Inside ABI June 2025

I’m writing this column only days after returning from ABI’s Annual Spring Meeting in late April in Washington, D.C. For me, the conference was special on so many levels. The Education Committee, led by Hon. Michelle M. Harner of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland (Baltimore), and the ABI Member Committees did their usual excellent job of assembling a wide variety of interesting panels, ably presented by the panelists themselves. The opening plenary session on vesting set the tone and gave new meaning to the concept of “facially simple but unexpectedly complex.” It was a shining example of what ABI does so well: prompting both commercial and consumer practitioners to think about a concept that is fundamental to both commercial and individual reorganization cases, in a deeper and more comprehensive way than they may have before the session started.

It was also a personal thrill to see Sam Gerdano — whom I had not seen since he retired as ABI’s longtime executive director — participate in a stellar discussion with Judge Harner and Prof. Melissa B. Jacoby of the University of North Carolina School of Law (Chapel Hill, N.C.) about how the bankruptcy system works and doesn’t work. I was also even more thrilled to be able to celebrate my inauguration as President with those of my family, friends and fellow ABI members who could make the trip, and to see Apollo Robbins work his magical wizardry in person at the Friday night dinner.

Overall, I did a lot of “grazing” at ASM, trying to see portions of many different panels while staying for (and reviewing) other panels in their entirety. Speaking of reviews, yours are important. The Education Committee (and others) read every single one and consider them in future programming decisions. So please try and review every program that you can by scanning the QR codes that are available at each session. We never tire of hearing from you!

During my remarks at the inaugural dinner, I touched on three themes: honor, gratitude and community. I’d like to expand on one aspect of community in this column: What we, as ABI members, can do for our own communities by providing pro bono services to those in need. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic-era moratoria and relief programs are ending, the need has never been greater. As I said at the Friday dinner, some of the most rewarding, gratifying and fulfilling experiences I ever had as a lawyer came from representing individual consumer debtors, something with which — as a commercial lawyer — I initially had very little experience.

My very first pro bono case came through the New Hampshire Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Project. My client suffered from clinical-level depression and anxiety. He had lost his job and his health insurance years earlier, and was unable to find employment due in large part to his condition. He lived in a small apartment in a subsidized housing complex a few blocks from the bankruptcy court in Manchester. His anxiety made it tremendously difficult to leave his apartment, even just to walk to the nearby grocery store. However, he was able to walk the seven blocks to my office for our initial meetings, and we decided that chapter 7 was his best alternative. I prepared the papers, he signed them and we filed his no-asset case.

A week or so before his § 341 meeting, I called the chapter 7 trustee, Victor Dahar, a fixture of the New Hampshire bankruptcy bar who was admitted to practice when I was not yet three years old (and who practiced for 66 years before sadly passing away last year at the age of 94; he was also an ABI member from 1998-2021). I told Victor about my client’s condition, and asked what I could do to help the § 341 meeting go smoothly. He thanked me for calling, and told me to just show up with my client.

On the day of the § 341 meeting, my client didn’t show up at the time we’d agreed to meet. He didn’t answer his phone when I called him, so I walked the few blocks from the court house to his apartment, rang the doorbell, and to my relief, he answered. He told me that he was too frightened to go to his meeting. I did my best to reassure him that the meeting should go pretty much as we discussed.

He agreed to go, and we walked back to the courthouse together. When we entered the § 341 room, our case was about fifth or sixth down the list of cases still to be called. As soon as Victor saw us, he finished the case he was on, called our case out of turn, swore in my client, asked him a few questions about the schedules, and concluded the meeting about three minutes after it started, to my client’s enormous relief. A couple of months later, he got his discharge in the mail. While I believe that many trustees would have shown someone in my client’s condition the same courtesy, I also realized that this trustee wouldn’t have known about the condition beforehand unless I had called him first. Everybody won.

In a way, all pro bono cases have an “access to justice” aspect, but another of mine exemplifies that in an unusual way. I was working in my office after 5 p.m. on a Friday afternoon — specifically, Oct. 14, 2005 — when the phone rang. How do I remember that date? It was the last business day before that special legislation known as the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) was due to take effect on the following Monday, Oct. 17. The phone call was from a woman whom I did not know.

She said she needed to speak to a bankruptcy lawyer right away, and had gotten my name from an internet search. She told me that she intended to file a chapter 7 case that afternoon, but her petition-preparer had delivered the forms to her too late for her to file them at the clerk’s office before it closed for the weekend. She’d been told (by someone) that she needed to file her bankruptcy petition before BAPCPA went into effect, for reasons that were not immediately clear to me, but that may have included the fact that she had not yet taken the soon-to-be-required credit-counseling course in order to be eligible to be a debtor under the BAPCPA amendments to § 109 of the Bankruptcy Code. Perhaps of more immediate concern, she had received a notice from her car finance company that her car was going to be repossessed imminently.

It occurred to me right then and there that there was something fundamentally unfair about the fact that I, as an attorney with electronic-filing privileges, could still file a case for her any time before midnight on Sunday — even from my kitchen — but she couldn’t file it on her own because the clerk’s office was closed for the weekend, and would therefore lose what she perceived as the benefit of a pre-BAPCPA filing. I asked her to meet me at my office on Saturday, bring all of her paperwork with her, and we’d see what we could do.

She arrived on Saturday, so I did a conflicts search that came up clear and reviewed the drafts of her petition, schedules and statement of affairs. Unfortunately, they contained errors that needed correcting. Since she didn’t have them in electronic format, I literally had to either white out and type over some of the errors, or — hold onto your hats, 40 Under 40s — retype, then cut and paste corrected sections onto her original documents. Yes, with scissors and glue; I am that old. Nonetheless, I filed the case on Saturday afternoon, gave her a printed copy of the petition with the case number and filing date showing in the header, and we adjourned until the following week.

You might guess what happened next. On Monday morning, the bank’s agents showed up at her house, unannounced, to repossess her car. She showed them the petition with the case number and time stamp on it. They chose to ignore it, telling her, “We don’t care about your piece of paper,” and repossessed the car anyway. She called me in a panic, as she needed the car to get to her waitressing job that afternoon at a local hotel. After five or six phone calls to the bank, I was able to talk to someone who understood why the car should not have been repossessed, and what the possible consequences were.

They returned the car that afternoon, and in exchange for rewriting her car loan at a much more favorable interest rate, I didn’t pursue damages for intentional violation of the automatic stay. Given the circumstances, the bar association also agreed to retroactively admit her into the pro bono referral system, so she was reimbursed for the petition filing fee. Again, everyone won, or at least the bank didn’t lose.

I have other pro bono stories, as I hope you do (or will), too, and I hope my stories help to inspire lawyers in our membership to actively seek out pro bono representations. Granted, some consumer cases are more complicated than others, and chapter 13 skills are often different from chapter 7 skills. As consumer practice has gotten more complex, the burden on individuals trying to represent themselves has significantly increased. From my experience on the bench, I can easily say that everyone — including the court — benefits from having attorneys representing parties wherever possible. I can also guarantee that there is no better way for commercial lawyers to become better overall bankruptcy lawyers than to expand their exposure to all chapters of the Bankruptcy Code, especially since chapters 1, 3 and 5 are nearly universally applicable. So go forth and do some good for someone who needs it!

*******

And now: the astronomy corner. In my last column (abi.org/abi-journal/inside-abi-may-2025), I talked about stars, so this month let’s talk about planets — specifically, how the planets got their names. My son, Noah, and I researched this question for his third-grade class, and here’s what we came up with, back when Pluto was still classified as a planet.

Although the early Greeks named many of the nearer planets after their own mythological gods, the early Romans gave many of the planets the names we use today. Mercury, which appears to move most swiftly in its small orbit, was named for the messenger god, while blood-red Mars was named after the mythological god of war. Jupiter, which happens to be the biggest planet, was named after the king of the Roman gods, although the Romans didn’t know that Jupiter was the biggest planet when they named it. Venus, the brightest planet as seen from Earth, is named after the goddess of beauty.

Saturn was the furthest planet that the Romans could see. The Greeks called it “Phainon” (the “shining one”) before Aristotle renamed it “Cronos,” after the Greek god who was the son of Uranus (the sky). Since Cronos was the father of Zeus, Greek’s mythological god king, the Romans picked Saturn, Jupiter’s father, for their name for the next planet from the Sun. Since Saturn was named after Jupiter’s father, the next planet out was named for Saturn’s father: Uranus. In other words, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus are like a Roman mythology family tree: son, father and grandfather.

The problem came when Neptune was discovered in 1846. In Roman mythology, Uranus didn’t have a father. So Neptune was named after one of Jupiter’s brothers, in keeping with the tradition of using names from Roman mythology. The idea for Neptune’s name came from Urbain Le Verrier, one of the French astronomers who discovered the planet. Neptune looks bluish-green in a telescope, and Neptune was the Roman god of the sea.

Pluto’s name has two stories. Pluto was the Greek god of the underworld, the brother of Poseidon and Zeus. It was very dark in the mythological underworld, and since Pluto was so far from the Sun, it seemed like a good fit. Besides, the Greeks’ Poseidon and Zeus correspond to the Romans’ Neptune and Jupiter, so the name “Pluto” kept the tradition of using mythological names for planets, even if they switched from Roman to Greek.

But perhaps the real reason that “Pluto” was chosen had to do with an astronomer named Percival Lowell. He died in 1916, 14 years before Pluto was discovered. However, he predicted that there must be a planet beyond Neptune, because of certain observed wobbles in Neptune’s orbit. Lowell thought that the wobbles were caused by the gravitational pull of another planet. He used those observations to calculate where that other planet should be. About 14 years after Lowell died, another astronomer named Clyde Tombaugh was looking for Lowell’s “Planet X” when he compared three pictures of the same spot in the sky taken on Jan. 21, 23 and 29, 1930, and saw one of the little points of light “wandering” from picture to picture. (The word “planet” comes from the ancient Greek word “planetes,” which means “wanderer” or “wandering star.”)

Tombaugh kept his discovery a secret until March 13 — Lowell’s birthday. To honor Lowell, the International Astronomical Union (which was formed in 1919 to supervise the official naming of astronomical objects) approved the name “Pluto,” at least in part because its first two letters are Lowell’s initials: “P.L.” The planet’s name was apparently suggested by an 11-year-old English girl named Venetia Burney, as she ate breakfast with her grandfather on the morning of March 15, 1930, two days after the Tombaugh’s discovery was announced. I’ll chalk up the similarity between the names “Venetia” and “Venus” to a happy, if not poetic, coincidence.

See you next time. Meanwhile, keep looking up!

Hon. Bruce Harwood is a retired U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of New Hampshire, appointed to the bench in March 2013, and he currently resides in San Francisco. He previously served as ABI’s Secretary and Vice President-Communications & Information Technology.

Latin American Insolvency Symposium Moves to Colombia

Following the success of last year’s ABI International: Latin America Insolvency Symposium, held in Mexico City, this year’s program moved to Cartagena, Colombia, at the beautiful Charleston Santa Teresa Cartagena May 12-14. Nearly 100 practitioners from throughout Latin America, Europe and beyond kicked off the program with an opening reception the night before the start of the sessions, which included a Comparative Analysis of Insolvency Regimes, Hot Topics in Cross-Border Insolvency, Structured and Innovative Financing, Sector-Specific Challenges, Strategic Decision-Making in Cross-Border Proceedings, Sovereign Debt Restructuring, Emerging Trends and Regulations, and Asset-Tracking and Recovery. The luncheon featured a keynote by Luis Guillermo Vélez, former superintendent of companies in Bogota, Colombia. Numerous networking breaks and a second reception rounded out the program, and attendees could earn up to 11.1/11 hours of CLE/CPE credit.

ABI thanks Conference Co-Chairs Katherine R. Catanese of Foley & Lardner LLP (New York), Sonia Colón of Ferraiuoli (Orlando, Fla.) and Stephen D. Lerner of Squire Patton Boggs (Cincinnati); Conference Sponsorship Chair Lucian Murley of Saul Ewing LLP (Wilmington, Del.); and Advisory Board Members Steven M. Berman of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP (Tampa, Fla.), John R. Castellano of AlixPartners, LLP (Chicago), Kathryn A. Coleman of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP (New York), Leyza Florin Blanco of Sequor Law (Miami), Timothy Graulich of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (New York), Juan José Iturbe of Malpica, Iturbe, Buj and Paredes SC (Mexico City), Roberto J. Kampfner of White & Case LLP (Los Angeles), Arseny Lepiavka of ZIMMA Corporate Finance (Juarez, Mexico), Diana Ayala López of Alvarez & Marsal (Bogota, Colombia), Tania M. Moyron of Dentons US LLP (Los Angeles), Diana Rivera Andrade of RA Studio Juridico (Bogota, Colombia), Daniel Rodriguez of CMS Rodríguez-Azuero (Bogota, Colombia), Dr. Ivan J. Romo Valdovinos of SOELI Consulting (Mexico City), Alan R. Rosenberg of Markowitz, Ringel, Trusty & Hartog, PA (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Alejandro Sainz Orantes of Sainz Abogatos, SC (Juarez, Mexico), Diego Sánchez of Haynes Boone (Mexico City), Eli Silverman of Ducera Partners LLC (Los Angeles), Isaac D. Stevens of Dechert LLP (New York), Samuel Suchowiecky of Hilco Global Mexico (Mexico City) and Paul Abraham Velazquez Flores of BDO Mexico (Mexico City). We are also grateful to agencyIP/Sherwood Partners, Inc.; AlixPartners, LLP; Alvarez & Marsal; CMS Legal; Dechert LLP; Deloitte; Dentons; Foley & Lardner LLP; Gavin/Solmonese LLC; Hilco Global; Markowitz Ringel Trusty + Hartog; Riveron; Saul Ewing LLP; Squire Patton Boggs; and Wilmington Trust for sponsoring this year’s program.

Check back at abi.org/events for information on next year’s program as it becomes available.

VALCON 2025 Returns to Four Seasons Las Vegas

ABI and the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors (AIRA) presented VALCON 2025 May 14-15 at the Four Seasons Las Vegas in Las Vegas. This annual program is designed specifically for valuation professionals to connect with leaders in the distressed-debt, restructuring and valuation industry‚ including dealmakers, fund investors, and financial and legal advisors. The program began with afternoon sessions followed by an opening reception, then concluded with a full day of programming. Sessions included Value of Content; Tricks of the Trade, or Tricking the Trade?; Searching for Mr. Green: Valuing Green Tech; Conversation with Judges About Today’s Hottest Topics; The Ever-Changing Landscape of Sports Media Properties and Valuation Issues in Chapter 11; Hot Topics; Litigation Funding; Liability-Management Exercises: Sustainable Solutions, or Temporary Fixes?; The Reasonableness of Projections that Underpin Any Valuation or Solvency Analysis; and Valuation Strategies in Complex Chapter 11 Cases.

In addition, Pulitzer Prize-winning Investigative Reporter and Author Brody Mullins delivered an enthralling keynote on the intersection of business and politics during the last day of the conference. Up to 13 hours of CLE/CPE was available to the nearly 150 attendees.

ABI is grateful to Program Co-Chairs Rachel Ehrlich Albanese of DLA Piper US (New York), David M. Hillman of Proskauer (New York) and Adam B. Keil of Moelis & Company (New York), along with the VALCON Advisory Board, for putting together this year’s well-received program. We also thank this year’s sponsors for providing vital financial support: agencyIP/Sherwood Partners, Inc.; Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; AlixPartners, LLP; CR3 Partners; Cozen O’Connor; Deloitte; DLA Piper; Epiq; Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Squire Patton Boggs; Stretto; and Wilmington Trust.

VALCON 2026 returns to The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans May 4-6, so mark your calendars and make your plans to join us next year in New Orleans!

Nine attorneys with Richards, Layton & Finger, PA in Wilmington, Del., have been named Top Lawyers by Delaware Today. Mark D. Collins has been an ABI member since 1993. Daniel J. DeFranceschi has been an ABI member since 1997 and is a coordinating editor for the ABI Journal. Hon. Kevin Gross (ret.) has been an ABI member since 1999. Paul N. Heath, Michael J. Merchant and Russell C. Silberglied have been ABI members since 2005. John H. Knight has been an ABI member since 2004. Brendan J. Schlauch has been an ABI member since 2016. Amanda R. Steele has been an ABI member since 2011 and is a 2023 ABI “40 Under 40” honoree.

Sarah Primrose of King & Spalding LLP (Atlanta) has been promoted to partner. She has been an ABI member since 2016 and is a 2022 ABI “40 Under 40” honoree.

Several ABI members from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for U.S. Trustees and U.S. Trustee Program received a 72nd Annual Distinguished Award from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland for their involvement on the Purdue Pharma team. Ramona D. Elliott, Lisa A. Tracy and Nan Roberts Eitel have been ABI members since 2001; P. Matthew Sutko and Beth A. Levene have been ABI members since 2024; Denise J. Penn has been an ABI member since 2021; and Sumi Sakata has been an ABI member since 2022.

David Castleman of Otterbourg PC (New York) has been elected shareholder. He has been an ABI member since 2023. In addition, two New York-based attorneys have been elected counsel. Michael R. Maizel has been elected counsel and is based in New York. He has been an ABI member since 2017.

Peter J. Roberts has joined Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Restructuring and Insolvency Practice in Chicago as a partner. He has been an ABI member since 1999 and is an associate editor for the ABI Journal.

Michael J. Custer has joined Pashman Stein Walder Heyden PC’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights Practice in Wilmington, Del., as counsel. He has been an ABI member since 2009.

Jenny L. Doling of J. Doling Law, PC (Palm Desert, Calif.) has been elected vice president of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. In addition, she recently concluded her term as president of the San Diego Bankruptcy Forum, but will remain on its board. Ms. Doling has been an ABI member since 2017.

Mette H. Kurth has joined Pierson Ferdinand LLP in Wilmington, Del., as a partner. She has been an ABI member since 2000.

John Gentile of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP (Wilmington, Del.) has been promoted to partner. He has been an ABI member since 2022.

Stretto has introduced legal claims administration services designed to support professionals engaged in a range of matters, including mass torts and regulatory remediations. ABI members with the firm include George M. Basharis, Dave Beltran, Melinda Bennett, Jonathan A. Carson, Michael A. Cohen, Anthony Facciano, Dewayne Johnson, Denise Kaloudis, Nicholas R. Kennedy, Robert Klamser, Eric S. Kurtzman, James M. Le, Jeph Ledda, Drew Lockard, Daniel C. McElhinney, Sean McGuire, MaryBeth Robinson, J.W. Song, Brian J. Soper, Cristina M. Terrasini, Angela W. Tsai, Christopher J. Updike, Travis K. Vandell, George Vogl, David S. Watkins, Alexa Westmoreland, Morgan R. Wisbey and Todd Wuertz.

Hon. Beth A. Buchanan of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio (Cincinnati) has been appointed to serve a seven-year term as chief bankruptcy judge. She has been an ABI member since 1998 and is judicial chair of ABI’s Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar.

Jeanne M. Goche of Solutions in Health Care Management (West Branch, Iowa) was honored at The M&A Advisor’s 19th Annual Distressed Investing and Turnaround Awards in the category of Healthcare/Life Sciences Deal of the Year (Under $1 Billion) for her work on the Tabor Manor Care Center chapter 11 reorganization in 2024. She has been an ABI member since 2020 and is a coordinating editor for the ABI Journal.

David S. Lorry of The Brattle Group (Washington, D.C.) has been promoted to principal. He has been an ABI member since 2005.

Deborah Turofsky has joined Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP’s Creditors’ Rights, Restructuring and Bankruptcy Practice Group in Garden City, N.Y., as an associate. She has been an ABI member since 2025.

Doug Mintz has joined Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP’s Financial Restructuring Team in Washington, D.C., as a partner. He has been an ABI member since 2022.

Annette W. Jarvis of Greenberg Traurig, LLP (Salt Lake City) has been named to the Journal of Corporate Renewal’s Women in Workouts list. She has been an ABI member since 2002.

Two attorneys with Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP have been elevated to partners. Brittany Mitchell Michael has been an ABI member since 2021 and is based in New York. Ben L. Wallen has been an ABI member since 2023 and is based in Houston.

Three attorneys with Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC have been promoted to senior managing directors. Based in Chicago, David R. Campbell has been an ABI member since 2022 and is an advisory board member for ABI’s Health Care Program, and Kevin A. Krakora has been an ABI member since 2003 and is an advisory board member for ABI’s Central States Bankruptcy Workshop. Based in New York, Mark D. Podgainy has been an ABI member since 2002 and is an advisory board member for ABI’s Real Estate Symposium.

Marc J. Carmel of McDonald Hopkins LLC (Chicago) has been recognized on The Legal 500’s inaugural U.S. Elite list. He has been an ABI member since 2001.

Two ABI members with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division’s Corporate/Financial Litigation received the Attorney General’s Award for Fraud Prevention from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland for their involvement with the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud and other white-collar crimes. Supervisory Trial Attorney Kevin P. VanLandingham has been an ABI member since 2023, and Supervisory Trial Attorney Mary A. Schmergel has been an ABI member since 2019.

Matthew G. Roseman of Cullen & Dykman (Uniondale, N.Y.) has been named a Leader in Law by Long Island Business News. He has been an ABI member since 2015.

Two directors have joined Kane Russell Coleman & Logan PC’s new office at Frost Bank Tower in Austin, Texas. Morris D. Weiss has been an ABI member since 2011. Jason B. Binford has been an ABI member since 2005.

Krystal Mikkilineni of Dentons Davis Brown (Des Moines, Iowa) has been named a “Forty Under 40” honoree by the Des Moines Business Record. She has been an ABI member since 2013 and is a 2021 ABI “40 Under 40” honoree.

Hon. John E. Hoffman of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio (Columbus, Ohio) has been appointed as a recalled bankruptcy judge by the Judicial Council of the Sixth Circuit through Feb. 28, 2026. He has been an ABI member since 1994.

Joseph A. Shifer has joined Pryor Cashman LLP’s Bankruptcy, Reorganization and Creditors’ Rights Group in New York as a partner. He has been an ABI member since 2013.

Seven attorneys have been selected among the 2025 Lawdragon Hall of Fame. Charles A. Beckham of Haynes and Boone, LLP (Houston) has been an ABI member since 1985. Donald S. Bernstein of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (New York) has been an ABI member since 1988 and was a member of the ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11. Martin J. Bienenstock of Proskauer (New York) has been an ABI member since 2007. J. Gregory Milmoe of Greenberg Traurig, LLP (Boston) has been an ABI member since 2023. Richard M. Pachulski of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP (Los Angeles) has been an ABI member since 1992. Hugh M. Ray of McKool Smith (Houston) has been an ABI member since 1988. Brad Eric Scheler of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (New York) has been an ABI member since 1999.

A Tribute to Hon. David T. Thuma

It is with great sadness that I write this about my dear friend and colleague of more than 35 years, Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thuma. He passed away on May 8, 2025, at age 66, after fighting a courageous battle with cancer.

David was on active status as a bankruptcy judge when he died. He was born in Eugene, Ore., and moved to Indianapolis with his family when he was five. He idealized the life of the cowboy — independence, self-reliance and freedom. During high school, David took his first trip “out west” to a dude ranch in Wyoming. He rode in a roundup and thought it was great. Later, he found a job as a cowboy near Mayer, Ariz. He bunked with cowboys who taught him a great deal about ranching in the high desert. But the cowboy life was not his destiny.

David received his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago in 1980 and his law degree from Duke University in 1984. He met his wife Becky, also a Dukie, in 1998. They married in 2000. After law school, he practiced law in a large Indianapolis firm for five years before moving to New Mexico. In 1989, I interviewed him for a job at the Albuquerque law firm where I worked. Offering a job to David, and his accepting the job, were life-changing events for both David and me. We became lifelong colleagues and best friends.

I was with David a couple of days before he died. He whispered the name of the restaurant where we had dinner the evening after the interview and said, “It all started there.” When I started crying, David patted my back, and I said, “I am supposed be comforting you, but you are comforting me.” He was a true friend to the end.

In 1993, he and I started our own law firm, which eventually became Jacobvitz, Thuma & Walker P.C., when Tom Walker joined us. We specialized in bankruptcy law, real estate transactions and commercial litigation.

David and I were fortunate to have represented Ted Turner in a bankruptcy case in which he acquired a 362,000-acre ranch in New Mexico at a bankruptcy auction. David and I subsequently represented Ted Turner in his acquisition of the picturesque 550,000-acre Vermejo Park in Northern New Mexico.

I was appointed as a bankruptcy judge in 2009. David became a bankruptcy judge three years later. Just as we had done in private practice, he and I worked closely together as bankruptcy judges, often analyzing difficult legal issues to together. We were also close friends.

Judge Thuma was a prolific writer, having authored approximately 435 opinions in less than 13 years on the bench, or about 34 opinions per year. His opinions are thoughtful and well-reasoned, and his writing is clear and concise. As one bankruptcy judge put it, “His legal legacy will certainly live on through his many contributions to the law and compelling decisions (which so many of us value greatly and rely upon frequently).”

David was an avid bird-watcher, and enjoyed reading, hiking, working on cars and various types of fitness. He is survived by his wife, Becky, his daughter, Kate, and an extended family.

An ABI member since 2016 and a past panelist for ABI’s Southwest Bankruptcy Conference, David is sorely missed.

Verify Your ABI Email Today!

Starting in July 2025, ABI is moving to a new system to handle all our interactions with current and potential members. This transition will help ensure the continued growth and strength of ABI, both now and in the future. At that time, your current ABI password will no longer work.

In early July, ABI will send you a link to create a new password. But — and this is the important part — that link will be sent to the email we have on file, and your password will only work with that email.

Take Time to Verify Your Email Now

Please help us make this transition as smooth as possible by verifying your email with us before June 30. You can verify, or update, your email at abi.org/view/profile.

Ira Herman of Blank Rome Receives Prestigious ABI Service Award

Ira L. Herman of Blank Rome LLP was presented with ABI’s highest membership award, the Distinguished Service Award, at ABI’s 2025 Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2025. The Service Award is presented to an ABI member whose contributions have been extraordinary, as determined by ABI’s advisory board of past presidents.

An ABI member since 1993, Mr. Herman chaired and oversaw the development and launch of Restructuring Masterclass, an on-demand series of nearly 50 videos designed to help both new and experienced practitioners navigate the complexities of bankruptcy law, taught by judges and notable industry experts. In addition to his commitment to the development and launch of the series, he personally narrates the Bankruptcy Basics course, which provides a clear and insightful introduction to the fundamental principles of bankruptcy law.

Mr. Herman is a partner with Blank Rome LLP in its New York office, where he concentrates his practice on restructuring and bankruptcy matters, with an emphasis on distressed public debt issues, secured and unsecured loans, cross-border insolvency matters, distressed M&A and corporate governance. He regularly advises clients, including lenders, on the management of bankruptcy risk in their transactions, asset-dispositions and distressed M&A. He also regularly counsels indenture trustees regarding defaulted public debt issues, and lenders and others regarding intercreditor and related issues.

As a court-appointed mediator, Mr. Herman has been able to facilitate the resolution of controversies involving U.S. and non-U.S. parties concerning bankruptcy and commercial law issues. He annually updates “Anticipating and Managing Bankruptcy Risk,” a series of articles he has written for the Financial Restructuring & Bankruptcy module of LexisNexis Practical Guidance®. Mr. Herman has served for five years on its editorial advisory board and has also served on Law360’s Bankruptcy Editorial Advisory Board. In 2022, he updated the “Bankruptcy” chapter in the treatise Negotiating and Drafting Commercial Leases (Full Court Press 2022). He received his B.A. in political science cum laude from Yeshiva University in 1979, where he served as editor-in-chief of The Polis, a political science journal, and his J.D. cum laude with distinction from Boston University School of Law in 1982, where he served as an editor of the Boston University International Law Journal.

Time’s Running Out to Apply for ABI’s “40 Under 40” Class of 2025!

ABI’s “40 Under 40” program continues to highlight the best up-and-comers in the industry. If you are or know of a dynamic insolvency professional who is committed to growth and excellence both professionally and in your community, this is one opportunity not to be missed! Applications are due June 30. For more information, please visit abi40under40.org.

Attendees Can Explore MCAs in Upcoming “Behind the Bench” Webinar on June 17

ABI and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ) will be hosting the latest in their “Behind the Bench” webinar series, “Characterization and Bankruptcy Treatment of Merchant Cash Advances (a.k.a. Revenue Loans),” at 1:00 p.m. EDT on June 17. The webinar will focus on the proper legal characterization of, and issues raised by, merchant cash advances — including the latest trends in case law and other legal developments.

These free webinars, which are held throughout the year, are designed to keep both business and consumer practitioners up to date with the latest perspectives from the bankruptcy bench. Register today at abi.org/events!

2025 Committee Awards Given at ABI’s Annual Spring Meeting

2025 Committee of the Year

ABI proudly recognized the International Committee as the 2025 Committee of the Year. With a robust slate of programming that included many well-attended webinars, the production of a year full of impactful newsletters, and the presentation of the International Matter of the Year award, the committee exemplified excellence in global insolvency engagement and education. You can join the committee at abi.org/membership/committees/international.

2025 Committee Volunteers of the Year

ABI is pleased to honor Christina M. Sanfelippo of Cozen O’Connor (Chicago) and Bodie B. Colwell of Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios, LLP (Portland, Maine), co-chairs of the Young and New Members Committee, as the 2025 Committee Volunteers of the Year. Their outstanding leadership in driving engagement, cultivating new initiatives, and championing opportunities for emerging professionals has elevated the committee’s presence and advanced ABI’s mission across the next generation of insolvency professionals.

If you are under 40 years of age and/or have less than 10 years of experience in the industry, learn more about this committee at abi.org/membership/committees/young-and-new-members.

2025 Asset Sale of the Year Honorees

ABI also announced the § 363 sale of Coach USA as the 2025 Asset Sale of the Year, honoring the exceptional coordination and execution that led to a successful outcome for stakeholders. Due to the unique complexities and significant results of the Red Lobster transaction, ABI is also pleased to present a separate recognition in the category of Real Estate Asset Sale of the Year. Both transactions reflected the ingenuity and resilience of the professionals involved as they navigated high-stakes asset sales.

Joseph Peiffer Receives ABC Certified Attorney of the Year Award

The American Board of Cert-ification (ABC) announced that Joseph A. Peiffer of Ag & Business Legal Strategies (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) received the inaugural ABC Certified Attorney of the Year Award, established to recognize certified attorneys who embrace and reflect the ideals of certification and the insolvency profession more broadly. He has held a certification in Business Bankruptcy from the ABC since 1994 and served on ABC’s Board of Directors, as well as its predecessor organization, from 1994-2010. Mr. Peiffer has occupied every office within ABC, participated on its faculty and standards committee, and, as President from 2007-08, successfully managed the relocation of ABC’s headquarters, implemented the full digitization of ABC’s records, and modernized its application review process.

Mr. Peiffer is the founder of Ag & Business Legal Strategies. During the farm crisis of the 1980s, he clerked for Hon. William Thinnes, the busiest farm bankruptcy judge in the U.S. Mr. Peiffer has represented family farmers in debt restructuring and bankruptcy since his clerkship helping farmers preserve assets and minimize taxes. He works to improve bankruptcy laws as they relate to farmers, having suggested to Congress the chapter 12 tax de-prioritization and increased chapter 12 debt limits that make chapter 12 more accessible and effective for family farmers.

Mr. Peiffer received his undergraduate degree in agriculture from Iowa State University and his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law.

Key Women Leaders in Restructuring Provide Insights on New WIR Episode Taped Live at ASM

A special episode of ABI’s “Women in Restructuring” podcast was recorded live during the Women’s Reception at ABI’s 2025 Annual Spring Meeting in April in Washington, D.C. Hon. Michelle M. Harner of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland (Baltimore), Jolene E. Wee of JW Infinity Consulting LLC (New York) and Amber M. Carson of Gray Reed (Dallas) talked with host Sarah Foss of Debtwire (Dallas) about their careers in the restructuring industry and insights for women coming up in restructuring field. Access the latest episode at wir.podbean.com.

Apply to Become an ABI Journal Coordinating Editor

The ABI Journal Editorial Board is seeking qualified candidates to serve in 2026 as coordinating editors. These editors are responsible for finding authors for specified columns. The ABI Journal has more than 30 columns that run throughout the year. In order to ensure a broad range submissions, coordinating editors are asked not to solicit or select directly from their firms for all or most of the slots.

For more information, visit abi.org/abi-journal. If you are interested, send your resume, a brief letter of interest and a list of preferred columns to ABI Managing Editor Elizabeth A. Stoltz at estoltz@abi.org by June 23. ABI’s Editor-in-Chief and Vice President-Publications will make their selections based on the positions available. ABI membership is required to serve on the editorial board.

ABI Launches Restructuring Masterclass Series to Elevate Online Learning for Both New and Experienced Practitioners

ABI has launched Restructuring Masterclass, an online subscription-based learning series featuring video courses crafted by top industry experts. The growing Restructuring Masterclass catalog currently contains nearly 50 videos covering everything from bankruptcy fundamentals to advanced restructuring strategies. With new courses being added monthly containing insights from judges, industry-leading practitioners and renowned experts, Restructuring Masterclass subscribers will have the opportunity to earn CLE, learn the material at their own pace and access the expert-led courses on demand.

The series was developed and launched with the assistance of Restructuring Masterclass Chair Ira L. Herman of Blank Rome LLP (New York), who received ABI’s Distinguished Service Award for his work (see p. 48). In addition to his commitment to spearheading the series, he personally narrates the Bankruptcy Basics course, which provides a clear and insightful introduction to the fundamental principles of bankruptcy law for those who are new to the practice.

Instructors include Chapter 12 and 13 Trustee Kelly M. Barnhart (Suffolk, Va.); Hon. Lisa G. Beckerman of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (New York); Hon. Hannah L. Blumenstiel of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California (San Francisco); Dawn M. Cica of Carlyon Cica Chtd. (Las Vegas); Kathryn A. Coleman of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP (New York); Hon. Daniel P. Collins of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona (Phoenix); H. David Cox of Cox Law Group, PLLC (Lynchburg, Va.); Hon. Robert D. Drain (ret.) of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (New York); Rosa J. Evergreen of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP (Washington, D.C.); Maja Zerjal Fink of Clifford Chance LLP (New York); Jay M. Goffman of Smith Goffman Partners (New York); Timothy Graulich of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (New York); Hon. Michelle M. Harner of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland (Baltimore); Ira L. Herman of Blank Rome LLP (New York); Evan Hill of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (New York); Marc E. Hirschfield of Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC (New York); Hannah White Hutman of Hoover Penrod PLC (Harrisonburg, Va.); Regina Stango Kelbon of Blank Rome LLP (Philadelphia); Sam S. Kohn of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (New York); Deborah Kovsky-Apap of Troutman Pepper Locke LLP (Southfield, Mich.); Jeff J. Marwil of Ocean Boulevard Strategic Advisors and SC&H Capital (Boca Raton, Fla.); Jennifer M. McLemore of Williams Mullen (Richmond, Va.); Prof. Nancy B. Rapoport of the University of Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law (Las Vegas); Thomas J. Salerno of Stinson LLP (Phoenix); Hon. Deborah L. Thorne of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago); and Evan J. Zucker of Blank Rome LLP (New York). Hon. Kevin J. Carey (ret.) of Hogan Lovells (Philadelphia) also recorded a Masterclass session prior to his passing on April 11, 2024.

Restructuring Masterclass is available in two subscription options for practitioners to sharpen their skills and stay ahead in the constantly changing industry landscape. Individual user access is available for $1,500 per year for the on-demand CLE courses, which includes a complimentary year of ABI membership. Enterprise pricing is also available to customize a multi-user solution based on firm size. Contact ABI at (703) 739-0800 to discuss custom solutions.

To learn more about Restructuring Masterclass, please visit restructuringmasterclass.com.

New Episode of “Fresh Starts” Podcast Provides Insights on ABI’s “40 Under 40” Program and Preparing for an ABI Conference

The latest episode of ABI’s “Fresh Starts” podcast features host Bodie B. Colwell of Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios, LLP (Portland, Maine), co-chair of ABI’s Young and New Members Committee, talking with her fellow co-chair Christina M. Sanfelippo of Cozen O’Connor (Chicago) and the committee’s Special Projects Leader, Ciara L. Rogers of Waldrep Wall Babcock & Bailey PLLC (Raleigh, N.C.). They shared their perspectives on ABI’s “40 Under 40” program, and provided tips for new practitioners on how they can maximize their time at an ABI conference.

To listen, visit abi-fresh-starts.podbean.com/e/providing-insights-on-abi-s-40-under-40-program-and-preparing-for-an-abi-conference.

ABI Committee Co-Chairs Announced

ABI’s committees are the lifeblood of the organization and provide substantial information, educational programming and opportunities for members to participate. Committee co-chairs ensure the ongoing strength of individual committees, and they work with ABI leadership to identify areas and projects within the organization that committees can use to share information and thrive.

In order to maintain a vibrant and effective committee structure, each year before the Annual Spring Meeting the President and President-Elect study ABI’s member committees’ activities, as well as current leadership for the committees, and make any necessary adjustments. This year, Immediate Past ABI President Christopher A. Ward of Polsinelli (Wilmington, Del.) and new ABI President Hon. Bruce A. Harwood (ret.) diligently evaluated ABI’s 18 committees and identified new co-chairs to replace those who had completed their terms with leaders who have emerged within the committees, either through one of the five nonchair leadership positions (education director, communications manager, newsletter editor, membership relations director and special projects leader) or other active volunteers. In those instances, ABI leadership appointed these emerging leaders (indicated herein with an asterisk) as new co-chairs for two-year terms. Others have one year left in their co-chair terms.

Asset Sales

Provides insights on issues practitioners may face when completing asset sales in and out of bankruptcy, and best practices for successful outcomes. Co-Chairs: Matthew J. LoCascio* of SC&H Capital (Columbia, Md.) and Randye B. Soref* of Polsinelli (Los Angeles).

Bankruptcy Litigation

Provides thoughtful analyses of recent case law; studies the rules of practice, evidence and procedure; and connects all professionals engaged in bankruptcy-related litigation and disputes in and out of bankruptcy court. Co-Chairs: Sara L. Abner* of Frost Brown Todd LLC (Louisville, Ky.) and Jon J. Lieberman of Sottile & Barile LLC (Loveland, Ohio).

Business Reorganization

Studies and analyzes business reorganization cases; monitors developments in the restructuring industry; provides reports, recommendations and relevant updates thereon; and hosts forums and educational initiatives on topics of interest. Co-Chairs: Jacob Frumkin* of Cole Schotz PC (Hackensack, N.J.) and Scott D. Lawrence of Wick Phillips, LLP (Dallas).

Commercial Fraud

Serves as a resource for lawyers interested in the intersection of fraud and bankruptcy, including fraudulent transfers, bankruptcy fraud and objections to discharge, and Ponzi and other increasingly common fraudulent schemes. Co-Chairs: Julia Di Fiore Byrne of Reid Collins & Tsai LLP (Austin, Texas) and Allyson M. Fiedler of Ice Miller (New York).

Commercial and Regulatory Law

Analyzes and discusses the intersection between insolvency law and various commercial and regulatory issues, including, but not limited to, tax, securities regulations, governmental affairs, labor and employment issues, antitrust laws, the Uniform Commercial Code and environmental laws. Co-Chairs: Joanna D. Caytas of Quinn Emmanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP (Houston) and April A. Wimberg of Dentons Bingham Greenebaum (Louisville, Ky.).

Consumer Bankruptcy

Provides studies, analyses, and reports and recommendations on the operation of consumer chapter 7, 11 and 13 cases, and strives to include viewpoints and perspectives from all aspects of the bankruptcy arena, including those of the bench, trustees, and practitioners representing both debtors and creditors. Co-Chairs: Jeffrey S. Fraser* of Albertelli Law (Lake Worth, Fla.) and Patrick Hruby of Brock & Scott, PLLC (Tampa, Fla.).

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Evolved from our Diversity Task Force, this newly formed committee addresses issues with diversity, including racial diversity, within ABI, its leadership and our industry. Co-Chairs: Erin N. Brady of Hogan Lovells US LLP (Los Angeles) and Kimberly A. Posin of Latham & Watkins LLP (Los Angeles).

Emerging Industries and Technologies

Highlights how emerging industries and technologies impact the restructuring and insolvency field, and provides insights into how bankruptcy practitioners can navigate the various aspects of new technology and digital assets. Co-Chairs: Jarret P. Hitchings* of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP (Charlotte, N.C.) and Tara J. Schellhorn* of Riker, Danzig LLP (Morristown, N.J.).

Ethics and Professional Compensation

Studies standards for representation and trends in professional conduct discipline, and identifies and focuses on issues concerning professional compensation in bankruptcy cases. Co-Chairs: Adam D. Herring* of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP (Atlanta) and Leanne McKnight Prendergast of Pierson Ferdinand LLP (Jacksonville, Fla.).

Financial Advisors and Investment Banking

Provides expert insights and guidance with respect to all aspects of the restructuring process, particularly issues that impact the financial advisor community, including valuation, M&A, tax, retention and payment, fiduciary governance, and such industry-specific issues as health care, real estate and retail. Co-Chairs: Howard A. Cohen of Fox Rothschild LLP (Wilmington, Del.) and Melissa Davis* of KapilaMukamal, LLP (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) .

Health Care

Studies the unique aspects of health care insolvencies and monitors various sectors of the health care landscape, including health care providers, life-sciences organizations and medical equipment companies, while connecting attorneys, financial advisors, investment bankers and other professionals in the health care realm. Co-Chairs: Clare Moylan of Gibbons Advisors, LLC (Nashville, Tenn.) and Robert M. Schechter* of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, PC (Morristown, N.J.).

International

Provides a forum for the exchange of ideas related to the interrelationship between U.S. and foreign insolvency laws, harmonizing U.S. and foreign insolvency laws, the model laws promulgated by UNCITRAL related to insolvency proceedings including chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, planning and implementing cross-border bankruptcy proceedings, tracing and recovering assets in foreign insolvency proceedings, and the impact of U.S. and foreign insolvencies on international trade and financial systems. Co-Chairs: Jennifer Jenkins of Mourant Ozannes (Georgetown, Cayman Islands) and Kenneth D. Kraft* of Dentons Canada LLP (Toronto).

Legislation

Analyzes proposed and pending bills of interest to ABI members, and monitors relevant congressional action. Co-Chairs: Prof. Christopher Hampson of the University of Florida Levin College of Law (Gainesville, Fla.) and Joseph Pack* of Pack Law, PA (Miami).

Mediation

Focuses on mediation and other ADR methods that are applied in the bankruptcy process, including conflict-resolution skills development, overcoming impasses, multiparty mediations, confidentiality and more. Co-Chairs: Kara E. Casteel* of ASK LLP (Minneapolis) and Sylvia A. Mayer* of S. Mayer Law (Houston).

Real Estate

Analyzes issues unique to the reorganization of commercial real estate, including single-asset cases. Co-Chairs: Katherine B. Clark* of Thompson Coburn LLP (Dallas) and Patrick J. Potter of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (Washington, D.C.).

Secured Credit

Analyzes and reports on issues related to secured transactions and claims in the bankruptcy context, such as debtor-in-possession financing, pre-petition secured claims, and the relationship between the Uniform Commercial Code and bankruptcy practice. Co-Chairs: Kelli S. Norfleet of Haynes and Boone, LLP (Houston) and Ian M. Rubenstrunk of Spencer Fane LLP (Minneapolis).

Unsecured Trade Creditors

Focuses on all issues relevant to unsecured trade creditors in bankruptcy and related nonbankruptcy proceedings, and provides information and education to assist trade creditors and their advisors in maximizing the value of their unsecured claims. Co-Chairs: Eric S. Chafetz* of Lowenstein Sandler LLP (New York) and Samantha Martin of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP (New York).

Young and New Members

Fosters the growth of ABI’s future leaders by providing professional development and networking opportunities tailored to those in the early stages of their careers, and encourages active involvement of bankruptcy practitioners under 40 years of age and/or those with less than 10 years of experience in the industry. Co-Chairs: John R. O’Connor of Levenfeld Pearlstein LLC (Chicago) and Gabrielle G. Palmer of Onsager | Fletcher | Johnson (Denver).

Thanks go to all of the outgoing committee co-chairs and other leaders for their service. ABI members can join any committee, and there is no limit as to how many committees members may join. For more information, please visit abi.org/membership/committees.

ABI Endowment Fund Update

Endowment Baseball Game During ASM

Great things were happening at ABI’s Annual Spring Meeting (ASM) before the conference even started! BakerHostetler/Elizabeth A. Green hosted members in BakerHostetler’s suite at Nationals Park ballfield in Washington, D.C., the night before the start of the ASM to benefit the Anthony H.N. Schnelling Endowment Fund. Boos & Associates also sponsored the event. Participants enjoyed great food, snacks, drinks and an exciting game of baseball as they watched the Nats take on the Baltimore Orioles in a “Battle of the Beltway.” Attendees greatly enjoyed the camaraderie and networking. Thank you for all your contributions to the Endowment!

Join Our Regional Committee and Make a Difference!

As we continue to grow and strengthen our efforts, we’re excited to invite passionate individuals like you to join our Regional Committee. This is a wonderful opportunity to make an impact by shaping programs, initiatives and events that benefit our community and beyond. By becoming a member, you will get to:

• Influence Regional Initiatives: Your insights and ideas can help guide key projects.
• Connect with Leaders: Collaborate with a diverse group of professionals dedicated to meaningful change.
• Make a Difference: Be part of a team committed to advancing our mission and goals.

As a committee member, you’ll (1) attend quarterly virtual meetings; (2) provide input on regional programming and engagement strategies; and (3) serve as an ambassador, sharing our mission with your network.

Whether you’re a longtime supporter or newly interested in becoming more involved, we would be thrilled to have your voice at the table. To express your interest or to learn more, please reach out to ABI Endowment Manager Erin Green at egreen@abi.org, and we’ll follow up with next steps.

Learn Tequila Mixology at Southeast Fundraiser

The ABI Endowment will be hosting a tequila mixology class during ABI’s Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop, being held July 24-27 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island in Amelia Island, Fla. Learn how to make three cocktails: the paloma, apple & spice and margarita. There will be light fare as well. This event will take place mid-afternoon on Saturday, July 26.

Sponsorship of the event costs $800, which includes two tickets and acknowledgment. Single tickets are $200 per person. More details will be available in early June. If you have any questions, reach out to ABI Endowment Manager Erin Green at egreen@abi.org.

Endowment to Hold Silent Auction at Southeast Workshop in July; Donate Items by July 11

The Endowment is currently seeking auction item donations for the Southeast Silent Auction. Whether it’s a product, service, experience or gift card, your contribution will help us make this event a success. All items should be shipped to arrive by July 11 at ABI’s headquarters: 99 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314. If you have any questions, reach out to ABI Endowment Manager Erin Green at egreen@abi.org.

Another Way to Give to the Endowment: ABI Founders Society

By becoming a member of the ABI Founders Society, you can continue to support the Endowment and ABI for years to come through estate-planning. All the proceeds benefit the ABI Endowment Fund and are 100 percent tax-deductible. When you include ABI in your estate plan, your generosity helps provide additional funding for the Endowment so that it can continue to support current and future industry members. Please visit founderssociety.abi.org for more information. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to ABI Endowment Manager Erin Green at egreen@abi.org.

Hon. Bruce A. Harwood (ret.) (San Francisco) has been selected by the ABI Board of Directors to be President for a one-year term. An ABI member since 1989, he is a former Secretary of ABI’s Executive Committee and a past program co-chair of ABI’s Northeast Bankruptcy Conference, and he served as chair of the ABI Board of Directors’ Communication, Information & Technology Committee and as Northeast Regional Chair of the ABI Endowment Fund’s Development Committee.

Prior to his retirement in August 2024, Judge Harwood had served on the bench of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire since his appointment in March 2013. Prior to taking the bench, he chaired the Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Creditors’ Rights Group at Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green in Manchester, N.H., where he represented business debtors, asset-purchasers, secured and unsecured creditors, creditors’ committees and trustees in bankruptcy and served on the panel of chapter 7 trustees in New Hampshire. Judge Harwood also mediated disputes arising in debtor/creditor relations and represented insurance and banking regulators in connection with the rehabilitation and liquidation of insolvent insurers and trust companies. He was named in the bankruptcy law section of The Best Lawyers in America for more than 10 years, as well as in New England Super Lawyers, and he has been honored in Chambers USA with a “Band 1” ranking in the field of corporate/commercial bankruptcy.

In addition, Judge Harwood is also a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. Judge Harwood received his B.A. from Northwestern University and his J.D. from Washington University School of Law.

Stephen D. Lerner of Squire Patton Boggs (Cincinnati) has been selected by the ABI Board of Directors to be President-Elect. He will become president for a one-year term starting at ABI’s 2026 Annual Spring Meeting. An ABI member since 1990, he is formerly ABI’s Vice President-International, and he serves as co-chair of ABI’s International European Insolvency Symposium, and program chair of ABI’s Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar. He is a frequent speaker at ABI conferences.

Mr. Lerner is the global chair of Squire Patton Boggs’ Restructuring & Insolvency Practice Group. He has an extensive national and cross-border restructuring practice in which he represents debtors, committees of unsecured creditors, secured and unsecured creditors, directors and acquirers of troubled businesses in chapter 11 reorganization cases, chapter 9 municipal restructurings, chapter 15 cases and out-of-court restructurings throughout the U.S.

Mr. Lerner is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, for which he has served as the Regent for the Sixth Circuit. Since 2004, he has been named one of Ohio’s top bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, which named him as one of a handful of bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers in the U.S. to receive a Star Individual ranking. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in 1982 and his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in 1985.

Katherine R. Catanese of Foley & Lardner (New York) has been named to a two-year term as ABI’s Vice President-International. An ABI member since 2005 and a member of the ABI Board since 2023, she is co-chair of the ABI International Caribbean Insolvency Symposium, was a co-chair of the ABI International Latin America Symposium in Mexico City, and she served on the advisory board of ABI’s Mid-Level Professional Development Program while also being honored in the 2018 class of ABI’s “40 Under 40” program.

Ms. Catanese handles various cross-border fraud matters. She represents companies, investors and hedge funds — both onshore and offshore — in bankruptcy ligation, including involuntary bankruptcies and chapter 15 bankruptcies. She also assists companies with maximizing the value of their assets through both in- and out-of-court asset sales. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she represented a prominent seafood restaurant chain in avoiding a bankruptcy filing through a successful out-of-court distressed-asset sale. She also focuses her practice on helping creditors solve problems related to all aspects of distressed debt. Recently, this has included representing numerous customers in cryptocurrency bankruptcies.

Ms. Catanese has extensive experience in the representation of trustees regarding the resolution of and objection to bankruptcy claims, pursuit of fraudulent-transfer and preference actions, and litigation related to bad-faith bankruptcy filings, Ponzi schemes and § 363 asset sales. She earned her B.A. summa cum laude in psychology in 2001 and her J.D. cum laude in 2004, both from Michigan State University.

James R. Irving of Dentons (Louisville, Ky.) has been named to a two-year term as ABI’s Vice President-Membership. An ABI member since 2010 and member of the ABI Board since 2021, he has co-chaired the advisory board of ABI’s Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop, was a member of ABI’s inaugural “40 Under 40” class in 2017, participates on ABI’s Business Reorganization, Health Care and Unsecured Trade Creditors Committees, and has authored a number of ABI Journal articles.

Mr. Irving is the managing partner of Denton’s Louisville office and co-chairs the firm’s Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Practice. He focuses his practice on bankruptcy and restructuring matters, purchasing distressed businesses and their assets, and on commercial litigation. He has experience representing debtors, creditors, committees, trustees, asset-purchasers and interested third parties in chapter 11 and chapter 7 bankruptcy cases, in addition to representing creditors in foreclosure proceedings and other litigation. He has also practiced commercial litigation with a broad range of experience in state and federal courts and before the American Arbitration Association.

Adrienne K. Walker of Foley & Lardner LLP (Boston) has been named to a two-year term as ABI’s Vice President-Diversity & Inclusion. An ABI member since 2000 and a member of ABI’s Board of Directors since 2020, she has been a member of ABI’s “40 Under 40” Program Steering Committee, is an active member of ABI’s Bankruptcy Litigation, Business Reorganization, Mediation and Secured Credit Committees, co-chaired ABI’s Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and is a frequent contributor to the ABI Journal.

Ms. Walker has significant experience in workout, restructuring and bankruptcy matters. She represents a diverse range of clients — particularly in the health care, manufacturing and education sectors, including private capital investors, bond and noteholders, bond trustees and agents, commercial lenders, debtors, strategic trade creditors, official and ad hoc committees, and contract counterparties in bankruptcy, receiverships, assignments for the benefit of creditors and out-of-court workouts and restructurings. In her commercial lending practice, she advises borrowers on private capital and secured financing transactions, leveraging her talent for structuring complex debt positions that often involve distressed-debt or restructuring scenarios.

Ms. Walker is an adjunct professor at Suffolk University Law School, where she teaches advanced courses in business bankruptcy. She is also a frequent speaker and writer on numerous topics of interest in the bankruptcy and commercial lending fields. She received her B.A. from Simmons College and her J.D. magna cum laude from Suffolk University Law School.

Clifford A. Zucker of FTI Consulting, Inc. (New York) has been elected to serve as an at-large member of ABI’s Executive Committee. An ABI member since 2000, he served as a co-chair for ABI’s Health Care Committee and an editor for ABI’s Health Care Insolvency Manual, 3rd Edition, and he is a frequent speaker at ABI conferences.

Mr. Zucker is a senior managing director in FTI Consulting’s Turnaround & Restructuring Services Practice. He has more than 30 years of experience representing companies, receivers, examiners, court-appointed trustees, and unsecured and secured creditors across diverse industries. In particular, he has developed extensive expertise in the health care industry, working to restructure and transform hospitals, nursing homes, senior living facilities and physician practices.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Mr. Zucker was a partner in the Restructuring & Insolvency Advisory and Dispute Resolution Services practice of CohnReznick. Before that, he was an auditor with an accounting firm that was part of the former Big Eight. He received his B.A. and B.S. from Boston University in 1980.

John C. Cannizzaro of Ice Miller LLP (Columbus, Ohio) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 2016, he has served as a co-chair of ABI’s Bankruptcy Litigation Committee, was named to ABI’s “40 Under 40” 2021 class of honorees, and has spoken at ABI events on key bankruptcy issues.

Mr. Cannizzaro is a member of Ice Miller’s Finance and Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Practice Groups, where he works with clients on secured transactions, loans, workouts and other financial deals, and frequently represents clients in debtor/creditor disputes, commercial and bankruptcy litigation, and other insolvency matters.

In addition to his work for the firm’s Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Practice Group, Mr. Cannizzaro frequently works cross-functionally with other teams, including Ice Miller’s Finance, Litigation, Business, Public Finance and Real Estate Groups. He also renders substantive consolidation and other opinions for structured finance, real estate and bond deals.

Prior to joining Ice Miller, Mr. Cannizzaro clerked for two federal bankruptcy judges. He served for five years as a law clerk to Hon. Hannah L. Blumenstiel in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California and for more than two years as a law clerk to Hon. Charles M. Caldwell in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Much of his work involved complex business transactions, including the sale or restructuring of tech companies, commercial property ventures, health care facilities and retail chains.

Mr. Cannizzaro was named to the 2017 class of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges’ Next Generation Program at the NCBJ Annual Meeting. He received his B.S., magna cum laude and with honors, in computer and information sciences in 2005 from The Ohio State University, and his J.D. from Capital University Law School in 2009, where he graduated valedictorian.

Hannah White Hutman of Hoover Penrod, PLC (Harrisonburg, Va.) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 2013, she has served as co-chair of ABI’s Consumer Bankruptcy Committee and on ABI’s Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop Advisory Board, was named to ABI’s “40 Under 40” 2018 class of honorees and has spoken at ABI events on key consumer bankruptcy issues.

Ms. Hutman is a partner at Hoover Penrod, PLC, where she represents businesses and individuals in bankruptcy proceedings and creditor negotiations. Her practice areas include bankruptcy, debtor and creditor rights, and general corporate work. In addition to representing businesses and individuals in bankruptcy proceedings, she has represented national and regional banks in all aspects of commercial collections, including restructuring obligations, asset liquidations and dispositions, and foreclosure. She also is a member of the panel of chapter 7 trustees for the Western District of Virginia, a frequent presenter on a wide variety of insolvency-related topics, and co-author of a chapter in Bankruptcy Practice in Virginia.

Ms. Hutman has been active in the Virginia network of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation and is a past chair of the Board of Governors for the Bankruptcy Law Section of the Virginia State Bar. She is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and she has routinely been listed in Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” and selected as a member of Virginia’s “Legal Elite.” She received her B.A. summa cum laude from Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Md., and her J.D. from the Marshall Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

Kenneth D. Kraft of Dentons Canada LLP (Toronto) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 1999, he has served as co-chair of ABI’s International Committee and on ABI’s Cross-Border Insolvency Program Advisory Board, and he has spoken at ABI events on key international insolvency issues.

Mr. Kraft is a partner and manager of Denton’s Toronto Insolvency Team, and a member of the firm’s financial services law group. He focuses his practice on insolvency and finance, both secured and unsecured. Acting for lenders as well as borrowers, his expertise encompasses receiverships, informal workouts and all manner of restructurings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.

Mr. Kraft has been involved in numerous Canada/U.S. cross-border filings, along with proceedings in England, France, Australia and Israel. He has been repeatedly recognized for his expertise in restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy-related directories, including Chambers, Lexpert and Canada’s Best Lawyers. He is a member of the International Insolvency Institute and INSOL.

In 2009, Mr. Kraft was one of just two Canadian lawyers nominated for the BTI Client Service All-Star Team for Law Firms, which honors superior client service delivered to corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 and other large companies. In 2011, he was recognized for his expertise in Insolvency & Restructuring Law in Corporate INTL Magazine’s “50 Best Lawyers in Canada.” Mr. Kraft received his LL.B. in 1989 from York University, Osgoode Hall Law School and his LL.M. in 1996 from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Hon. Christopher M. Lopez of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Houston) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 2019, he has regularly volunteered as a judge for the ABI/St. John’s Law’s annual Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition and frequently spoken at ABI events on key bankruptcy issues.

Judge Lopez was appointed on Aug. 14, 2019, as a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of Texas in Houston. He previously was a member of the Business, Finance & Restructuring Group of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and focused on representations ranging from top global corporations in mega-restructurings to middle-market debtor and creditor representations.

He lectures across the country on bankruptcy issues. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He currently serves as a council member of the State Bar of Texas’s Bankruptcy Law Section, an advisor to the State Bar of Texas Young Lawyers Committee, a member of the Nominations Committee for the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, and a member of the National Bankruptcy Conference. He received his B.A. in psychology in 1996 from the University of Houston, his M.A. in religion in 1999 from Yale Divinity School and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 2003.

Ryan Maupin of Deloitte Transactions and Business Analytics LLP (New York) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 2013, he serves on ABI’s New York City Bankruptcy Conference and VALCON Program Advisory Boards, is a member of ABI’s inaugural 2017 class of “40 Under 40” and later served on the “40 Under 40” Program’s Steering Committee, and he has spoken at ABI events on key business bankruptcy issues.

Mr. Maupin is a managing director with Deloitte Transactions and Business Analytics LLP in its M&A and Restructuring Practice, and he has 20 years of experience advising boards, domestic and international company executives, secured and unsecured creditors, hedge funds and private-equity funds in restructuring situations both in and out of court. He is primarily focused on advising clients in complex financial turnarounds, § 363 sale processes, debt restructurings and liquidations. He is also a member of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) and the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors (AIRA). He received his B.S. from Millikin University.

Rebecca Redwine Grow of Hendren, Redwine & Malone, PLLC (Raleigh, N.C.) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 2018, she has served as the co-chair of both ABI’s Emerging Industries and Technology Committee and ABI’s Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop Advisory Board, was named to ABI’s “40 Under 40” 2018 class of honorees and has spoken at ABI events on key bankruptcy issues, including subchapter V.

Ms. Redwine Grow is a partner with Hendren, Redwine & Malone, PLLC and focuses her practice on debtor representation in chapter 11 and chapter 7 bankruptcies for both businesses and individuals. She also counsels clients experiencing insolvency, assists in workouts, routinely serves as local counsel and is a certified mediator. She has served as unsecured creditors’ committee counsel and has been appointed as an examiner and receiver in various proceedings. She is admitted to practice in the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina, and in the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Ms. Redwine Grow serves on the Local Rules Committee for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina and as chair of the Bankruptcy Law Specialty Committee for the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. She holds various leadership roles within ABI, the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), the American Board of Certification and the North Carolina Bar Association.

Ms. Redwine Grow is a frequent presenter at bankruptcy conferences and a guest lecturer in bankruptcy classes at the University of North Carolina School of Law and Campbell University School of Law. She earned a Phi Beta Kappa key from North Carolina State University, where she received her B.A. in 2004, and she was an honor student at the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she received her J.D. in 2007.

Alan R. Rosenberg of Markowitz Ringel Trusty + Hartog (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 2017, he has served as co-chair of ABI’s Commercial and Regulatory Law Committee, co-chair on ABI’s International Caribbean Insolvency Symposium Advisory Board and program committee member on ABI’s International Latin America Insolvency Symposium Advisory Board, was named to ABI’s “40 Under 40” 2020 class of honorees, and has spoken at ABI events on key restructuring issues, including the intersection of cryptocurrency and bankruptcy.

Mr. Rosenberg is a partner with Markowitz Ringel Trusty + Hartog, where he represents chapter 7 and 11 bankruptcy trustees, creditors, debtors and other parties-in-interest in all aspects of insolvency proceedings and bankruptcy-related litigation. His practice has a particular emphasis on bankruptcy litigation, and he has served as lead or co-counsel to high-net-worth individuals, multinational corporations and nearly every chapter 7 panel trustee in the Southern District of Florida.

Mr. Rosenberg has been recognized as a leading authority in the field of cryptocurrency in bankruptcy and is a Cryptocurrency Tracing Certified Examiner through CipherTrace. He received his B.S.B.A. in finance in 2008 from the University of Florida and his J.D. cum laude from the University of Miami in 2011.

Tara J. Schellhorn of Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti, LLP (Morristown, N.J.) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 2011, she has co-chaired ABI’s Young and New Members Committee and Emerging Industries and Technology Committee, serves as a coordinating editor of the ABI Journal, overseeing its “Building Blocks” column, and was named to ABI’s “40 Under 40” 2019 class of honorees, for which she later served as a member of the “40 Under 40” Program’s Steering Committee. She also has spoken at ABI events on key restructuring issues.

Ms. Schellhorn is a partner with Riker Danzig in the firm’s Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Group. Her practice focuses on all aspects of bankruptcy and restructuring, including the representation of debtors, creditors’ committees, trustees, financial institutions, secured lenders, unsecured creditors and other parties in interest in complex chapter 11 cases. She also has experience in bankruptcy litigation, including prosecuting and defending nondischargeability, preference and other avoidance actions.

In addition, Ms. Schellhorn has significant experience representing clients on complex corporate lending issues, including the representation of indenture trustees in default and bankruptcy situations. Her practice also includes civil litigation in both federal and state courts.

Ms. Schellhorn currently serves as secretary of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation’s (IWIRC’s) New Jersey Network, for which she formerly served as co-chair. She also served as Finance director on the International Board in 2024. In 2021, IWIRC honored her with the prestigious Melnick Award for exceptional contributions by an IWIRC member. She is vice chair of the Lawyers Advisory Committee to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey.

Prior to joining Riker Danzig, Ms. Schellhorn clerked for Hon. Raymond T. Lyons in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. She is an editorial board member for Thomson Reuters’ 2024 book Strategic Alternatives For and Against Distressed Businesses. She received her undergraduate degree magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Gettysburg College in 2004, and her J.D. magna cum laude from Widener University School of Law in 2007, where she served as editor-in-chief of the Widener Law Journal and received the Widener Law Journal Award for Distinguished Legal Scholarship. She also received a 2007 ABI Medal of Excellence for outstanding performance in her bankruptcy coursework.

Evan J. Zucker of Blank Rome LLP (New York) has been elected to ABI’s Board of Directors. An ABI member since 2007, he is a co-chair on ABI’s International North American Insolvency Program Advisory Board and serves on ABI’s International Caribbean Insolvency Symposium Advisory Board, was the special projects leader for ABI’s International Committee, was named to ABI’s “40 Under 40” 2019 class of honorees and has spoken at ABI events on key cross-border restructuring issues.

Mr. Zucker is Of Counsel in Blank Rome LLP’s Finance, Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group, where he concentrates his practice on corporate reorganizations and related complex litigation in national and cross-border matters. He frequently represents foreign representatives in chapter 15 proceedings, creditors’ committees, secured creditors, indenture trustees, executory contract parties and other key parties in interest. In 2022, he was inducted as a member of the International Insolvency Institute and received Global Restructuring Review’s “40 Under 40” award and INSOL International’s Future Forty award.

Prior to becoming a member of the International Insolvency Institute, Mr. Zucker chaired the International Insolvency Institute’s NextGen Program. He currently is both vice chair of the Chapter 11 Advisory Committee and a member of the Junior Lawyer Training Initiative for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Eastern District of New York.

Mr. Zucker also is co-chair of Blank Rome LLP’s New York Pro Bono Committee and an adjunct professor on bankruptcy practice at St. John’s University School of Law, where he teaches both J.D. and LL.M. classes. He routinely publishes and speaks on bankruptcy topics, including the model laws promulgated by UNCITRAL’s Working Group V, asset-tracing and judgment-enforcement issues in insolvency proceedings, and the causes of retail insolvencies around the world. Previously, Mr. Zucker clerked for Hon. Jerome Feller, a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of New York. He received his B.B.A. with high distinction from Emory University and his J.D. cum laude from St. John’s University School of Law.