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Archives and Special Collections

The Archives and Special Collections Department of Biddle Law Library preserves and provides access to the American Law Institute (ALI) archives, the National Bankruptcy Archives (NBA), and Penn Carey Law historic records.

Overview

About the Collection: The National Bankruptcy Archives Oral History Collection is a unique resource that documents the history of bankruptcy in America through first-person narrative accounts. These interviews provide a method of gathering, preserving, and interpreting the voices and memories of the people, communities, and participants tied to past bankruptcy events. The NBA's oral history holdings are composed of several smaller collections and projects from 1993 to the present day and many of these oral histories are available online with a full or partial transcription. 

Access the Collection: The NBA oral history interviews can be accessed by clicking the “Search the Collection” link below, which will take you to the Penn Carey Law Digital Collections website. The interviews can also be found on this LibGuides page. Within this LibGuides page, some of the interviews--those recorded in group settings--can be found under the section called "Oral History Collections," split between four tabs. The other interviews can be found under the section, "Index of Individual Oral Histories." 

Oral History Resources

The following video and documents can be used by interviewers who wish to record an oral history for the National Bankruptcy Archives. If this is your first time conducting an oral history for the NBA, please contact the Biddle Law Library Archives Department. 

In addition, please review the recommended equipment and accepted file formats before conducting an oral history for submission to the Archives.

Resources for Remote Oral Histories

The following links provide helpful guidance for using Zoom to capture an oral history:

Training Video

Oral History Training Session with Hon. Randall Newsome and Archivist Jordan Steele. March 18, 2011

Introduced by Diane Sigmund, this program is an Oral History Training Session with Hon. Randall Newsome and former National Bankruptcy Archives Archivist Jordan Steele.

Oral History Collections

The American College of Bankruptcy [ACB] actively collects and promotes oral histories related to the history of bankruptcy in America, this includes oral histories of individual bankruptcy professionals as well as supporting projects that includes oral history panelists. See the Index of Individual Oral Histories for a list of individuals interviewed by the American College of Bankruptcy. 

The oral histories in this collection are comprised of ACB and other educational programs held at conferences and universities, and sponsored by the American College of Bankruptcy’s First Circuit, Fourth Circuit, and Sixth Circuit, as well as other organizations. Programs of note include a conversation with the leading women in the insolvency field, filmed at the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation’s (IWIRC) 8th Annual Spring Program in 2011, and The American College of Seventh Circuit Regional Educational Program, Past is Prologue, filmed in 2010.

ACB Group Oral History Projects: 

  • Co-sponsored by The American College of Bankruptcy First Circuit Fellow and Boston College Law School, this program is moderated by Michael Goldberg of Casner & Edwards, LLP, and Part 2 is moderated by James Wallack of Goulston & Storrs PC. The Business Panel (Part 1) includes Kenneth Frieze, Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Brothers; Lisa Gavales, Chairman and CEO, Things Remembered; Paul Halpern, Chief Investment Officer, Versa Capital Management; Chris Weilminster, President, Mixed-Use Division, Federal Realty Investment Trust; and Mark Weinberg, Chief Financial Officer, Rue La La. The Bankruptcy Panel (Part 2) includes Judge Sean Lane, US. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York; Jacqueline Marcus, Weil Gotshal & Manges; Michael O’Hara, Consensus Advisors; David Pollack, Ballard Spahr, LLP; and Bradford Sandler, Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones, LLP.

    Part One - Business Panel

    Part Two - Bankruptcy Panel

  • David Kuney joins a panel featuring Craig Goldblatt, Danielle Spinelli and Judges Thomas Ambro and Bernice Donald. The topic is “The Bankruptcy Appellate Argument: Lessons Learned from JEVIC, Best Appellate Practices in Bankruptcy Cases.” The event takes place at Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C.

  • Bankruptcy experts gathered at Bloomberg headquarters in New York on October 23, 2015 to discuss the implications of the five bankruptcy decisions recently handed down by the Supreme Court. The panelists spoke at an event called “A Supreme Court Review of Bankruptcy Cases,” sponsored by Bloomberg Law and The American College of Bankruptcy. Richard Levin, Partner, Jenner & Block, was the moderator. Speakers included Craig Goldblatt, Partner, WilmerHale; Stephen Lubben, Corporate Governance Chair, Seton Hall University School of Law; Judge Cecelia Morris, Chief Judge, Southern District of New York; and Stephen A. Youngman, Partner, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

  • Presented by the Fourth Circuit, the program, “4th Circuit Program: Considering ABI’s Report on Chapter 11 Reform,” was filmed on February 13, 2015, at The Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. The program included a discussion of the Commission’s overall philosophy and approach; treatment of SMEs; 363 sales, DIPs, safe harbors, and labor issues; and valuation and distribution issues. Speakers included Hon. Thomas Ambro, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; Michael Bernstein, Arnold Porter; Mark Ellenberg, Cadwalader; Craig Goldblatt, WilmerHale; Professor Michelle Harner, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law; David Hillman, Schulte, Roth & Zabel; Melissa Jacoby, University of North Carolina School of Law; Bob Keach, Bernstein Shur; Hon. Wendelin Lipp, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Maryland; Judith Reich, Drinker Biddle; Danielle Spinelli, WilmerHale; and Hon. Judith Wizmur, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey (retired).

  • Presented by the 11th Circuit, the program, “363 Sales – The ‘New M&A’ and Demise of the Chapter 11 Plan,” is sponsored the American College of Bankruptcy and Emory University. Moderated by Jesse H. Austin, III, Partner at King and Spalding, the panelists include William C. Beddingfield, Managing Director at ING Capital; James Decker, Senior Managing Director at Guggenheim Securities; Greg Rayburn, Principal at Kobi Partners; Neil E. Herman, Partner at Morgan, Lewis, & Brockius, LLP.

  • Sponsored by the American College of Bankruptcy and Georgetown Law Center, the program, “Consumer Bankruptcy Practice – Exploration and Debate,” is presented by the Fourth Circuit Education Committee of the ACB. It is introduced by Craig Goldblatt, Partner, Wilmer Hale, and Tara Twomey, Of Counsel, National Consumer Law Center. Panelists include Hon. Joyce Bihary, (retired) United States Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Georgia; Hon. Shelley C. Chapman, United States Bankruptcy Judge, Southern District of New York; Prof. David Epstein, University of Richmond School of Law; Prof. Troy McKenzie, New York University School of Law; Hon. Brendan Shannon, United States Bankruptcy Judge, District of Delaware; Danielle Spinelli, partner, Wilmer Hale. The panel was filmed on December 6, 2013, at Georgetown Law Center.

  • Sponsored by The American College of Bankruptcy First Circuit Fellows and Boston College Law School, “The Auto Bankruptcies: Checking the Rearview Mirror,” was held at the Boston College Law School on March 22, 2013. Welcomed by Vincent D. Rougeau, the program was introduced by Joan N. Feeney. Speakers included Corinne Ball, a partner at Jones Day who served as lead bankruptcy counsel to Chrysler; Matthew A. Feldman, a partner at Willkie Farr and Gallagher LLP who served as chief legal advisor to the Obama administration’s Task Force on the Auto Industry; Arthur J. Gonzalez, a senior fellow at New York University School of Law and formerly the chief bankruptcy judge from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, who presided over the Chrysler chapter 11 proceedings; Harvey R. Miller, a partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP who served as lead bankruptcy counsel to GM; and Mark N. Berman (Moderator), Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP

  • Introduced by Dale Schian, of Schian and Walker, the program is moderated by Hon. Redfield T. Baum with Lowell E. Rothschild of Mesch, Clark and Rothschild, P.C., and Gerald Smith of Smith and Smith, and previously of Lewis and Roca, LLP. The panelists discuss the history of bankruptcy practice, as well as the future of bankruptcy law. The program is sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona.

  • Introduction

    An Early History of the United States Trustee Program: Three Pioneers Reflect, is an oral history panel filmed at the University of Pennsylvania, on May 29, 2012. Moderated by Hon. Jean K. FitzSimon, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the participants discuss the challenges that faced the program when it began, including varying degrees of acceptance by the judiciary and the bar, and how the program met those challenges. Panelists are Richard L. Levine, the first director and counsel of the Executive Office for United States Trustees; Irving H. Picard, the first U.S. Trustee appointed for the Southern District of New York (1979-1982); and Francis P. Dicello, the first U.S. Trustee for the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of Virginia (1979-1982).

    Funding

    This program was developed and funded by the American College of Bankruptcy for donation to the National Bankruptcy Archives at the Biddle Law Library of the University of Pennsylvania

  • Introduction

    Filmed at the Federal Judicial Center, this is a program on the historical evolution of the bankruptcy courts with Hon. Geraldine Mund, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Central District of California, and Richard B. Levin, Partner, Cravath, Swaine and Moore, LLP, New York, NY.

    Part I: 1898-1978

    Program Open and The Early Years

    Congress Works on the Bankruptcy System

    The Judiciary Reacts

    What’s in a Name

    H.R. 8200, S. 2266

    Clerk’s Office Consolidation

    The Bankruptcy Bill Becomes Law and Part 1 Close

     

    Part II: 1979 and Beyond

    Part II Open, and Marathon and Bildisco

    The 1984 Compromise

    Retirement, Consolidation, and Court Governance & Program Close

  • The American College of Bankruptcy’s Fourth Circuit presented the program, “The Varied and Conflicting Role of the Federal Government in Bankruptcy Cases,” at Georgetown Law on February 3, 2012.The program is introduced by Mark Ellenberg, followed by a discussion given by Seth Waxman, entitled “How are the Conflicting Interests of the U.S. Reconciled?” and an additional discussion, “How Does the PBGC Reconcile U.S. Interests in the Context of Chapter 11 Cases?” given by Joshua Gotbaum. Panelists for the final discussion,” Conflicting Roles of the Government in Bankruptcy Cases” are Craig Goldblatt (moderator), Joshua Gotbaum, Hon. Arthur Gonzalez, Jeannette Vargas, and Seth Waxman.

  • A series of conversations by St. John’s University School of Law with those who helped develop and change Modern Bankruptcy Law. The programs were filmed between 2009 and 2011.

    Part One

    Part Two

  • On June 13, 2011 at the International Insolvency Institute’s 2011 Annual Conference, the III’s presented the 2011 Outstanding Contributions Award to Hon. Burton R. Lifland of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The Award recognized Judge Lifland’s life long accomplishments, achievements and contributions to the international and domestic insolvency and restructuring areas.

  • International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), is committed to the connection, promotion and success of women in the insolvency and restructuring professions worldwide. For almost 20 years, IWIRC has been connecting women worldwide. Through a global membership of more than 1,000 attorneys, bankers, corporate-turnaround professionals, financial advisors and other restructuring practitioners, members develop a powerful network of contacts, resources, mentors and friends. This program features a conversation with leading women in the insolvency field, filmed at the 8th Annual Spring Program, on March 31, 2011. The program is introduced by Judy Elkin, Chair of IWIRC, and Michael St. Patrick Baxter, partner with Covington & Burling LLP, and is moderated by Hon. Marjorie Rendell, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Panelists are Norma Corio, Senior Officer with J.P. Morgan Chase; Marcia Goldstein, partner with Weil, Gotshal & Manges; Hon. Barbara Houser, Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas; Hon. Mary Walrath, Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware; and Bettina White, Managing Director and Senior Adviser with Alvarez & Marsal.

  • The American College of Bankruptcy’s Fourth Circuit Symposium: Responding to the Financial Crisis, was presented on October 22, 2010 at Georgetown University, and included two programs. The first, “Why Bankruptcy Matters: Why is the option for bankruptcy vital to a free market economy?” was introduced by Denise Neary and moderated by Prof. Adam Levitan. Panelists include Hon. Shelley Chapman, Hon. Ray Mullins, Stephen Case, Damon Silver. This panel was followed by “Too Big to Fail? Does the bankruptcy code provide the necessary tools or is an extra-statutory remedy needed?” an interview with Matthew Feldman, Former Chief Legal Advisor to the Obama’s administration’s Task Force on the Auto Industry, conducted by Mark Ellenberg, bankruptcy partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham, and Taft, LLP. The second panel begins at 89:10./p>

  • On September 20, 2010, the American College of Bankruptcy filmed a 3-part event titled, “Past is Prologue,” in Chicago, IL at the Mesirow Financial Auditorium. Part 1 is titled, “The Grand Inquisitor in Chapter 11 – The Examiner” with panelists R. Neal Batson, Dennis J. Connolly, Daniel R. Murray, and Anton R. Valukas. Part 3 is titled, “The ABC’s of Public Finance” and features speaker Larry P. Morris. And Part 1 is titled, “Municipality Insolvency and the Impact of the “Great Recession” and includes panelists William A. Brandt, Jr., H. Slayton Dabney, Jr., David S. Kurtz, Marc A. Levinson, and Lewis S. Rosenbloom.

    Educational and Supporting Materials:

  • The American College of Bankruptcy’s Sixth Circuit and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law have combined to host a panel of nationally recognized bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers presenting, “Reorganization in the Fast Lane: Automotive Chapter 11 Cases.” The ACB Fellows have shared their views on the business and legal implications of the recent Chapter 11 cases involving Chrysler, GM and other companies in the automotive sector. The program is introduced by Geoffrey S. Mearns, former Dean of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, and moderated by G. Christopher Meyer. Panelists are David G. Heiman, Stephen Karotkin, Stephen D. Lerner, and Thomas Moers Mayer. The program was filmed at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, on November 16, 2009, as part of the 6th Circuit Educational Session.

The National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges [NCBJ] actively collects and promotes oral histories of Bankruptcy Judges and programs related to the history of bankruptcy in America. See the Index of Individual Oral Histories for a list of individuals interviewed by the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges.

NCBJ Projects:  

  • Introduction

    Filmed at the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges Annual Meeting on November 4, 2006, this program is moderated by Hon. Randall J. Newsome. Panelists are Harvey R. Miller and Gerald K. Smith.

This collection comes from lectures at the New York University Law School that were audiotaped in August 25-26, 1980. They concern the passage of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. The tapes were converted to digital format in April 2010. The originals are part of the Lawrence P. King Papers.

Funding for this project was provided by the Leon S. Forman Bankruptcy Archives Digitization Project, established in January 2008 with gifts from Blank Rome, LLP and the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation.

Lectures: 

Introduction

Randall J. Newsome was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1950. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati Law School in 1975. In 1982, Newsome was appointed judge to the United States Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of Ohio, where he remained until 1988. In 1998, Newsome moved to the Northern District of California's bankruptcy court, where he became Chief Judge in 2004. Randall Newsome has served as a faculty member for the Federal Judicial Center since 1987. He joined the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges in 1983, serving as President from 1998-1999. He is a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. Newsome has contributed to a number of bankruptcy manuals, including Chapter 11: Theory and Practice and  Collier on Bankruptcy. Starting in the early 1990s, Newsome used his position as both scholar and historian of bankruptcy law to interview a number of important bankruptcy figures.

Collection Scope

The Randall J. Newsome Oral History Collection (1993-1998 and 2004) includes audio cassette tapes of interviews with important figures in bankruptcy law, conducted by Newsome. See the Index of Individual Oral Histories for a list of individuals interviewed by Randall J. Newsome. For additional information about the collection, consult the collection finding aid. 

Index of Individual Oral Histories:

A

  • After finishing undergraduate at Chatham College in 1966, Louise Decarl Adler attended Loyola University in Chicago for her Juris Doctor in 1970. Adler privately practiced law upon graduation, and from 1974-79 served as a panel trustee for bankruptcy proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California. In 1984, Adler was appointed as a Bankruptcy Judge, and currently remains in office.

  • Judge Thomas L. Ambro is a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He began this appointment in 2000. Judge Ambro worked as a law clerk following law school, then went into private practice. He received a B.A. (1971) and his J.D. (1975) at Georgetown University. He was a panelist in the 2015 ABI Chapter 11 group video.

B

C

  • Judge Kevin Carey (Ret.) joined the firm Hogan Lovells following his time on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware. He is also a part-time adjunct professor at St. John's University School of Law. Judge Carey earned a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University in 1976 and his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law in 1979. He was a panelist in the 2016 Fourth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate group video.

  • Judge Shelley C. Chapman serves on the bench of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York (2010-). Previously, she was partner at the firms Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP (2001-10) and Sidley & Austin (1993-01). Judge Chapman earned her B.A. from Cornell University in 1978, and her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1981. She was a panelist in the 2013 Fourth Circuit Consumer Bankruptcy group video.

  • Glen Clark graduated from the University of Utah law school after spending two years in the army. He was appointed to the bench in 1982, and during his time as a judge he also taught university law classes and was elected president of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges in 1992. He retired from the position of chief judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah in 2009.

  • Charles "Charlie" Coleman was born (1955) and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended college and law school at the University of Arkansas. His bankruptcy practice is widely recognized, and he is engaged in bar association activities, authorship, and speaking at conferences.

  • After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Economics, John Connelly earned his law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. In 1965 he was appointed as a referee in bankruptcy, and stayed with the Bankruptcy Court until he retired in 1986. Afterwards, he worked in private practice and then briefly as a Bankruptcy Judge again, until he finally retired for the last time after working in mediation.

  • After having received his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law in 1975, Joseph L. Cosetti was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania in 1980. Joe Cosetti served as Chief Judge of the Western District from 1985 to 1994, when he retired and was immediately recalled. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, where he served as President from 1991 to 1992.

  • Honorable Stacey W. Cotton served as Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia. He was appointed to the bench by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in 1985 and served for 19 years and served as Chief Judge from 1995 until the end of 2003. Hon. Cotton was a founding member and past chairman of the Bankruptcy Section of both the Atlanta Bar Association and the State Bar of Georgia, and this was in the early 1960’s. He was also a founding member of the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute, and served as a director until he joined the bench in Atlanta.

  • Vern Countryman earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington, and then his JD from the University of Washington Law School. Countryman then served in the Army Air Forces during World War II, and afterward worked as an instructor in the University of Washington Law School. He then practiced privately, and was later awarded a professorship at Harvard Law School.

  • Basil Coutrakon spent his undergraduate years at Dartmouth University, and later earned his JD from the University of Illinois. Afterward, we worked as an auditor in a Bankruptcy Court, and then worked in private practice. He served in the military during World War II, and upon returning took a position as a Referee in Bankruptcy.

  • Mr. Creel’s practice today is concentrated upon counseling in areas primarily dealing with debt and business-related activities. Mr. Creel practices internationally and has frequently lectured on insolvency related topics and authored contributions to numerous bar, trade and educational publications. He earned his B.A in Psychology from George Washington University in 1959, followed by his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University in 1963. Mr. Creel is a co-founder, director, past president, chairman and chairman-emeritus of the American Bankruptcy Institute; a co-founder, director, former president and Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.

  • Ahron Jay Cristol (born September 29, 1929) is the chief judge of the Florida bankruptcy court, a lecturer in law of naval warfare, and a former US Navy aviator and lawyer in the JAG Corps. His military career began in 1951 when he joined the US Navy during the Korean War and flew day and night missions. He later received both his B.A. in 1958 and J.D. in 1959 from the University of Miami. He also graduated from the the Naval Justice School and served in the JAG Corps as a Navy lawyer for 20 years after receiving his degrees. In 1983, Cristol was appointed as an honorary professor at the Naval Justice School, and also lectured at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law at Sanremo. Cristol later retired from the military and became a civil layer, serving as Special Assistant Attorney General of Florida, and in 1985 was appointed chief US bankruptcy judge of the Southern District of Florida. Cristol also became an adjunct professor at the University of Miami Law School, teaching courses in bankruptcy.

  • Cyr attended Holy Cross College for undergraduate, and later received his JD from Yale Law School. Cyr worked as a Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Maine from 1973 to 1981, when he was appointed to become a federal judge for the District of Maine. 8 years later, President H.W. Bush nominated Cyr to sit for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, where he remained until his passing in 2016.

D

  • Danning was a graduate of UCLA’s first law school class in 1952, and by the time he was 75, had over 50 years of experience as a bankruptcy lawyer. He worked in his own private practice, founded in 1953, and also as a bankruptcy trustee.

  • James D. Decker is a financial advisor and restructuring specialist. He is President of JDecker & Company, and previously served as Senior Managing Director at Guggenheim Securities. Decker received a B.S. from Vanderbilt University (1982) and a M.B.A. at the Wharton School (1989). He was a panelist in the 2014 363Sales group video.

  • Judge W. Homer Drake Jr. received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Mercer University. In 1964, he was appointed to the bench, and served as the president of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges from 1972 to 1973. In addition, Drake also founded the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute. The Institute later established the Walter Homer Drake Professor of Bankruptcy Law at Mercer University in his honor.

  • Conrad B. Duberstein (1915-2005) earned his undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College in 1938 and his J.D. from St. John's University Law School in 1942. From 1943 to 1945, Duberstein served in the United States Army, where he was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantry Badge. When he left the Army following the end of World War II, Duberstein joined the Brooklyn law firm of Schwartz, Rudin, and Duberstein (the latter partner named after his uncle). In 1971, he became a partner at Otterbourg, Steindler, Houston, and Rosen, where he remained until his retirement in 1981. In 1981, he was appointed to the Eastern District Bankruptcy Court of New York. He was appointed that court's Chief Judge in 1984, a position he held for the rest of his career. In 1991, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from St. John's University Law School.

E

  • Edwards attended Stanford for both his undergraduate and law education, deciding to end his graduate education before the third year due to family concerns. He later passed the bar exam with self study. Edwards briefly worked with the FBI, and after the attacks on Pearl Harbor enlisted in the Navy. When Edwards returned from the military, he started up his own insurance title company. Edwards ran for Congress under his desire to deal with societal ills and inequalities. Edwards was elected and served in the House of Representatives, sitting in many committees and subcommittees during his time in Congress.

  • Eisenberg attended the Brooklyn College of the City of New York for her undergraduate education, and received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. After law school, Eisenberg worked in private practice until she took a leave of absence to care for children. Upon returning, Eisenberg worked again in private practice until being appointed to the bench in 1989. She worked as a bankruptcy judge in the Eastern District of New York until she retired in 2014.

  • Mark C. Ellenberg is an attorney and advisor at Cadwalader's Financial Restructuring Group. He received a B.S. degree in 1972 at Cornell University, and a J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1975. Ellenberg served as a law clerk before entering private practice. He was a panelist in the 2015 ABI Chapter 11 group video.

  • David Epstein is a bankruptcy law attorney, author, and educator. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from The University of Texas and received a graduate degree in law from Harvard University. Epstein worked as a partner at King & Spalding, and has held tenured law faculty positions at Southern Methodist University, University of North Carolina, University of Texas, University of Alabama, and University of Richmond. He was a panelist in the 2013 Fourth Circuit Consumer Bankruptcy group video.

F

  • Judge Judith K. Fitzgerald worked for over 25 years as a Bankruptcy Judge, having experience in the Western District of Pennsylvania as well as in the District of Delaware, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Judge Fitzgerald earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and her undergraduate degrees of a B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. Before being appointed as a bankruptcy judge in 1987, Judge Fitzgerald was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in complex frauds and criminal tax cases.

  • Leon S. Forman was born in 1915. He graduated from University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1939. Forman joined the law firm of Blank, Rome, Comisky and McCauley in 1984, where he remained as partner until his death in 2006. Leon Forman was an active lecturer and advisor within the bankruptcy community, particularly in the areas of creditors' rights and the Uniform Commercial Code. He was a member of numerous legal and bankruptcy organizations, including the American College of Bankruptcy and the National Bankruptcy Conference.

G

  • Judge Robert E. Gerber served on the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York from 2000 until 2016, and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Columbia Law School. He earned a B.S. degree in industrial engineering, from Rutgers University (1967), and a J.D. degree from Columbia Law School (1970). Judge Gerber served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Air Force from 1971 to 1972. He also practiced with the firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, in New York City, for thirty years before joining the bench. Upon his retirement from the federal bench in 2016, Judge Gerber joined the private practice firm Joseph Hage Aaronson.

  • Elizabeth Gibson attended Duke University and then the University of North Carolina School of Law. Following her graduation, she clerked for judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. She later engaged in private law practice, and then began to focus her career on academia and education. Gibson is a member of multiple national organizations and committees such as the American Bankruptcy Institute, American College of Bankruptcy, or the Federal Judicial Center Bankruptcy Education Committee. She worked for years as a lecturer in both law school and outside bankruptcy education programs, and has also contributed to numerous law publications.

  • Craig Goldblatt is a bankruptcy litigator and a partner at WilmerHale. He earned a B.A. from Georgetown University in 1990 and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1993. He was a panelist in the 2015 Bloomberg, 2015 ABI Chapter 11, and 2016 Fourth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate group videos.

  • James Gregg received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University. Upon graduating, he attended Central Michigan University for graduate school, and received his J.D. from Wayne State University. Gregg worked in private practice, and in 1987 was appointed to Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. He was reappointed to this position in 2001, and remained there until he retired in 2014. During his time on the court, he also served as a visiting judge for other districts and taught classes at Thomas Cooley Law School.

  • Jack Gross attended New York University for his undergraduate degree during the Great Depression. After graduating from law school, Gross taught high school history and also coached high school athletics. He remained a teacher until taking a place in private practice around 1937. Not long after, Gross was commissioned into the Navy, and served as a teacher for other naval officers. After returning from the Navy, Gross went back into private practice, representing numerous companies going through the bankruptcy process.

H

  • Norma Hammes began her college career at University of California, Berkely, where she obtained an A.B. in Communication and Public Policy. She then attended law school at Santa Clara University School of Law, graduating in 1977. Hammes represented consumer and small bankruptcy debtors in private practice with her husband, James J. Gold, since 1978 – including cases under the Bankruptcy Act – before the 1978 Code became effective in October 1979. Previously (1972-1978), Hammes was employed as a city planner by the San Jose Redevelopment Agency and the City of San Jose, California.

  • Judge Michelle Harner was appointed to be the U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Maryland in 2017. She previously lectured as a Professor of Law and served as the Director of the Business Law Program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. Judge Harner graduated from the Ohio State University College of Law in 1995 and from Boston College in 1992. She was a panelist in the 2015 ABI Chapter 11 group video.

  • David G. Heiman attended the University of Cincinnati for his undergraduate degree. During and after his time in law school, Heiman studied under the possibility of being drafted, managing to graduate without being sent overseas. Upon earning his law degree Heiman worked in private tax practice, later changing his focus to bankruptcy. Heiman worked on numerous high-profile bankruptcy cases, and also held membership in bankruptcy or law organizations.

  • Neil E. Herman is a restructuring attorney at Kirkland & Ellis. He previously spent 21 years in debtor practice at Morgan Lewis. Herman attended the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University for his J.D. (1985), and Johns Hopkins University for his B.A. (1981). He was a panelist in the 2014 363Sales group video.

  • Asa Herzog was born in Brooklyn, New York, and then attended City College and eventually Brooklyn Law School for his law degree. Upon graduating, he worked in a credit and indemnity company in charge of their bankruptcy meetings, claims, and cases. He then formed his own private practice focusing on bankruptcy cases. Years later, he also claimed membership in the National Bankruptcy Conference, eventually serving as president. He was appointed to the bench in 1958, later retiring, and then briefly returning to serve as a bankruptcy judge for two years in Puerto Rico. Afterward, he spent time in private practice, and upon retirement instead focused on his publications.

  • David M. Hillman is a partner at Proskauer, where he is co-head of the Private Credit Restructuring Group and a member of the Business Solutions, Governance, Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group. He attended the Albany Law School of Union University (J.D., 1995) and the State University of New York College at Oneonta (B.A., 1992). He was a panelist in the 2015 ABI Chapter 11 group video.

  • Horsky attended the University of Washington for his undergraduate education, and later Harvard Law School for his law degree. Upon graduation, he worked in a clerkship, and then served in the Solicitor General’s office. Upon leaving, he engaged in private practice. He notably helped to argue the famous Korematsu V. United States case against Japanese internment, and also collaborated with the prosecutors in the Nuremberg Trials. Horsky is also known for his efforts in education, both lecturing at Northwestern University School of Law, and also sitting on the DC Board of Education.

  • Judge David W. Houston III attended college and law school at the University of Mississippi and served as the United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi from 1983-2013. Prior to joining the bench Houston worked for the FBI for a number of years, as well as in private practice for 11 years. He also served on the board and chaired a committee of the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI).

  • Robert Hughes attended various universities to learn coursework pertaining to the Naval Aviation Program he had joined upon graduating high school. Upon the surrender of Japan in World War II, Hughes left the program and instead went to the University of California in Berkeley for his undergraduate education and later Hastings for his law degree. Upon graduating, he worked in a private office. He was later appointed to the bankruptcy bench in 1968.

I

J

  • Melissa B. Jacoby is a Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. Jacoby held judicial clerkships, was a staff attorney for the National Bankruptcy Review Commission, and taught at Temple University before joining the UNC faculty. She was a panelist in the 2015 ABI Chapter 11 group video.

K

L

  • David A. Lander attended Bowdoin College for his bachelor’s degree, and received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. After graduating he worked in private practice, but then began to work teaching in a legal clinic at Saint Louis University Law School. He spent time after as a bankruptcy attorney, and enjoyed membership in the National Bankruptcy Conference, the American College of Bankruptcy, and the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules.

  • Joe Lee served time in the military upon graduating high school. When he returned, he attended the University of Kentucky for both his undergraduate degree in journalism and eventually his J.D. three years later. Lee clerked for the Kentucky Supreme Court. Lee himself was appointed to the bench in 1961, and retired in 2015.

  • Richard B. Levin is a leading practitioner of restructuring, bankruptcy and creditor-debtor rights law. The internationally recognized attorney received a SB from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1972, and a JD from Yale Law School in 1975. In addition to his work in private practice, Levin was an author of the 1978 US Bankruptcy Code, formerly worked as a senior executive at a publicly traded company, and has been active in many professional organizations within the bankruptcy field.

  • Morton Levine was drafted into the military upon graduating high school, and spent time training as a rifleman. Upon being discharged, he decided to attend college in the Southeast, settling on the University of Georgia for both his undergraduate and legal education. Upon graduating, he formed his own private practice in Atlanta, and gained over 61 years of legal experience working in bankruptcy.

  • Marc Levinson has spent his legal career practicing in the bankruptcy field, and is active in the American College of Bankruptcy (ACB). Levinson grew up in Southern California and attended UCLA for his undergraduate degree, then UC Davis for his law degree. He went into private practice after law clerking, and quickly gained experience in the bankruptcy field. Levinson has represented cities, banks, and corporations in his distinguished career.

  • Judge Burton R. Lifland (1929-2014) was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Syracuse University then Fordham University's School of Law. He served as chief judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York for most of his 33 years there. He is the honoree at the 2011 International Insolvency Institute dinner.

  • Judge Wendelin I. Lipp (1952-2019) is a former bankruptcy court judge for the United States bankruptcy court, District of Maryland, appointed in 2006. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore. Before her time on the bench, Judge Lipp worked in private practice at the firm Paley Rothman. She was a panelist in the 2015 ABI Chapter 11 group video.

  • Stephen J. Lubben is an expert and author in corporate finance and restructuring. He is a professor of law at Seton Hall. Lubben earned an LL.M. at Harvard Law School, a J.D. from Boston University, a Ph.D. at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands), and a B.A. at the University of California, Irvine. He was a panelist in the 2015 Bloomberg group video.

  • Judge D. Michael Lynn presided for 14 years on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. Prior to that, he graduated from Columbia Law School practiced as a bankruptcy attorney in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for nearly 30 years. Judge Lynn has taught law at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law, as well as Texas A&M School of Law. Judge Lynn is the editor-in-chief of Bloomberg Law: Bankruptcy Treatise. He has also been a contributing author for Collier’s various prestigious bankruptcy publications as well as a former columnist for Bloomberg Law.

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  • Morris Macey attended college through an accelerated track, finishing both undergrad and law school at the University of Georgia in a little over four years. He passed the bar after graduating, and then promptly served in the military beginning in 1943. Upon returning, he reentered the University of Georgia for his AB, and then decided to attend Harvard Law School. Upon finally graduating, he worked in private practice, being involved in numerous high-profile bankruptcy cases.

  • Paul Mannes earned his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and his Bachelor of Laws from Georgetown University. After graduating, Mannes worked as a private attorney in the Maryland and D.C. area for more than twenty years. He was later appointed to the District of Maryland bankruptcy bench in 1981, where he was continually reappointed to remain until his passing in 2016.

  • Robert D. Martin was born in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1944, and he earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell College (1966) and his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School (1969). Judge Martin began his career in law as an attorney with Ross and Stevens, S.C., in Madison, Wisconsin, where he specialized in bankruptcy litigation. In 1978, he was appointed Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, and served on the bench until his 2016 retirement. Judge Martin was a charter fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and a conferee of the National Bankruptcy Conference. From the onset of his career as a bankruptcy judge, he was a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ). Judge Martin also taught debtor/creditor and bankruptcy law at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

  • Troy A. McKenzie is Professor of Law at New York University School of Law. Prior to joining NYU’s faculty in 2007, he was an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton. He has served as Assistant Reporter to the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules of the Judicial Conference of the United States. McKenzie also served as a deputy assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice from 2015-2017. He earned his B.S.E. from Princeton University in 1997, and his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2000. He was a panelist in the 2013 Fourth Circuit Consumer Bankruptcy group video.

  • Harvey Miller (1933-2015) was a lawyer who practiced in the field of bankruptcy. Miller attended Brooklyn College, then earned his J.D. at Columbia University. He started practicing law in a small firm in New York in 1960 and went on to become one of the pre-eminent corporate bankruptcy and reorganization lawyers in the United States.

  • Robert Miller earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford, and upon graduating, immediately attended Harvard Law School. He was then passed over by the draft due to health problems, and so instead returned to Stanford to attend business school. After earning his business degree, Miller worked for Ford Motor Company. He was later brought in to work at Chrysler to help the company through a financial crisis in the 1980’s.

  • Cathy Moran of California is a veteran of bankruptcy practice in the Silicon Valley. She earned her B.A. at Stanford and attended the University of California Hastings College of Law for her legal studies. After earning her J.D., Moran began her own firm which started taking bankruptcy cases in 1980.

  • Judge Cecilia G. Morris is chief judge for the United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of New York. Judge Morris has also worked on the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia, as well as in private practice. She earned her bachelor's degree from West Texas State University and her J.D. from John Marshall Law School. She was a panelist in the 2015 Bloomberg group video.

  • Robert B. Morton was born in Webb City, Mo. in 1912. After having received his law degree from the University of Kansas in 1935, Morton entered into private practice until the outbreak of World War II. He enlisted and served until 1945. From 1950 to 1951, Robert Morton served as 18th Judicial District Judge. In 1962, Morton became a judge in the United States Bankruptcy Court, a position he held until 1986. Upon his retirement from the court, Morton worked for Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock and Kennedy, a law firm located in Wichita, Kan. Morton was an active member in a number of bankruptcy and legal organizations, most notably the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, where he served as President from 1975 to 1976 and as Treasurer from 1980 to 1982.

  • Judge Geraldine Mund served as a judge on the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California. First appointed on February 9, 1984, she served three terms, and was chief judge from 1997-2002. She retired on February 9, 2011 and has since served on recall status for the court. Mund received a BA from Brandeis University and a JD from Loyola Marymount University, and was admitted to the bar in 1977.

  • Gerald Munitz attended the University of Michigan for his undergraduate education, and served for two years in the military before pursuing his law degree at the University of Chicago Law School. Upon graduating, he remained in Chicago and engaged in private practice with Norman Nachman. Munitz has also been involved in the American College of Bankruptcy as well as the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges.

  • Pat Murphy attended Williams College for his undergraduate and later the U.C. Berkeley School of Law for his legal education. Murphy served in the Marine Corp reserve during the Vietnam War. Upon returning, he formed his own private practice to work in bankruptcy. He was a prolific writer, authoring and co-authoring many pieces related to the topic of bankruptcy. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the American College of Bankruptcy.

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  • Mr. Richard S. Toder is a former Partner in the Business and Finance Practice at the New York office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. He has represented major institutional creditors and committees in bankruptcy and restructuring cases throughout the nation for over thirty-five years. Recent representations include Iridium, where he represented The Chase Manhattan Bank, as agent for a syndicate of lenders owed $800 million, and Genesis Health Care, where he was counsel to Mellon Bank N.A., as agent for two lending groups owed $1.5 billion. He has served as counsel for independent trustees in Chapter 11 cases and as a court-appointed Examiner. Mr. Toder was a Vice President and Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and a Conferee of the National Bankruptcy Conference. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York. Mr. Toder has lectured extensively in all areas of bankruptcy for, among others, ABA, PLI, ALI-ABA, the Bar Association of the City of New York and NYLJ Seminars. Mr. Toder received his law degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1965 and his bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in 1962.

  • George Treister attended UCLA for his B.S. and Yale University for his law degree. Treister made a name for himself as a very successful and influential as both an attorney and professor of law, teaching Continuing Legal Education seminars across the country as well as holding a professorship at both the University of Southern California and Stanford Law. Treister was additionally known for his bankruptcy educational materials, with many talks and seminars inviting him to discuss his publication Recent Decisions in Bankruptcy Law.

  • Trost attended Rice University for his undergraduate degree, and then the University of Texas at Austin for his legal education. Trost served served in the military around his time in law school, and, as a result, was able to waive his bar exam. Upon returning to his legal career, Trost then went to work at the Justice Department preparing cases for trial. Upon leaving the Justice Department, Trost began to work in private practice. Trost also held membership in bankruptcy organizations such as the National Bankruptcy Conference.

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  • Arthur N. Votolato was born on Born August 20, 1930. He earned his Bachelors degree in 1953 at the University of Rhode Island. Three years later he earned his Bachelor of Laws degree at the Boston University School of Law in 1956. From 1962 to 1968 Vololato was the Chief Special Council of the State of Rhode Island, Dept. of Public Works. He served on the First Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel, Massachusetts and Maine panels. He was Chief Judge, Massachusetts’ B.A.P. from 1981 to 1984. Votolato published numerous opinions and texts including A Review of Recent Equal Protection Challenges to the Dischargeability of Alimony; Provisions of Section 17A(7) of the Bankruptcy Act, Suffolk Law Review, 1979; Injunctions and Restraining orders Under the Bankruptcy Act, Rhode Island Bar Annual, 1970-71. Additionally, he served as Editor of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ) Newsletter from 1970 to 1975.He was appointed the U.S. District Court's Bankruptcy referee in 1968 and when a separate U.S. Bankruptcy Court was created in Rhode Island in 1978, he was named its first and only judge.

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  • Stephen A. Youngman (1960-2018) was an attorney specializing in business finance and restructuring. He worked in private practice at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in Dallas, Texas. Youngman graduated with a B.S. from Northwest Missouri University in 1982 and earned a J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1985. He was a panelist in the 2015 Bloomberg group video.

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