Faces of Palm Desert with William J. Howell

In 2010, bankruptcy filings by consumers hit an all-time high with 1.53 million which equated to 1 in every 55 households.  At that time, California led the way with 17% of all consumer bankruptcies.  By September of 2018, the number of consumer bankruptcy filings have been cut in half.  That seems like great news but there may be more to the story.

Some believe the numbers continue to decrease because it has become simply too expensive to file for bankruptcy.  Also, many may not have enough assets to protect so it does not make sense to file.  On the flip side, older American are filing because of rising health care costs and too little income.

We wanted to learn more this complicated issue, so we sat down with our member, attorney William J. Howell to learn about his business, background, his passions and why he chose Fusion Workplaces in Palm Desert.

Tell us about your company and what you do?

I represent debtors in the US Bankruptcy court anywhere in California.

How did you get started in your industry?

My background was taxation which is a statutory oriented field. I found that bankruptcy is likewise a statutory oriented field. The bottom line is I can provide a service to people, when needed, where the outcomes are highly predictable and not prohibitively expensive.

What is something about your business that most people don’t know?

Most people do not know how quickly and easily their lives will get back on track after filing bankruptcy.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?

During most of my legal career, which spans 41 years now, I have practiced as a sole practitioner. Therefore, it would be realistic that I will be practicing that way during the next 5 years, (although I do contemplate retiring at some future date more than 5 years from now).

Tell us about yourself

I am 76 years old; I’ve been a lawyer for 41 years before which I was an IRS agent, Treasury & military investigator.

Other than work, what are you passionate about?

I am passionate about politics and religion, but I keep my opinions on such things to myself. Back when I was younger, I loved to ride dirt bikes, shoot skeet & trap with shotguns, and target practice with pistols. Nowadays, I enjoy cruises and travel with my wife of 21 years, walking our 2 Bichon Friese (Bogart & Ingrid), and spending time with my grandkids.

Why did you choose Fusion Workplaces and how has working here helped your business?

Fusion Workplaces is centrally located in the Coachella Valley, accessible to everyone from Palm Springs to Coachella. Fusion has very friendly and knowledgeable staff and is nicely decorated with artwork…all of which make a positive impact on potential clients.


If you are need of an attorney and thinking about filing for bankruptcy, schedule a visit with William J. Howell through his website.  He can also be found through Avvo and Yelp.