Stella Havkin received her B.A. from York University in Toronto, Canada with a focus on Psychology and Political Science in 1984. She was awarded her degree with the honor of Magna Cum Laude. While at York University, Ms. Havkin was on Dean's List and Dean's Honor Roll, 1980-1984. She was a member of the Vingt-Deux Club (the top twenty-two graduating students). While at York University, Ms. Havkin worked for the Canadian Armed Forces where she conducted statistical analyses and authored an article which was published in a NATO publication on attrition of women in the military.
Ms. Havkin received her J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of Law in May, 1987. While at Hastings, she was a Member of Hastings International and Comparative Law Review from 1985-1986, Associate Note Editor, 1986-1987 and the author of the Note, "The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act: The Relationship Between the Commercial Activity Exception and the Noncommercial Tort Exception in Light of De Sanchez v. Banco Central de Nicaragua", published in Volume 10:2, September, 1987 which was selected for publication on Westlaw. Also, while at Hastings, Ms. Havkin served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Justice M.O. Sabraw - California Court of Appeal, First District, Fourth Division.
Ms. Havkin has been a member of the California State Bar since 1988. She is admitted to practice before the all the Courts in California, the Ninth Circuit of Appeals, the Fifth Circuit of Appeals, the Federal District Courts in California and in Austin, Texas.
Ms. Havkin is a Certified Bankruptcy Specialist certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and a Certified Consumer Bankruptcy Law Specialist certified by the American Board of Certification.
Ms. Havkin's practice has focused on commercial litigation and bankruptcy. She has represented debtors, creditors and trustees in over 1000 Chapter 7, Chapter 13 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases as well as in involuntary bankruptcy cases in California, Texas and Florida. Ms. Havkin has been involved in numerous contested matters, adversary proceedings, trials as well as appeals. She has been retained as an expert witness in several bankruptcy cases and has served as a receiver in an Orange County Superior Court case.
Ms. Havkin has represented numerous Debtors in Possession in small Chapter 11 cases and has confirmed Chapter 11 plans in such cases.
She has been a member of and a presenter at numerous panels on Chapter 13 cases, Motions to Dismiss in Bankruptcy Court, Opinions of the San Fernando Valley Bankruptcy Judges, Current Attacks on the Homestead Exemption, Federal Bar Association Panel on Ethics and Representing Spouses in Bankruptcy, The Unscheduled Lawsuit, Is the Fight Over? Claim and Issue Preclusion in 523 Cases, Chapter 13 Plan Confirmation - Hit me with Your Best Shot as well as Settling Cases with Chapter 7 Trustees, Merchant Advance Loans, Ethics panels as well as many Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 presentations.
Ms. Havkin is the author of the Article BECAUSE OF CALIFORNIA'S EXPANSIVE DEFINITION OF SECURITIES LAW VIOLATIONS, YOUR CLIENTS MAY HAVE VIOLATED SECURITIES LAWS AND CREATED NONDISCHARGABLE DEBTS ALL WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE@ published in the Central District of California Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association Newsletter. She is also the author of the Article AGIVE MOTIONS TO DISMISS IN BANKRUPTCY COURT A SECOND THOUGHT. THEY ARE NO LONGER A LONGSHOT!@ published in the San Fernando Valley Bar Journal. She also co-authored the Article AAttorney Client And Attorney Work Product Privileges: How to Protect Them and Not to Lose Them@ published in the Central District of California Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association Newsletter.
Ms. Havkin was editor of the Central District of California Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association Newsletter for five years and is currently on the Board of the same organization.
Ms. Havkin was named as 2013 - 2022 Super Lawyer in the Super Lawyer Magazine in the field of Consumer Bankruptcy Law.
Ms. Havkin has been a commissioner, Vice Chair and Chair with the State Bar of California Bankruptcy Legal Specialization Board for five years.
Ms. Havkin has been the President of the James T. King Bankruptcy Inn of Court from 2021 to the present.
