Attorneys

• Attorney J. Robert Vanhemelrijck

  
  • Has personally handled the filing of over 3,500 Consumer and Small Business Bankruptcy cases in the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division.
  • Founding and Managing Partner of Vanhemelrijck Law Offices, LP in San Antonio, Texas.
  • Formerly, worked for Koffel and Jump, Attorneys, where he was responsible for managing all mortgage and lien avoidance matters. Also, while working for Koffel and Jump, Attorneys, he provided litigation support to W. Mark Jump and Christal Caudill (a Chapter 7 Trustee), on cases involving Bankruptcy and Tax issues.
  • Assisted a United States District Judge from the Southern District of Texas, Brownsville Division, with the writing of Court orders and/or decisions.
  • Assisted a United States Bankruptcy Judge from the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division (Columbus), with the writing of Court orders and/or decisions.
  • Provided substantial assistance with the drafting and preparation of three (3) Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Presentations, which were used to teach bankruptcy practitioners about the effects of the 2005 amendments to the Bankruptcy Code.
  • These CLE presentations were:
  1. “Divorce, Alimony and Support Under the New Bankruptcy Act”-Presented by Bankruptcy Professor Creola Johnson, of the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
  2. “The Automatic Stay, Effects of the Dismissal of a Prior Case(s) that was Pending Within the Previous Year: The Need to File a Motion to Extend the Automatic Stay and a Motion for an Expedited Hearing”-Presented by W. Mark Jump.
  3. “The Treatment of 910 PMSI Claims on Vehicles Purchased for Personal Use Under Amended Code Section 1325’s Hanging Paragraph”-Presented by W. Mark Jump.
  • Member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys*.
  • Member of the State Bar Of Texas.
  • Member of the American Bar Association.
  • Member of the Federal Bar Association.
  • Graduate of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (Columbus, Ohio), where he received his Juris Doctor degree and earned the “Excellence for the Future Award.”
  • He received his undergraduate degree from * Texas State University* (San Marcos, Texas). His major was in Political Science (B.A.) and his minor was in Business Administration. He graduated with honors-summa cum laude.
  • He is a fluent Spanish speaker and writer.
  • He is an animal lover, with two (2) dogs, one of which was rescued from a San Antonio humane society called The Animal Defense League.
  • Community Service includes serving as a volunteer at the Political Asylum Project of Austin, Texas.

• Jessica L. Hanzlik

  From an early age, Jessica had a love of books, her mother refuses to admit or deny that “book” was her first spoken word, and was told repeatedly “you read so much, you should be a lawyer.” Many years later (and still unsure how being a voracious reader has anything to do with practicing law), Jessica received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law on May 20, 2006 and was sworn in by the Chief of the State Supreme Court on November 3, 2006.

  Jessica began her education at Texas A&M University (Class of ’03), starting out in the Genetics and Bio-Chemistry department with an intent to attend medical school, but switched to History and Religion her second year inspired by an enthusiastic Classics professor teaching her elective course, The Roman Republic. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in 2002, Jessica moved back to her hometown of Houston and began law school. She found a “home” in the field of bankruptcy at Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, LLP under the guidance of 2 brilliant lawyers who decided to help this young law student learn how to be a real lawyer. Jessica was fortunate enough to get a summer internship at the Office of the United States Trustee, where she had the opportunity to learn about bankruptcy behind the scenes and in the courtroom. She was selected to join the Moller/Foltz Bankruptcy Inns of Court as a law student and enjoyed a wonderful experience of continuing legal education and camaraderie with Business and Consumer bankruptcy attorneys from 2005-2009.
  Employed by Codilis and Stawiarksi, PC after taking the bar exam, Jessica continued practicing litigation and bankruptcy in Harris and Fort Bend Counties, representing mortgage companies in many courtrooms throughout the county and finding another inspiring mentor who enjoyed quizzing her about procedure in the elevator after each hearing. During this time, Jessica became qualified for admittance into the Southern District & Bankruptcy Courts of Texas, Eastern District & Bankruptcy Courts of Texas, Western District & Bankruptcy Courts of Texas and Northern District & Bankruptcy Courts of Texas. Acceptance into each Federal Court allows great flexibility for providing service to clients all over the state of Texas.
  Jessica moved to Weycer, Kaplan, Pulaski and Zuber, PC in 2008 where her office overlooked the lights of downtown Houston. In this fast paced working environment, there were numerous opportunities for a young lawyer in the courtroom. The learning curve was raised significantly for a second year attorney; Jessica stretched to meet the challenge and represented several high level clients in Chapter 11 proceedings as both Business Debtors and Creditors (including many commercial landlords forced to handle bankrupt retail tenants). At the urging of a fellow associate, who happened to be the current President of the Houston Young Lawyers Association, Jessica became active in HYLA as a member of the Animal Welfare Committee, Co-chair of the Corporate Counsel Committee and was selected to participate in the 2008-2009 Leadership Academy.
  After moving to San Antonio in 2009, Jessica worked for a solo attorney handling all the firm’s Chapter 11 cases in Texas, spanning Houston, Austin and Dallas, while also assisting with consumer practice in San Antonio, Austin and Houston. In 2012, Jessica took the leap to begin a new law firm, Tiwari + Bell, PLLC, with fellow colleagues in Helotes with her area of practice centered on business and consumer bankruptcy, family law and representation in CPS, child protective services, litigation. In 2013, Jessica left private practice to begin her tenure as a staff attorney for Mary K. Viegelahn, the Chapter 13 Trustee to represent the Chapter 13 Trustee in Bankruptcy Court and conducted meetings of creditors for several years before leaving the Trustee’s office to join the Vanhemelrijck Law Offices, P.C. in 2017.
  Jessica’s current practice involves the representation of clients in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
  Jessica is currently a member of the State Bar of Texas, The Honorable Larry E. Kelly Bankruptcy American Inns of Court, San Antonio Bankruptcy Bar Association, the San Antonio Aggie Club and Texas Aggie Bar Association.
  Jessica is married to a fellow Aggie, Jeremy (Class of ’97) and raising two young girls (future Aggie Class of ’37 and ’38).