Beth Stephens and Richard Cole, co-chairs of the ABI Consumer Committee this year, thank all committee members for their support and participation in 2018. The Consumer Committee has a diverse membership. It includes practitioners who represent debtors in chapter 7 and 13 cases, practitioners who represent creditors in chapter 7 and 13 cases, trustees, and even judges and academics. Whichever aspect of consumer bankruptcy interests you, we welcome your contribution. We are always seeking articles and seminar and webinar ideas. Our committee leadership has continued the tradition of monthly conference calls, which allows up to keep in touch and up to date.
The Consumer Committee has a number of subcommittees that are vital to the success of the committee throughout the year. Information about our subcommittees and our committee leadership is listed below.
Chris Hawkins serves as our Membership Relations Director. Chris takes the time to personally send a welcome note to new committee members. Chris is hard at work on a joint consumer and legislative committee reception for the Winter Leadership Conference. We hope to see you there.
Jon Lieberman serves as our Education Director. For the 2018 Winter Leadership Conference, the Consumer Committee is partnered with the Legislative Committee to form a panel that will examine ways in which to improve access to the bankruptcy process. Jon will organize a panel to discuss the recommendations of the Consumer Commission for the Annual Spring Meeting 2019.
During the 2017 Winter Leadership Conference, Richard, Beth and former co-chair Elizabeth Gunn testified before the Consumer Commission. The Consumer Committee also submitted written recommendations regarding student loan dischargeability. The written recommendations were published in the March 2017 issue of the ABI Journal and reported upon in WSJ Pro Bankruptcy, which described the Consumer Committee as a “group of experts.” The Consumer Committee also responded to the Department of Education’s request for comment on student loan dischargeability. At the request of the Consumer Commission, Richard prepared and submitted a memo regarding chapter 13 debtors’ attorneys’ fees.
David Cox is our Newsletter Editor. The Consumer Newsletter has articles on a variety of topics, including parking tickets in Chicago, duties of the chapter 7 debtor under § 521(a), and recent circuit decisions of note. We are always accepting original articles for the committee newsletter. If you are interested in writing an article on a particular issue you find to be of regional or national interest, please contact David.
Heather Giannino, our Communications Manager, heads up our Listserve, which is always active. While Heather periodically posts cases or issues of interest, we encourage everyone to make use of the Listserve. The Listserve is also an excellent source for referrals when you need out-of-state counsel.
In addition to their work on the Collier Consumer Bankruptcy Case Update you receive weekly via email, our Special Projects Leaders Deb Miller and John Bollinger are busy organizing a webinar regarding, among other things, the surprising increase in bankruptcy filings among older adults.
We always need new members. So how do you get involved? To join, simply go to the ABI website’s Committees tab toward the bottom of your profile page. Then click the edit button to select from the list of committees, and save your choices. Chris Hawkins, our Membership Relations Director, will be in touch.