ABI's 27th Annual Spring Meeting Schedule
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday

Wednesday April 1, 2009

9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

American Board of Certification Exams

11:45 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

IWIRC Luncheon and Founders Awards

Guest Speaker: Gail Evans

Sponsored by IWIRC

5:00–6:00 p.m.

ABI Ambassador/Young & New Members Reception

Sponsored by CRG Partners

6:00–8:00 p.m.

Opening Reception

Sponsored by The Hilco Organization, Mesirow Financial Consulting LLC, Protiviti, Inc., Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. and RSM McGladrey

Thursday, April 2, 2009

7:30–8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

Sponsored by Jefferies & Company, Inc.

8:30–10:00 a.m.

13th Annual ABI Great Debates

James T. Markus, ABI Vice President - Education

Block, Markus & Williams, LLC; Denver

Resolved: Assets May Not Be Sold Free and Clear over the Objection of Junior Secured Creditors

Pro:    Eve H. Karasik

Stutman Treister & Glatt, PC; Los Angeles

Con:    Candace C. Carlyon

Shea & Carlyon, Ltd.; Las Vegas

 

Resolved: Not Too Big to Fail—Bankruptcy Is Better than Bailout

Pro:    Peter S. Kaufman

Gordian Group LLC; New York

Con:   James Connor

BBK; Southfield, Mich.

 

Resolved: The Time Is Now for Consumer Bankruptcy Reform

Pro:    Prof. Katherine M. Porter

University of Iowa College of Law; Iowa City

Con:    Philip S. Corwin

Butera & Andrews; Washington, D.C.

10:00–10:15 a.m.

Coffee Break

Sponsored by MorrisAnderson & Associates, Ltd.

10:15–11:45 a.m.

Plenary Session

Protecting Consumers in Financial Markets:  New Developments in BAPCPA Reform, Credit Cards and Unsafe Credit Products

Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

Brady C. Williamson (Moderator)

Godfrey & Kahn SC; Madison, Wis.

Oliver I. Ireland

Morrison Foerster; Washington, D.C.

Travis Plunkett

Consumer Federation of America; Washington D.C.

John Rao

National Consumer Law Center; Boston

11:30 a.m.-3:00p.m.

Optional Event: Guided Tour of Washington, D.C.

12:00 noon–2:00 p.m.

Luncheon Program

Keynote Featuring David Baldacci

Sponsored by Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, KPMG LLP and LECG LLC

2:15–3:45 p.m.

Plenary Session

The Government-Managed Economy—TARP, Mortgage Modification, etc.: Is Anything Working?

William A. Brandt, Jr. (Moderator)

Development Specialists, Inc.; Chicago

Harvey R. Miller

Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP; New York

Alex J. Pollock

American Enterprise Institute; Washington, D.C.

Mark Zandi

Moody's Economy.com; West Chester, Pa.

A member of Congress or senior administration official will be part of this session.

3:45–4:00 p.m.

Refreshment Break

Sponsored by BDO Consulting

4:00–5:30 p.m.

Concurrent Committee Educational Sessions

Asset Sales/Real Estate/National Auctioneers Association (joint): Maximizing the Value of Commercial Real Estate, Machinery and Equipment and Intellectual Property through the Auction Process

Gary S. Jacobson (Moderator)

Herold and Haines, PA; Warren, N.J.

David A. Fiegel

GoIndustry USA; Owings Mills, Md.

Cathy Rae Hershcopf

Cooley Godward Kronish LLP; New York

Stephen M. Karbelk

National Auctioneers Association; Tulsa, Okla.

Daryl Martin

CONSOR Intellectual Asset Management; La Jolla, Calif.

Business Reorganization: Class Actions in Chapter 11 Cases

Class Actions in Chapter 11 Cases:  Proofs of Claim, Settlement and Confirmation

Corinne Ball

Jones Day; New York

Kenneth H. Eckstein

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP; New York

Leonard H. Gerson

Leonard H. Gerson, Esq.; New York

Michael H. Goldstein

Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Santa Monica, Calif.

Ken Marks

Susman Godfrey, LLP; Houston

Consumer Bankruptcy/Bankruptcy Taxation (joint): The Financial Nuts and Bolts of Representing a (Really) Small Business

Hon. Linda B. Riegle (Moderator)

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Nev.); Las Vegas

Charles F. Rosen

Law Offices of A. Lavar Taylor; Santa Ana, Calif.

Steven A. Schwaber

Law Offices of Steven A. Schwaber; San Marino, Calif.

Financial Advisors: How Lenders are Coping with the New Realities of the Economy and Credit Markets

Thomas J. Donnelly (Moderator)

UBS Investment Bank; Stamford, Conn.

Thomas M. Cambern

Wachovia Capital Markets LLC; Charlotte, N.C.

T. Michael Logan

Suntrust Bank; Atlanta

Mark Manski

Barclays Capital; New York

Health Care: Traditional and Alternative Financing Vehicles for Health Care Available in Today's Tight Financial Environment

Timothy M. Lupinacci (Moderator)

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC; Birmingham, Ala.

Sarah Sumner Duggan

Capmark; Horsham, Pa.

Robert McCarrick

GE Healthcare Financial Services; Bethesda, Md.

Sharyn Beth Zuch

Wiggin and Dana LLP; Hartford, Conn.

Legislation: Washington Update

Hon. Jeffery P. Hopkins (Moderator)

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (S.D. Ohio); Cincinnati

Congressman Louie Gohmert

U.S. Representative (TX-01); Tyler, Texas

5:00-11:00 p.m.

Optional Event: Washington Wizards vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

6:00–7:00 p.m.

Women's Networking Reception

Sponsored by Bridge Associates LLC

7:00–8:30 p.m.

ABI Endowment Fund Reception (invitation only)

Sponsored by Bridge Associates LLC

10:30 p.m. - ?

ABI Late Night Karaoke: Cocktails, Karaoke and Special Guests

Hosted by BMC Group

 

Friday, April 3, 2009

7:30–8:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

Sponsored by BBK and Epiq Systems, Inc.

8:00–9:30 a.m.

Concurrent Committee Educational Sessions

Employee Benefits: Pension Plan Liens: Nature, Scope and Peculiarities

Joel Ruderman (Moderator)

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; Washington, D.C.

Philip D. Anker

WilmerHale; New York

Chris Dickerson

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Chicago

Israel Goldowitz

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; Washington, D.C.

Ethics: Caveat Consuasor (Let the Advisor Beware): Ethics Missteps and Lessons in Client Management, Representation and Advocacy Found in Recent Rulings

Prof. Margaret Howard (Moderator)

Washington & Lee Law School; Lexington, Va.

Ramona D. Elliott

Executive Office for U.S. Trustees; Washington, D.C.

O. Max Gardner, III

Gardner Law Offices, PLLC; Shelby, N.C.

Jeffrey K. Garfinkle

Buchalter Nemer, PC; Irvine, Calif.

Hon. Ray C. Mullins

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (N.D. Ga.); Atlanta

International: Representing the Foreign Creditor in Today's Financial Meltdown

Ronald J. Silverman (Moderator)

Bingham McCutchen LLP; New York

David M. Reeder

Hoffman Polland & Furman PLLC; New York and Los Angeles

Robert J. Rosenberg

Latham & Watkins LLP; New York

Luis Salazar

Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Miami

Investment Banking: Reorganizations, Going-Concern Sales and Liquidations in the Current Capital Markets: Potential Treatment of Creditors' Claims, Valuation and Feasibility Issues, and Other Considerations Affecting a Debtor's Strategic Alternatives

William Q. Derrough (Moderator)

Moelis & Company; New York

David A. Gozdecki

GE Commercial Finance; Chicago

Laura Davis Jones

Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; Wilmington, Del.

George Kase

Marlin Equity Partners; El Segundo, Calif.

Law School: Did Bankruptcy Reform Fail?  An Empirical Study of Consumer Debtors

Prof. Ronald J. Mann

Columbia Law School; New York

Professional Compensation: Current Trends and Perspectives in Connection with the Retention and Employment of Professional Persons under the Bankruptcy Code

David B. Stratton (Moderator)

Pepper Hamilton LLP; Wilmington, Del.

Roberta A. DeAngelis

Office of the U.S. Trustee; Philadelphia

Hon. Laurel M. Isicoff

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (S.D. Fla.); Miami

Thomas A. Morrow

AlixPartners LLP; Southfield, Mich.

Public Companies and Claims Trading: Financial Institution Bankruptcies - Should They Change The Way We Think About Chapter 11?

Andrea Pincus (Moderator)

Reed Smith LLP; New York

Marc Baum

Ramius LLC; New York

Leslie Rahl

Capital Markets Risk Advisors; New York

Bryan Saddler

U.S. Department of the Treasury; Washington, D.C.

Michael Venditto

Reed Smith LLP; New York

9:30–11:00 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions

A.  Trimming the Hedges: Liquidations of Private Equity/Hedge Funds

Jeff J. Marwil (Moderator)

Proskauer Rose, LLP ; Chicago

Marc Abrams

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP; New York

Hon. James M. Peck

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (S.D. N.Y.); New York

Steven J. Reisman

Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP; New York

Anthony H. N. Schnelling

Bridge Associates LLC; New York

B.  Sophisticated Planning or Playing a Shell Game - Asset Protection Planning

Ford Elsaesser (Moderator)

Elsaesser, Jarzabek, et al.;Sandpoint, Id.

Barry S. Engel

Engel Reiman & Lockwood PC; Denver

Robert C. Furr

Furr & Cohen, PA; Boca Raton, Fla.

Paul G. Swanson

Steinhilber, Swanson et al.; Oshkosh, Wisc.

C.  SOS for Retail: Only the Strongest Survive 

Jeffrey N. Pomerantz (Moderator)

Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; Los Angeles

Hon. Kevin R. Huennekens

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (E.D. Va.); Richmond

Robert L. LeHane

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP; New York

Scott Peltz

RSM McGladrey; Chicago

Edward Stenger

AlixPartners LLP; New York

D.  After Marrama: Applying Good-faith Standard in Bankruptcy

David G. Baker

Law Office of David G. Baker; Boston

Alane A. Becket

Becket & Lee, LLP; Malvern, Pa.

Steven L. Higgs

Steven L. Higgs, PC; Roanoke, Va.

John Rao

National Consumer Law Center; Boston

11:00–11:15 a.m.

Coffee Break

Sponsored by Winston & Strawn LLP

11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

A.  The State of Real Estate Industry and What's Next in Bankruptcies and Restructurings

Debra Ann Riley (Moderator)

Allen Matkins et al; San Diego

Neil R. Aaronson

The Hilco Organization; Northbrook, Ill.

Matthew Bordwin

Keen Consultants - The Real Estate Division of KPMG Corporate Finance LLC; Melville, N.Y.

William N. Lobel

Irell & Manella LLP; Newport Beach, Calif.

B.  Third-party Releases, Exculpation Provisions, Plan Injunctions and Postconfirmation Jurisdiction

C. R. “Chip” Bowles (Moderator)

Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC; Louisville, Ky.

Jacob C. Cohn

Cozen O'Connor; Philadelphia

Donald L. Gaffney

Snell & Wilmer, LLP; Phoenix

Hon. Barbara J. Houser

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (N.D. Tex); Dallas

Joel H. Levitin

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP; New York

C. Water in the Sahara: What's Next in the Credit, DIP Lending and Exit Financing Markets?

Howard Brod Brownstein (Moderator)

NachmanHaysBrownstein, Inc.; Narberth, Pa.

Steven Ballantine

Thomson West; Saint Paul, Minn.

Larry Lattig

Mesirow Financial Consulting, LLC; Dallas

M. Freddie Reiss

FTI Consulting, Inc.; Los Angeles

Timothy G. Skillman

Grant Thornton LLP; Los Angeles

D.  Ethical Issues for Creditors in Consumer Cases

Prof. G. Ray Warner (Moderator)

St. John's University School of Law; Jamaica, N.Y.

Kirk B. Burkley

Bernstein Law Firm, PC; Pittsburgh

Ramona D. Elliott

Executive Office for U.S. Trustees; Washington, D.C.

12:30–2:00 p.m.

Luncheon Program (optional event)

Guest Speaker: Paul Mercurio

Sponsored by IWIRC

2:15–3:45 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

A.  Selling Strategies - Finding Buyers and Managing an Effective Sale Process

Jonathan P. Friedland (Moderator)

Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC; Chicago

Charles Reardon

Houlihan Lokey; McLean, Va.

David E. Mack

MorrisAnderson & Associates, Ltd.; Chicago

Thomas J. Salerno

Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, LLP; Phoenix

B.  New Wave of Litigation - Fraudulent Transfers, Broken Commitments, Failure to Fund, Lack of Good Faith

JoAnn J. Brighton (Moderator)

K&L Gates LLP; Charlotte, NC

John M. Duck

Adams and Reese LLP; New Orleans

Hon. Steven W. Rhodes

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (E.D. Mich.); Detroit

Sheryl L. Toby

Dykema; Detroit

C.  Staying Out of the Quicksand: Ethical Considerations in Bankruptcy for Turnaround Professionals

William K. Snyder (Moderator)

CRG Partners Group LLC; Dallas

Diana G. Adams

Office of the U.S. Trustee, Region 2; New York

Lorie R. Beers

KPMG Corporate Finance LLC; New York

Patrick M. O'Keefe

O'Keefe & Associates; Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

D.  Practical Strategies to Maximize the Debtor Ability to Get a Discharge in Chapter 13

Hon. Joan N. Feeney (Moderator)

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, (D. Mass.); Boston

Henry E. Hildebrand

Lassiter, Tidwell, Davis, Keller & Hogan, PLLC; Nashville, Tenn.

Steven L. Rayman

Rayman & Stone; Kalamazoo, Mich.

3:45–4:00 p.m.

Refreshment Break

Sponsored by Loeb & Loeb LLP

4:00–5:30 p.m.

Concurrent Committee Educational Sessions

Bankruptcy Litigation/Finance and Banking (joint): Lender Liability in the Current Financial Crisis: The Latest Thinking on Selected Issues

Mark M. Maloney (Moderator)

King & Spalding LLP; Atlanta

Harold B. Murphy

Hanify & King, PC; Boston

Brian I. Swett

Winston & Strawn LLP; Chicago

Commercial Fraud: Behind the Book "Enron and Other Corporate Fiascos: The Corporate Scandal Reader."   Why the Author Wrote the Book, What it Means and Why You Should Read It

Prof. Nancy B. Rapoport

William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Las Vegas

Court Administration/Technology and Telecommunications (joint): Net Neutrality and Identity Theft

Net Neutrality:

Jason Gold (Moderator)

Wiley Rein; McLean, Va.

Scott Cleland

NetCompetition.org; McLean, Va.

Gigi Sohn

Public Knowledge; Washington, D.C.

Identity Theft:

Kelly Beaudin Stapleton (Moderator)

Traxi LLC; New York

David Lincicum

Federal Trade Commission; Washington, D.C. 

Donald F. Walton

U.S.Trustee, Region 21; Atlanta

Mass Torts: Ethics in Mass-Tort Bankruptcies: The Issues Are Only Outnumbered by the Claimants

Karen B. Shaer (Moderator)

The Garden City Group, Inc.; Melville, N.Y.

Sander L. Esserman

Stutzman, Bromberg, Esserman & Plifka, P.C.; Dallas

Roger Frankel

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP; Washington, D.C.

Hon. Robert C. Pate

Law Office of Robert C. Pate; Corpus Christi, Tex.

Uniform Commercial Code: Topic 1 - Reclamation and 503(b)(9) Issues in the Aftermath of Sixth Circuit's Decision in Phar-Mor vs. McKesson and Topic 2 - Article 3: Where's the Note? Who's the Holder? Enforcement of Promissory Notes Secured by Real Estate

R. Glen Ayers, Jr.

Langley & Banack, Inc.; San Antonio

Steven M. Berman

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP; Tampa, Fla.

Hon. Samuel L. Bufford

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (C.D. Calif.); Los Angeles

Lisa Sommers Gretchko

Howard & Howard Attorneys, PC; Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Unsecured Trade Creditors: Exploring the Tensions Between Guarantors and Trade Creditors

Sharon Marie Beausoleil-Mayer (Moderator)

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP; Houston

Kirk B. Burkley

Bernstein Law Firm, PC; Pittsburgh

Edward M. Flint

Silverman Acampora LLP; Jericho, N.Y.

S. Margie Venus

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; Houston

Young and New Members/Alternative Dispute Resolution (joint): The Bankruptcy Boom Is Here: Are You Prepared for the Exponential Growth of Bankruptcy Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution?

Hon. Kevin Gross (Moderator)

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Del.); Wilmington

Ian C. Bifferato

Bifferato Gentilotti LLC; Wilmington, Del.

C. Edward Dobbs

Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs LLP; Atlanta

H. Kenneth Lefoldt, Jr.

Lefoldt & Company; Ridgeland, Miss.

7:00–10:00 p.m.

Final Night Gala Dinner & Concert with Kenny Loggins

A special thank you to the following bankruptcy professionals and financial sponsors for their dedication to the support of the Final Night Dinner:

Michael L. Bernstein, Arnold & Porter LLP; Washingon, D.C.

H. Slayton Dabney, Jr., King & Spalding LLP; New York

Clifton R. Jessup, Jr., Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Dallas

Jerry M. Markowitz, Markowitz, Davis, Ringel & Trusty, PA; Miami

Jeff J. Marwil, Winston & Strawn LLP; Chicago

Richard E. Mikels, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, PC; Boston

Jeffrey N. Pomerantz, Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; Los Angeles

Michael P. Richman, Foley & Lardner LLP; New York

John C. Weitnauer, Alston & Bird LLP; Atlanta

 

Sponsored by Adams and Reese LLP; Alston & Bird LLP; Baker & McKenzie LLP; Bernstein Shur; Bingham McCutchen LLP; Caplin & Drysdale; Crowell & Moring LLP; Dickstein Shapiro, LLP; Foley & Lardner LLP; Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Goldin Associates, LLC; Hunton & Williams LLP; King & Spalding LLP; McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC; Miles & Stockbridge PC; Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, PC; Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP; NachmanHaysBrownstein, Inc.; Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; Ropes & Gray LLP; Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP; Stutman, Treister & Glatt, PC; Togut, Segal & Segal, LLP; Von Briesen & Roper, SC; Vedder Price, P.C. and Winston & Strawn LLP

Saturday, April 4, 2009

8:00–8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

Sponsored by Gordian Group, LLC

8:30–10:00 a.m.

Plenary Session

Judicial Roundtable: Proving Valuation—What's Persuasive and What's Not

Robert M. Fishman (Moderator)

Shaw Gussis Fishman et al; Chicago

Hon. Kevin J. Carey

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Del.); Wilmington

Hon. Dennis R. Dow

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (W.D. Mo.); Kansas City

Hon. Barry Russell

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, (C.D. Calif.); Los Angeles

Hon. Eugene R. Wedoff

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, (N.D. Ill.); Chicago

Hon. Gregg W. Zive

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Nev.); Reno

10:00–10:15 a.m.

Coffee Break

Sponsored by Loeb & Loeb LLP

10:15–11:15 a.m.

Plenary Session

Multimedia Ethics Extravaganza

Prof. Nancy B. Rapoport

William S. Boyd School of Law University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Las Vegas

 

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