PRINCIPALS
Irwin James Frankel, CEO, President and Managing Principal
Mr. Frankel has been associated with the firm since 1975 and consults with the Litigation Group, Foreclosure and Real Property groups. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Juris Doctor degrees from Saint Louis University with a major in Accounting and minor in Economics. While attending Law School at St. Louis University Mr. Frankel taught accounting for St. Louis University. Mr. Frankel was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1975. Mr. Frankel became the CEO and managing attorney of the firm in 1986 and continues in that position. Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.
David J. Kozeny, Secretary Picture
Mr. Kozeny earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Saint Louis University and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1975 and has been associated with the firm since then. Mr. Kozeny concentrates his practice in the area of retail collections. He is a member of the Missouri Bar and Commercial Law League of America. Mr. Kozeny has 33 years of experience.
George J. Skupnik, Jr., Treasurer Picture
Mr. Skupnik has been associated with Kramer & Frank, P.C. since 1975 and focuses in the area of commercial collections. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Illinois University. Mr. Skupnik earned his Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1975. He is a member of the Missouri Bar, The American Bar Association, The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the Commercial Law League of America. Mr. Skupnik served as Secretary of the Midwestern District in 1986; Member of the Nominating Council 1984-85; Chairman, Midwestern Region 1990-91; Chairman, Membership Retention and Acquisition Committee 1993-94. Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.
Timothy M. Bosslet Picture
Mr. Bosslet earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Missouri – Columbia in 1978 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri - Kansas City in 1981. He is admitted to practice in Missouri, the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri and the 8th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Tim has been associated with the firm since 1981. He became a principal of the firm in 1987 and is the managing attorney for the litigation department. His practice is concentrated in the areas of commercial litigation in state and federal court, creditors’ rights, commercial and consumer collections, bankruptcy, replevins and real estate foreclosures. Mr. Bosslet has been an author and speaker on creditors’ rights for various seminars and is a member of The Missouri Bar Association and The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis.
David L. Smith Picture
Mr. Smith graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University and received his Juris Doctor degree from Saint Louis University. He was admitted to the Missouri Bar and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri in 1976. Dave is currently a principal of Kramer & Frank, P.C. and has been associated with the firm since 1986. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, construction law collections and creditors’ rights. Mr. Smith is a member of The Missouri Bar Association, The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and The Commercial Law League of America.
Brad Pierce Picture
Mr. Pierce earned his Bachelor of Arts (1974) and his Juris Doctor (1982) degrees from DePaul University. He is admitted to practice law in the states of Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana, and in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, and U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit. Brad is currently a principal of Kramer & Frank, P.C. and has been associated with the firm since 1990. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, collections and creditors’ rights. Mr. Pierce has been an author and speaker on creditors’ rights for various seminars. He is a member of The American Bar Association, The Missouri Bar Association, The Illinois Bar Association, The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and The St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers Program.
Pamela P. Patton
Ms. Patton earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from George Washington University in 1982. She acquired her Juris Doctor degree from Washington University and was admitted to the Missouri Bar and U.S. District Court, Western Division of Missouri in 1985. Ms. Patton concentrates her practice on commercial litigation and creditor's rights and is a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, American Bar Association and the Missouri Bar. She has 22 years of collection experience. Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.
Diane W. Ortlip
Mrs. Ortlip earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Ohio State University in 1975 and her Juris Doctor degree from Capital University Law School in 1982. She was admitted (inactive) to the Ohio Bar in 1982, Missouri Bar in 1989. Mrs. Ortlip is a member of the American Bar Association. She has 25 years experience. Mrs. Ortlip practice focuses on the representation of Medical clients including BJC. Mrs. Ortlip has been the Managing Attorney over the Medical Collection Group since 2002.
ASSOCIATES
Tammy F. Wool
Ms. Wool earned her Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri -Columbia and her Juris Doctor degree from Washington University. She was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1985, the Illinois Bar in 1986 and U.S. District Court, Eastern Division of Missouri. Ms. Wool concentrates her practice in Creditor Rights, Commercial Litigation and Consumer Ligitagion. She is a member of the Missouri Bar, the Illinois Bar, the Illinois Bar Association and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. Ms. Wool has 18 years of collection experience. Ms. Wool supervises litigation in Illinois courts. Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.
Gregory Pals
Mr. Pals received a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Illinois State University in 1993. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis in 1999. He was admitted to the Missouri Bar that same year and the Illinois Bar the following year. While in law school, Mr. Pals sat on the Editorial Board of the Washington University Law Quarterly. Shortly after graduation, he had the pleasure of clerking for a judge on the Illinois Court of Appeals. His decade of practice has always exclusively focused on business and insurance litigation and trial work.
Eva KozenyMs. Kozeny earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Missouri, St. Louis in 1989. She received her Juris Doctor degree from St. Louis University and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1992. She was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1994, the Eastern District of Missouri in 1994, the Western District of Missouri in 1994, and the Southern District of Illinois in 1998. Ms. Kozeny concentrates her practice in the area of bankruptcy.
Elizabeth J. Early
Ms. Early earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Northeast Missouri State University (now know as Truman State University) in 1976 and her Juris Doctor degree from The University of Tulsa School of Law in 1979. She was admitted to the Oklahoma Bar in 1979 and the Missouri Bar in 2001. She is licensed to practice in Missouri and Oklahoma. Ms. Early currently concentrates her practice in collections, commercial litigation and creditor's rights. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association, and the Oklahoma Bar Association.
Micah Hall
Mrs. Hall earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1998.She acquired her Juris Doctor degree from Washington University in 2003.She is admitted to the Missouri bar and the U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri.She focuses her practice on commercial litigation and creditor's rights and is a member of the American Bar Association and Mound City Bar Association of St. Louis.
Russell Farha
Mr. Farha earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Texas in 1998. He acquired his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2003, and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 2004 and the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri in 2006. Mr. Farha concentrates his practice on commercial litigation and creditor's rights and is a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the Missouri Bar.
Adam GillespieAdam Gillespie graduated with honors from Northwest Missouri State University in 2005. At NWMSU Mr. Gillespie studied history and psychology while serving as secretary of the university’s pre-law club. Adam received his juris doctorate degree from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2008 where he also earned a certificate in health law from SLU’s prestigious health law program. Mr. Gillespie also served as an ambassador to the law school and a student mentor. Mr. Gillespie has been practicing law since his admission to the Missouri Bar in 2008. He focuses his practice on creditor’s rights and commercial litigation.
Timothy A. ByrdMr. Byrd earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Truman State University in 2001. He acquired his Juris Doctor degree from Saint Louis University in 2004, and was admitted to the Missouri Bar that same year. Mr. Byrd concentrates his practice on commercial litigation and creditor's rights.
INACTIVE ATTORNEYS
Donald B. Kramer, President Emeritus
Mr. Kramer is a graduate of Washington University School of Law and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1952. Since then, his practice has been limited to representing creditors in the field of collection and bankruptcy. Mr. Kramer is a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Missouri Bar and the Commercial Law League of America. He served as Vice Chairman, Commercial Law League 1981-82; Co-Chairman, Bankruptcy Committee 1977-78; Chairman, Nominating Committee, 1985; Chairman, Midwest District 1982-83; Chairman, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Committee 1986-88; Advisor, Federal Debt Collection Committee 1988-90. Mr. Kramer was the recipient of the 2007 "President's Cup" of the Commercial Law League of America, given annually to the person who has done the most for the collection industry in the previous year. He is a noted speaker and author and has 45 years of collection experience. Mr. Kramer was the founder of the National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys (NARCA) and serves as their President Emeritus.
Maurice Frank, Founding Principal (1901 - 1996)
Mr. Frank earned his LL.B from Washington University and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1922. In 1955, he started the collection department for Famous Barr, a division of The May Company. In 1975, Mr. Frank and Mr. Kramer established Kramer & Frank. Mr. Frank concentrated his practice in the area of creditor's rights. Mr. Frank had 74 years of collection experience.