KRAMER SPELLMAN L P ET AL
SC 13D, 1997-07-03
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13D


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                              Life Financial Corp.
                                (Name of Issuer)


                          Common Stock, $.01 par value
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    53184P101
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                 Orin S. Kramer
                              Kramer Spellman, L.P.
                          2050 Center Avenue, Suite 300
                              Fort Lee, New Jersey
                                      07024
                                 (201) 592-1234
                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)


                                  June 25, 1997
              (Date of Event which Requires Filing this Statement)


If the filing person has previously  filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the  acquisition  which is the subject of this  Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box [ ].






                                  Page 1 of 13
                        Exhibit Index Appears on Page 12


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SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 53184P101

1.       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
         S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

                  Kramer Spellman L.P.

2.       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                   Not Applicable                                      a[ ]
                                                                       b[ ]
3.       SEC USE ONLY

4.      SOURCE OF FUNDS*
                  OO

5.      CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
         PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)                                 [ ]

6.      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                  Delaware

                7.      SOLE VOTING POWER

                        None

                8.      SHARED VOTING POWER
  SHARES
BENEFICIALLY            390,500
 OWNED BY
REPORTING       9.      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
  PERSON                None
   WITH
                10.     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                        390,500

11.     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                  390,500

12.     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
         CERTAIN SHARES*                                               [ ]

13.     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
                  6.39%

14.     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
        PN


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SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 53184P101

1.       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
         S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

                  Orin S. Kramer

2.       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                   Not Applicable                                      a[ ]
                                                                       b[ ]
3.       SEC USE ONLY

4.      SOURCE OF FUNDS*
                  OO

5.      CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
         PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)                                 [ ]

6.      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                  United States

                   7.      SOLE VOTING POWER

                           None

                   8.      SHARED VOTING POWER
  SHARES
BENEFICIALLY               390,500
 OWNED BY
REPORTING          9.      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
  PERSON                   None
   WITH
                   10.     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                           390,500

11.     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                  390,500

12.     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
         CERTAIN SHARES*                                              [ ]

13.     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
                  6.39%

14.     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
        IN


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SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 53184P101

1.       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
         S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

                  Jay Spellman

2.       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                   Not Applicable                                      a[ ]
                                                                       b[ ]
3.       SEC USE ONLY

4.      SOURCE OF FUNDS*
                  OO

5.      CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
         PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)                                 [ ]

6.      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                  United States

                  7.      SOLE VOTING POWER

                          None

                  8.      SHARED VOTING POWER
  SHARES
BENEFICIALLY              390,500
 OWNED BY
REPORTING         9.      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
  PERSON                  None
   WITH
                  10.     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                          390,500

11.     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                  390,500

12.     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
         CERTAIN SHARES*                                            [ ]

13.     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
                  6.39%

14.     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
        IN


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Item 1.  Security and Issuer

                  This  statement on Schedule 13D (the  "Statement")  relates to
the  Common  Stock,  par value  $.01 per share  (the  "Common  Stock"),  of Life
Financial Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"). The principal executive
offices of the Company are located at 1598 East Highland Avenue, San Bernardino,
California 92404.

Item 2. Identity and Background

                  The  Statement is being filed by (1) Kramer  Spellman  L.P., a
Delaware  limited  partnership  ("KS"),  (2) Orin S.  Kramer,  a  United  States
citizen,  in his  capacity  as  one of the  two  general  partners  of KS  ("Mr.
Kramer"),  and (3) Jay Spellman, a United States citizen, in his capacity as one
of the two  general  partners  of KS ("Mr.  Spellman").  KS, Mr.  Kramer and Mr.
Spellman  are  sometimes  collectively  referred  to  herein  as the  "Reporting
Persons".

                  KS serves as a general partner to investment  partnerships and
as a discretionary investment manager to managed accounts. The principal offices
of KS are located at 2050 Center Avenue,  Suite 300, Fort Lee, New Jersey 07024,
which is also the business address of Mr. Kramer and Mr. Spellman.

                  The  shares of Common  Stock  which  are the  subject  of this
Statement are held directly by  investment  partnerships  for which KS serves as
the general  partner and managed  accounts for which KS serves as  discretionary
investment manager (collectively, the "Partnerships and Managed Accounts").


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                  None of the Reporting Persons has been convicted in a criminal
proceeding  (excluding  traffic violations or similar  misdemeanors)  during the
last five years.

                  During the last five years,  none of the Reporting Persons has
been a party to a civil  proceeding  of a  judicial  or  administrative  body of
competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a
judgment,  decree or final order enjoining future  violations of, or prohibiting
or mandating  activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding
any violation with respect to such laws.

Item 3.  Sources and Amounts of Funds or Other Consideration

                  The Partnerships and Managed Accounts expended an aggregate of
approximately  $2,102,750 (including brokerage commissions,  if any) to purchase
the 390,500  shares of Common Stock held by them. The  Partnerships  and Managed
Accounts  regularly  effect  purchases of  securities  through  margin  accounts
maintained for them with Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, which extends margin
credit to the Partnerships or Managed Accounts,  as the case may be, as and when
required to open or carry positions in the margin account, subject to applicable
Federal margin regulations, stock exchange rules and the firm's credit policies.
The positions held in this margin account are pledged as collateral security for
the repayment of debit balances in the account. 

Item 4. Purpose of Transaction

                  The purpose of the  acquisition  of the shares of Common Stock
by each of the Reporting Persons is for investment. Each

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Reporting  Person may make  further  purchases of Common Stock from time to time
and may  dispose of any or all of the  shares of Common  Stock held by it at any
time.

                  The Reporting Persons are engaged in the investment  business.
In pursuing this business, the Reporting Persons analyze the operations, capital
structure and markets of companies in which they invest,  including the Company,
on a continuous  basis through  analysis of  documentation  and discussions with
knowledgeable  industry and market  observers and with  representatives  of such
companies (often at the invitation of management).  The Reporting Persons do not
believe they possess material inside  information  concerning the Company.  From
time to time,  one or more of the Reporting  Persons may hold  discussions  with
third parties or with management of such companies in which the Reporting Person
may  suggest  or take a  position  with  respect  to  potential  changes  in the
operations,  management  or capital  structure  of such  companies as a means of
enhancing  shareholder value. Such suggestions or positions may relate to one or
more of the  transactions  specified in clauses (a) through (j) of Item 4 of the
Schedule 13D,  including,  without  limitation,  such matters as disposing of or
selling  all or a  portion  of the  company  or  acquiring  another  company  or
business,  changing operating or marketing strategies,  adopting or not adopting
certain  types  of  anti-takeover   measures  and  restructuring  the  company's
capitalization  or  dividend  policy.  However,  none of the  Reporting  Persons
intends to seek control of the Company or  participate  in the management of the
Company.


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                  Except as set forth above,  the Reporting  Persons do not have
any present  plans or  proposals  that  relate to or would  result in any of the
actions required to be described in Item 4 of Schedule 13D.

                  Each of the  Reporting  Persons  may,  at any time,  review or
reconsider  its  position  with  respect to the Company and  formulate  plans or
proposals with respect to any of such matters,  but has no present  intention of
doing so. Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer

                  (a)-(b)  On the date of this Statement:

                           (i) Mr. Kramer has beneficial  ownership for purposes
of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Beneficial Ownership")
of 390,500  shares of Common  Stock by virtue of his  position as one of the two
general  partners  of  KS.  Such  shares  represent  6.39%  of  the  issued  and
outstanding  Common Stock. Mr. Kramer shares voting power and dispositive  power
over the Common Stock with Mr. Spellman and KS.

                           (ii) Mr. Spellman has Beneficial Ownership of 390,500
of Common Stock by virtue of his position as one of the two general  partners of
KS. Such shares represent 6.39% of the issued and outstanding  Common Stock. Mr.
Spellman  shares voting power and  dispositive  power over the Common Stock with
Mr. Kramer and KS.

                           (iii) KS has  Beneficial  Ownership of 390,500 shares
of  Common  Stock  by  virtue  of  its  position  as  general   partner  of,  or
discretionary  investment manager to, the Partnerships and Managed Accounts,  as
the case the may be, holding such shares of

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Common Stock.  Such shares represent 6.39% of the issued and outstanding  Common
Stock.  KS shares voting power and  dispositive  power over such shares with Mr.
Kramer and Mr. Spellman.

                  The  percentages  used  herein are  calculated  based upon the
6,111,716  shares of Common Stock stated to be issued and outstanding  effective
as of June 30, 1997,  as reflected in the  Company's  Prospectus  dated June 24,
1997.

                  (c) The trading dates,  number of shares purchased or sold and
price per share  (including  commissions,  if any) for all  transactions  by the
Reporting  Persons  during the past 60 days are set forth in  Schedule I hereto.
All such transactions were over-the-counter transactions.

                  (d) No person other than each respective record owner referred
to herein of shares of Common Stock is known to have the right to receive or the
power to direct the receipt of dividends  from or the proceeds of sale of shares
of Common Stock, except that the respective shareholders,  partners or owners as
relevant,  of the  Partnerships  and the  Managed  Accounts  have  the  right to
participate  in the  receipt of  dividends  from or proceeds of the sale of, the
shares of Common Stock held for their respective accounts.

                  (e)      Not applicable.

Item 6. Contracts,  Arrangements,  Understandings, or Relationships with Respect
        to Securities of the Issuer.

                  None.

Item 7.  Material to be Filed as Exhibits

                 Exhibit 99: Joint Filing Agreement among the Reporting Persons.


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Signature
                  After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief,  I certify  that the  information  set forth in this  statement is true,
complete and correct.

July 3, 1997.



                                            KRAMER SPELLMAN L.P.



                                            By:      /s/ Orin S. Kramer
                                                     Name: Orin S. Kramer
                                                     Title: a General Partner



                                            By:      /s/ Jay Spellman
                                                     Name: Jay Spellman
                                                     Title: a General Partner



                                                     /s/ Orin S. Kramer
                                                    Orin S. Kramer


                                                     /s/ Jay Spellman
                                                     Jay Spellman




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                                                                     Schedule I


Date          Shares Purchased           Price Per Share

6/25/97            135,000                   $11.000
6/25/97             35,000                    13.563

Date            Shares Sold              Price Per Share

6/25/97              35,000                   $13.500
6/25/97              25,000                    13.800


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Exhibit Index

Exhibit                                                             Page No.

Exhibit 99:       Joint Filing Agreement, dated                        13
                  July 3, 1997, among Kramer Spellman, L.P., 
                  Orin S. Kramer and Jay Spellman




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EXHIBIT 99

                             JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

                  The  undersigned  hereby agree that the  statement on Schedule
13D dated July 3, 1997 with respect to the Common Stock of Life Financial  Corp.
is, and any amendments thereto signed by each of the undersigned shall be, filed
on behalf of each of us pursuant to and in  accordance  with the  provisions  of
Rule 13d-1(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

                  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts,  each of which
shall  for all  purposes  be  deemed to be an  original  and all of which  shall
constitute one and the same instrument.



Dated:  July 3, 1997



                                            KRAMER SPELLMAN L.P.


                                            By:      /s/ Orin S. Kramer
                                                 Name: Orin S. Kramer
                                                 Title: a General Partner


                                            By: /s/ Jay Spellman
                                                 Name: Jay Spellman
                                                 Title: a General Partner


                                                /s/ Orin S. Kramer
                                                Orin S. Kramer


                                                /s/ Jay Spellman
                                                Jay Spellman




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