Ginnie Van Kesteren graduated from Stetson University, College of Law, in 1980. The first twenty years of her practice were in the Bankruptcy Court, initially with a high-volume consumer practice and at one time had more pending Chapter 13 rehabilitation cases than all other lawyers in the Tampa Division combined. Later she worked for the U.S. Department of Justice as Senior Litigation Attorney for the Middle District of Florida covering high-profile reorganization cases in Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. Returning to private practice in 1991, she represented businesses reorganizing in virtually every industry and handled commercial litigation in the bankruptcy court. In 2000, she limited the bankruptcy practice and began representing local banks in major commercial loan collections and a national trust company in revenue bond workouts, foreclosing on commercial facilities throughout the State of Florida. In 2005, she closed her practice to concentrate on earning an LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami. She has re-established her practice in St. Petersburg and now provides comprehensive estate planning to people and businesses with sophisticated needs.

Born in Selma, Alabama, growing up in a military family, Ms. Van Kesteren spent her early years in Paris, France; Charleston, South Carolina; Port of Spain, Trinidad; Paramaribo, Suriname; San Francisco and Sacramento, California before moving to St. Petersburg, Florida. She has two grown children who live in the Tampa Bay area.

With more than 27 years of legal experience, including business litigation and bankruptcy, Ginnie offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Practicing throughout Florida and in St. Petersburg has prepared her for legal representation anywhere in the State. Her years of traveling and living throughout the world make her a fine judge of people and a person who appreciates various cultures and backgrounds. It also gives her a world-wide view of legal matters.

Education:

LL.M., Estate Planning, 2006, University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, FL
J.D., 1980 Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, FL
B.S., 1977, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (Major: Psychology)

Admitted:

U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th and 11th Circuits
U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
Supreme Court of the State of Florida

Past Positions:

Ginnie Van Kesteren, P.A., St. Petersburg, FL, Sole Practitioner, 2000 to 2005

Practice concentrating primarily on revenue bond default workouts and collections for a national trust company as lead counsel for all of their Florida litigation, and commercial loan collections for local banks;

Powell, Carney, Hayes and Silverstein, P.A., St. Petersburg, FL, Associate, 1999-00

Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganizations, both debtor and creditor representation, and commercial loan collections involving real estate foreclosures;

Feinberg, Isaak & Smith, P.A., Tampa, FL, Of Counsel, 1998-99

Providing attorney training and client intake counseling for consumer bankruptcies to facilitate transfer of my consumer practice;

Van Kesteren & Watts, P.A., St. Petersburg, FL, Partner, 1992-98

Chapter 11 bankruptcies for small to medium estates and creditor representation; litigation in bankruptcy court from referrals; and high volume consumer bankruptcy practice;

Johnson, Blakely, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel, P.A., Tampa, FL, Associate 1991-92

Debtor and creditor representation in Chapter 11 cases;

U.S. Trustee, U.S. Department of Justice, Tampa, FL, Attorney-Advisor, 1988-91

Senior litigation attorney-advisor for the Middle District of Florida with most cases in the Jacksonville Division, concentrating on Chapter 11 cases and supervision of panel trustees;

Ginnie Van Kesteren, P.A., Sole Practitioner, 1980-88

High volume consumer practice with emphasis on Chapter 13 debtor rehabilitation.

Affiliations:

The Florida Bar
     Member, Banking & Business Law Section
American Bar Association
     Member, Banking & Business Law Section
St. Petersburg Bar Association
     Member, Real Property & Probate Law Section
     Former Chairman, Bankruptcy Committee
Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association
     Former Chairman, Community Services Committee
     Former Chairman, Computer Access Committee
     Former Member, Board of Directors
Suncoast Estate Planning Council
Life Care Ambassadors

Recent Speaking Engagements:

St. Petersburg Bar Association
Tampa Legal Secretatries Association
National Institute for Financial Planning
Florida Bar Annual Meeting