Maria Salas and Keith Slocum have formed a new law firm that will concentrate on bankruptcy, consumer law and personal injury.

The new firm, Salas Slocum Law Group, PLLC, has opened offices at 1611 16th Ave., South in Nashville and is accepting new clients.  New bankruptcy laws that go into effect on October 17 will have a dramatic effect on people who need to file for bankruptcy. Salas and Slocum have over 10 years of experience in bankruptcy and can help clients through the maze of new rules and regulations.

Salas, who is certified as a Consumer Bankruptcy Specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization and the American Board of Certification, received her B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University summa cum laude in 1985, and received her J.D. from the Nashville School of Law in 1992.

“The changes in the bankruptcy law are daunting,” Salas said.  “They make it harder, particularly for middle-class families, to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, which allows you to discharge your debts and get a fresh start.”  Salas said if consumers were thinking of filing bankruptcy, it wasn’t too late to do so before the new law goes into effect. We can help people get bankruptcy relief after the new law becomes effective, but it will be more expensive and complicated.

Salas has been very active in the Nashville legal community. She is a member of the board of directors of the Nashville Bar Association and the MidSouth Commercial Law Institute.  Salas is a member of the Executive Council of the Bankruptcy Section of the Tennessee Bar Association and former chair of the Nashville Bar Association Bankruptcy Court Committee.  She is also a member of the American, Tennessee, and Nashville Bar Associations, the Nashville Lawyers Association for Women, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, and the American Bankruptcy Institute. She is a fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation, and received the Nashville Bar Association Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award for 2001.  Salas also serves on the Metro Nashville Davidson County Human Relations Commission and is a member of the 2005-2006 class of Leadership Nashville.

Keith Slocum was previously an associate with Rothschild & Salas, PLLC. His main areas of practice are bankruptcy, personal injury, credit reporting, and mortgage disputes. He received his B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University in 1998 and his J.D. from the Nashville School of Law in 2003.  He is a member of the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court, and a member of the American, Tennessee, and Nashville Bar Associations, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, and the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
For more information on the Salas Slocum Law Group or the new bankruptcy law, call 615-244-6246 or visit the firm’s Web site at www.salasslocumlaw.com.Salas has been a very active member of the Nashville legal community. She is a member of the board of directors of the Nashville Bar Association and the MidSouth Commercial Law Institute; the former chair of the Nashville Bar Association Bankruptcy Court Committee; a member of the Executive Council of the Bankruptcy Section of the Tennessee Bar Association; a member of the American, Tennessee, and Nashville Bar Associations, Nashville Lawyers Association for Women, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (associate member), and the American Bankruptcy Institute. She is a fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation, and received the Nashville Bar Association Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award for 2001. She also serves on the Metro Nashville Davidson County Human Relations Commission and is a member of the 2005-2006 class of Leadership Nashville.

Keith Slocum was an associate with Rothschild & Salas, PLLC for approximately two years. His main areas of practice are bankruptcy, credit reporting, personal injury and mortgage disputes. He received his B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University in 1998 and his J.D. from the Nashville School of Law in 2003.

Salas said if consumers were thinking of filing bankruptcy, it wasn’t too late to do so before the new laws went into effect. She said filing under the new laws could be more expensive and complicated.

“The new bankruptcy laws are designed to make it harder and more expensive to file a Chapter 7, which is the most common form of bankruptcy,” she said.

For more information on the Salas Slocum Law Group or the new bankruptcy laws call 615-244-6246 or visit their Web site at www.salasslocumlaw.com.