Edition of Maryland Super Lawyers 
    32 Offit Kurman Attorneys Recognized in 2027 Edition of Maryland Super Lawyers 
  • Publications & News
    Wojciech “Voytek” Jackowski Named to ULI New York Program Steering Committee
    Wojciech “Voytek” Jackowski Named to ULI New York Program Steering Committee
  • Publications & News
    Matthew Karmel Named to 2026 Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Energy
    Matthew Karmel Named to 2026 Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Energy
  • Blog Posts
    Estate Planning Essentials for Maryland’s Unmarried Couples
    Estate Planning Essentials for Maryland’s Unmarried Couples
  • Publications & News
    Fara Rodriguez Included in Spear’s Family Law Indices 2026 as a Recommended U.S. Family Lawyer
    Fara Rodriguez Included in Spear’s Family Law Indices 2026 as a Recommended U.S. Family Lawyer
  • Publications & News
    Offit Kurman Adds Four Attorneys to Support Continued Growth
    Offit Kurman Adds Four Attorneys to Support Continued Growth
  • Podcasts
    Efficient Litigation Balancing Time and Cost
    Attorneys Sarah Sawyer and Russell Berger of Offit Kurman discuss how litigation strategy depends not only on cost and risk but also on how long it takes to reach court and trial. Using Maryland as an example, they compare the faster district court process that can reach trial in roughly four to six months and typically under a year, versus circuit court jury trials with full discovery that generally take at least a year. They note that time affects leverage and helps explain why most civil disputes settle. Timelines can vary by state, county, case volume, COVID-era disruptions, and factors like AI and pro se litigants.
  • Blog Posts
    No Standard, Still Liable: How OSHA Regulates Ergonomics Without an Ergonomics Rule
    No Standard, Still Liable: How OSHA Regulates Ergonomics Without an Ergonomics Rule
  • Podcasts
    Meet Travis Mills
    Jim Ries of Offit Kurman interviews Travis Mills, owner-operator of Fully Promoted Aberdeen, Maryland, a branded apparel and promotional products company serving business owners and corporations. Travis explains how branded polos, quarter zips, and promotional items help businesses look professional and can support closing deals. He shares that he’s most proud of the company’s community-based approach as part of a larger franchise network. Travis says the next six months will focus on increasing visibility as the business approaches its two-year anniversary in September. He also reveals he served 21 years in the Coast Guard, including two tours in Iraq.