Lawrence E. Wilk
Shareholder
AdministrativeBankruptcy LitigationCommercial Collections and WorkoutsCreditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy LitigationForeclosureBankruptcyReal Estate
Lawrence E. Wilk is a creditor's rights and bankruptcy attorney and shareholder at the Phoenix law firm of Jaburg Wilk, representing creditors, trustees and receivers in federal, state and bankruptcy courts.
- Admitted
- Arizona, 1980
lew@jaburgwilk.comLinkedIn profile of Lawrence E. Wilk (external site)
Assistant: Brenda Ruiz, (602) 248-1000

About Lawrence
For more than three decades, Larry has represented creditors, trustees, receivers and debtors in significant bankruptcy cases in federal, state and bankruptcy courts. His clients include banks, insurance companies, leasing companies and private parties with investments secured by real property, commercial equipment, accounts receivable and intangible property. An experienced and adept negotiator, he has assisted in restructuring and working out non-performing loans for clients. And, if the loans cannot be restructured, he has conducted hundreds of judicial and non-judicial foreclosures.
Larry has unique expertise in both multi-level marketing and Ponzi schemes having represented court-appointed receivers to recovery of significant monies invested through fraudulent schemes. He has been pivotal in several of the largest fraud cases arising in Arizona which included real estate holdings, mortgage servicing, escrow, affinity investing and a multi-level marketing jewelry company.
Professional Experience
Winning recovery for investors. Larry and his team represented the court-appointed receiver in the large American National Mortgage case. He converted an Arizona Corporation Commission State Court Receivership into a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy proceeding, integrated the cases using differing jurisdictions, and obtained a confirmed Chapter 11 plan with recovery to the investors.
Helping Ponzi-scheme victims recover millions. Larry was co-counsel in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against professionals involved in the Baptist Foundation’s Ponzi scheme. His work resulted in recovery in excess of $230 million for those who had been victims of this financial debacle.
- Experienced in negotiating workouts on behalf of lenders and borrowers in an effort to avoid the hardship and expense of bankruptcy
- Knowledgeable in title insurance and real estate issues
- Sought and obtained appointment of third-party receivers to take possession and control of the property on behalf of his lending clients
- Represents secured and unsecured creditors and trustees in bankruptcy; creditors in state court proceedings, including foreclosure proceedings and state court receiverships
- As counsel for the borrower in Northern Arizona Properties vs. Pinetop Properties Group, he helped formulate the law which defines deficiency rights after foreclosure
- Conducted hundreds of foreclosures, both judicial and non-judicial, and numerous forfeiture proceedings
- Played pivotal role in winning compensation in several of the largest land-fraud cases in Arizona, recovering millions of dollars for investors
Reviews
4.6 average rating
5 reviews received for Lawrence, 1 published on our review site. Why the difference?
Larry is my go-to-guy for business law, collection and bankruptcy issues with clients, and numerous other areas. He is simply the best and gets results. I always feel confident when Larry is handling an issue for my company or for me personally. Larry gets results and is easy to work with. Larry is a rare find indeed!
Client reviewAnonymousMartindale-Hubbell
Reviews describe individual clients’ experiences; results depend on the facts of each matter.
Awards and recognition
- Southwest Super Lawyer Arizona: 2010 to 2026
- Best Lawyers in America - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/ Insolvency and Reorganization Law Real Estate Law 2015 to 2026
- Martindale-Hubbell, Rated AV Preeminent
- Phoenix Magazine - Top Lawyer Bankruptcy & Reorganization, 2022 to 2025
- Arizona Business Leader- Bankruptcy and Reorganization Law, AZ Big Media, 2019, 2020
- 'Top 100 Lawyer in Arizona' by Arizona Business Magazine
- American's Top 100 Attorneys - Lifetime Achievement
- Recognition of Excellence as Litigation Council of America Fellow
Recognitions reflect the selection methods of the organizations that give them. About awards and rankings
Articles
In the news
Community involvement
- Board of Directors, Child Crisis Center
- Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University Law School focusing on foreclosure, receivership and the effects of bankruptcy
- Fellow in Litigation Council of America
- Board of Directors, Jaburg Wilk Foundation
- Past board member of Phoenix Regional Sports Commission
- Past President and registered lobbyist for the Arizona Trustee's Association
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Indiana University, 1980
- B.A., Indiana University, 1977
Bar admissions
- Arizona, 1980
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
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