Members in the News

On May 5, Judge Howard McKibben, Nevada's Chief District Judge, announced that <b>Valerie P. Cooke,</b> an ABI member since 1994, was chosen to serve an eight-year term as a federal magistrate judge. Currently a partner with McDonald, Carano, Wilson, McCune, Bergin, Frankovich and Hicks in Reno, she will begin her term Nov. 1, replacing the retiring
Hon. Phyllis Halsy Atkins.

</p><p>After graduating <i>cum laude</i> with a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from the
University of Nevada at Reno, Cooke taught high school English and government in Nevada and
Oregon. She attended law school, receiving her J.D. from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis
and Clark College, where she was a member of the <i>Environmental Law Review</i> and the Cornelius
Honor Society. She then clerked for retired Washoe District Judge William Forman. Her law
practice concentrates on commercial litigation and bankruptcy. Since 1994, she has
co-authored and presented the <i>Bankruptcy Year in Review</i> for the Ninth Circuit Court of
Appeals, the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel and the federal district and bankruptcy courts.

</p><p>In 1995, Nevada Gov. Bob Miller appointed Cooke vice chair of the Nevada Tax Commission, and
she also was appointed to the Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission in 1997. Cooke served as
president of the Northern Nevada Women Lawyers Association in 1994. Since 1997, she has
served as president of Pack PAWS, an organization affiliated with the University of Nevada,
Reno to promote and advance women's intercollegiate athletics.

</p><p>The mother of two daughters, Cooke represents a third generation of Nevada lawyers, and her
grandfather was a president of the State Bar of Nevada.

</p><p><b>Richard M. Meth,</b> Herrick Feinstein LLP of Princeton, N.J., who was recently honored after serving three years as
the state chair of the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) New Jersey Regional Advisory Board, presided over the
ADL's 50th Anniversary Gala Celebration at Ellis Island on June 24. Gov. Christine Todd Whitman presented an
award to the ADL for its years of service to the people of New Jersey, and also accepted an award in recognition of
the state's 50-year partnership with the ADL.

</p><p><b>Mark B. French</b> announces the opening of his new office in Bedford, Texas. His practice focuses on the
representation of creditors in consumer bankruptcy matters. He has been an ABI member for four years and will be
attending the upcoming Southwest Bankruptcy Conference in Santa Fe, N.M.

</p><p>Feeny Kellett Wienner &amp; Bush P.C. in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., has announced that <b>Seth D. Gould</b> is now a
shareholder with the firm. Gould maintains an active commercial litigation practice with an emphasis in creditors'
rights law.

</p><p>Three well-known consulting firms specializing in turnarounds and crisis management have announced their merger. Under the terms of the agreement, The PWS Group in Dallas and Hamstreet &amp; Company in Portland, Ore. became
operating divisions of Glass &amp; Associates of Canton, Ohio. ABI members <b>Shaun K. Donnellan,</b> <b>Jack R. Stone
Jr.</b> and <b>Clyde A. Hamstreet</b> are principals of the new organization.

</p><p><b>Susan L. Rhiel</b> has joined Frost &amp; Jacobs LLP as of counsel in the firm's Columbus, Ohio office. Rhiel's practice
is concentrated in the areas of bankruptcy and commercial litigation. She serves as chair of the Ohio State Bar
Association Banking, Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Committee and is a former chair of the Bankruptcy
Subcommittee. She is also the chair of the Board of Directors for the International Women's Insolvency &amp;
Restructuring Confederation and the founder and past president of the Ohio Network. She is a frequent speaker on
bankruptcy-related topics, especially regarding the treatment of retirement benefits in and out of bankruptcy.

</p><p><b>Warren G. Lindman,</b> vice president at Wells Fargo Business Credit in Minneapolis, is the newest member of
ABI's Regional Membership Council. Lindman has been an ABI member for two years and is a frequent attendee at
ABI functions. Lindman specializes in debtor-in-possession financing.

</p><p><b>Kenneth P. Silverman,</b> Jaspan Schlesinger Silverman &amp; Hoffman LLP, announced that he and several partners
have formed Silverman Perlstein &amp; Acampora LLP to be located in Jericho, N.Y. The firm will practice in the areas
of creditors' rights, bankruptcy, real estate, commercial litigation and corporate, banking and securities law. Among
the attorneys joining Silverman are ABI members <b>Janet F. Brunell</b> and <b>Gerard R. Luckman</b>.

</p><p><b>Beril M. Abraham</b> of Beril M. Abraham P.C., Virginia Beach, Va., announced that Kristin R. Blair has joined the
firm. Formerly with DuVall, Harrigan, Hale &amp; Hassan in Fairfax, Va., she brings extensive experience in all areas
of domestic relations, employment law, workers' compensation and bankruptcy.

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