About L. Ilaine
L. Ilaine Upton has spent more than three decades practicing law in Virginia. She built her practice around consumer matters and bankruptcy. Her career has moved between private practice and roles at firms that handle consumer bankruptcy work. She has also remained active in professional groups tied to consumer advocacy and bankruptcy courts.
Upton earned her J.D. from Tulane University School of Law in 1987. She is admitted to practice in Virginia. Her legal training at Tulane set the foundation for a practice that has centered on individual debt relief and representation in bankruptcy proceedings.
Soon after law school, she opened the Law Office of L. Ilaine Upton in 1987. That early period established her as a solo practitioner handling a range of civil matters. Over the years she returned to solo practice several times, alternating between running her own office and joining firms that expanded her exposure to consumer bankruptcy work.
In 2007 she joined Robert A. Ades & Associates as a bankruptcy lawyer. That role placed her squarely in bankruptcy practice at a time when consumer filings and related litigation were prominent. She became a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Lawyers in 2008, connecting with other attorneys who represent debtors in federal bankruptcy courts.
Her involvement in local court matters grew as well. Beginning in 2013 she served on the Alexandria Bankruptcy Court Bench Bar Liaison Committee as a consumer lawyer. She later joined the National Association of Consumer Advocates in 2015. Those memberships reflect sustained participation in the communities that address consumer law, policy and courtroom procedure.
In 2016 records show she worked at Akman & Associates PC while also operating the Law Office of L. Ilaine Upton. The following year she is listed at the Upton Law Office. That return to a named firm indicates a continued emphasis on maintaining a visible local practice and offering direct representation to individuals navigating debt and bankruptcy processes.
Today she practices from the Upton Law Office in Virginia. Her work involves advising clients on Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings, representing debtors in hearings, and handling related consumer protection matters. She continues to participate in bankruptcy and consumer advocacy groups while focusing her practice on consumer bankruptcy and related consumer protection matters.
