About the Law Office of Stephen Bulgarella, LLC
Most people who call this office are going through the worst financial stretch of their lives. Our job is to make it stop, and then to make it better.
The Law Office of Stephen Bulgarella, LLC is a Birmingham, Alabama law firm focused on consumer bankruptcy, with additional practice in personal injury and estate matters. We represent individuals and families across Jefferson County, Blount County, and communities throughout Alabama.
Meet Stephen Bulgarella
Stephen Bulgarella has spent his career on both sides of Alabama’s bankruptcy courts.
He began as an associate at a respected Alabama bankruptcy firm, where he filed hundreds of cases on behalf of individuals and families.
Then he spent five years on the other side — representing major banks and mortgage lenders, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, PennyMac, and Regions Bank — in bankruptcy and foreclosure matters in federal courts across Alabama.
In 2021, he opened this firm to go back to representing the people on the receiving end of those cases.
Why? Because he’d rather help real people. Individuals and families working through genuinely difficult situations. That’s the work he finds worth doing.
And the creditor-side experience turns out to matter enormously. When a creditor’s attorney raises an objection in your case, Stephen has filed that same objection himself. He knows which arguments those firms actually pursue and which ones they raise to see whether anyone pushes back. He knows what documentation holds up, because he used to be the one scrutinizing it.
Very few consumer bankruptcy attorneys have worked the creditor side at that level. It’s the most useful thing about this firm, and it’s the reason to call here rather than somewhere else.
Education and Admissions
- Cumberland School of Law, Samford University — Juris Doctor, 2015. Named a Scholar of Merit for his work in bankruptcy and consumer law.
- The University of Alabama — B.A. in History and Political Science, with honors
- Admitted to the Alabama State Bar, 2015
- Admitted to practice before all federal courts in Alabama, including every federal bankruptcy court in the state — the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts
- Member, Birmingham Bar Association
- Member, Alabama State Bar
- Founded the Law Office of Stephen Bulgarella, LLC in 2021
How We Work
You work with an attorney. Every time. This is worth saying plainly, because it’s unusual. At this firm, all work on your case is done by an attorney. Phone calls are answered by an attorney. Nothing gets handed off to non-attorney staff. If you’ve dealt with a law firm before, you may know the experience of never quite reaching the lawyer whose name is on the door. That doesn’t happen here.
We tell you when bankruptcy isn’t the answer. Some people who call this office shouldn’t file. Maybe the debt is small enough to negotiate, maybe the statute of limitations has run on the judgment, maybe waiting a few months puts you in a much better position. We’d rather give you an honest answer than a case.
Consultations are free, and our fees are reasonable. This office works hard to keep costs affordable, and we accept payment plans. In Chapter 13 cases, attorney’s fees can typically be paid through your plan over three to five years rather than upfront — which is often what makes filing possible for someone who’s already stretched.
Most of it happens without you leaving home. Consultations, gathering documents, signatures — we handle nearly all of it remotely, and it’s how this office prefers to work. Even your meeting of creditors is conducted by video, so most clients get through an entire bankruptcy case without setting foot in a courthouse. If you’d rather come into the office downtown, you’re always welcome. It’s your call.
If it’s an emergency, call. If you’re facing a foreclosure sale, an active garnishment, or a repossession, don’t wait for business hours. Call and Stephen will do his best to reach you as quickly as he can.
We don’t judge. The overwhelming majority of consumer bankruptcies in this country trace back to a medical emergency, a job loss, or a divorce. Very few trace back to irresponsibility. Whatever brought you here, we’ve heard it before.
Practice Areas
Bankruptcy
Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 for individuals and families. Stop wage garnishment, stop foreclosure, prevent repossession, and discharge debt you can't pay.
Personal Injury
If you've been injured by someone else's negligence, Stephen handles your matter, working with a network of expert attorneys to make sure you receive maximum compensation. No attorney's fee unless there's a recovery.
Wills, Trusts & Probate
Estate planning and probate administration for Alabama families.
Where We Practice
Stephen is admitted in all federal courts in Alabama, including every federal bankruptcy court in the state. Most of our clients come from the Birmingham metro area and north-central Alabama, including Bessemer, Hueytown, Fairfield, Pleasant Grove, Ensley, Gardendale, Fultondale, Tarrant, Pinson, Center Point, and communities throughout Blount County.
Bankruptcy cases for Jefferson, Blount, and Shelby Counties are heard in the Southern Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama, in Birmingham.
Office Information
Parking: There are public parking decks around the block and generally plenty of street parking nearby.
Meeting remotely: Most of our work is handled by phone, email, and video, so an office visit is usually optional.