Recent News

March 23, 2007

Getting all perspectives at the Bankruptcy Law Institute – May 3 & 4

~ written by Brenda K. Bowers, Bankruptcy Committee Chair

The Bankruptcy Law Institute, sponsored by the Bankruptcy committee, will be held on May 3 and 4. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 has changed the practice for all of us over the course of the past couple of years. At the Bankruptcy Law Institute, the topics and speakers will be presented from all perspectives - judges, attorneys and clients, from both the creditors’ side and the debtors’ side.

On Thursday, Hon. Steven W. Rhodes, United States Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Michigan, and Christal Caudill, Koffel & Jump, will present “Accuracy of Debtors’ Initial Schedules Pre- and Post-BAPCPA: An Empirical Study.” Judge Rhodes’ study includes data from pre- and post-BAPCPA cases from the Southern District of Ohio. From the attorneys’ perspective, Nora E. Jones, Gamble Hartshorn Johnson, will lead us through the navigation of the maze of state claims in bankruptcy cases. We also will look at creditors’ perspectives on the post-BAPCPA consumer practice. Robert Sidman, Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease, will review Ohio’s new Professional Code of Conduct as it applies to bankruptcy practitioners.

Friday’s lineup will continue with consumer and commercial breakout sessions. Richard Call, the Consumer Credit Counseling Service, will take us through the pre-discharge personal financial management education and post-discharge credit reports for debtors. We will see what the required courses for debtors entail. From the judges’ perspective, Hon. Jeffrey P. Hopkins and Hon. John E. Hoffman will present “Courtroom Decorum and Professionalism.” We also will find out about the future of electronic evidence and courtroom technology from Hon. Lawrence Walters and Hon. Edmund A. Sargus Jr. Then, we will get a practical application of “Trying a Matter before the Bankruptcy Court: The Judges’ Perspective on Evidence and Other Issues,” by Hon. Charles M. Caldwell, Hon. Donald E. Calhoun, Hon. John E. Hoffman and Hon. C. Kathryn Preston.

This is only part of the lineup for May 3 and 4. If you practice in or around insolvency issues, you will want to attend. Attendance on both days will include 12.25 CLE hours with professionalism, ethics and substance abuse required credits.

Visit www.cbalaw.org or telephone 614/221.4112 to reserve your space for event # 3602. Register for both days: member, $295 prepaid/$305 day of; non-member, $345 prepaid/$355 day of; paralegal, $195 prepaid/$205 day of. Or you may register for Thursday or Friday only at the following rate: member, $195 prepaid/$205 day of; non-member, $225 prepaid/$235 day of; paralegal, $125 prepaid/$135 day of. Lunch is on your own for both days.