American Bankruptcy Institute News Conference

Speaker Bios and Resources

John Penn, Esq. is a partner at Haynes and Boone (Fort Worth, Texas), and has more than 20 years of experience in representing parties in business bankruptcy cases. He is a Past Chairman of the American Board of Certification and Past President of the Tarrant County Bankruptcy Bar Association. He is Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by both the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and American Board of Certification.

Nathalie Martin joined the University of New Mexico law faculty in 1998 after a 10-year career practicing bankruptcy law. Prof. Martin’s latest book, The New Bankruptcy Law & You for consumers, will be in wide release in mid-October. Her teaching and research focus on business law, with an emphasis on professionalism and ethics. She was recently named to serve on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Certification. Prof. Martin taught business law at Temple University School of Law, where she obtained her LL.M. While there, she received an Abraham L. Freedman Fellowship. Since joining the UNM law faculty, Prof. Martin has taught summer sessions in Greece and Italy through Temple University’s International Programs.  

Samuel J. Gerdano, Esq. is the executive director of the American Bankruptcy Institute in Alexandria, Va. Prior to taking the helm at ABI, he was the chief legal counsel to Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) on the Subcommittee on Courts and Administrative Practice of the Senate Judiciary Committee, serving as minority chief counsel and staff director. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; thus, Mr. Gerdano has been involved in all major bankruptcy policy changes since 1985.