An upstate bankruptcy lawyer who makes his living holding creditors’ feet to the fire for procedural violations has drawn the ire of a federal judge who suggested the attorney lured a bank into a trap in order to collect a fee.

Northern District Bankruptcy Judge Margaret Cangilos-Ruiz (See Profile) scolded attorney James Selbach of Liverpool in In re Beth M. Squire, 13-62070, on March 26. She said, “this court will not reward tactics intent upon generating anticipated attorneys’ fees.”