33rd Annual Spring Meeting

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33rd Annual Spring Meeting

April 16-19, 2015 Renaissance Washington, DC

The 33rd Annual Spring Meeting features a roster of the best national speakers, and the depth and scope of topics offer something for everyone. Four concurrent workshops will cover various topics including programs for attorneys in large and small commercial cases, a track for professional development and a track dealing solely with consumer issues. The conference offers more than 18.25/22 hours of CLE/CPE in some states and ethics totaling 3.25/4 hours. In addition, nine committee sessions will drill down on topics covered in the larger sessions to provide you with the most practical and varied CLE experience ever.

Why Come to the ABI Annual Spring Meeting?

Networking opportunities abound. The networking event of the year, the Opening Reception, draws over 1,000 insolvency professionals each year - you can't afford to miss it! Additional optional events include a golf tournament, a Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies baseball game and an evening at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra. The Friday Luncheon will feature a keynote by Jake Halpern, author of Bad Paper: Chasing Debt from Wall Street to the Underworld. The Final Night Dinner will feature headliner Lou Gramm, former lead singer of Foreigner!

I look forward to seeing you there!
Brian L. Shaw
Shaw Fishman Glantz & Towbin LLC; Chicago

Watch Select Programs LIVE! Starting at 8:30a.m. on Friday

 

 

 

 


Special guest Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) spoke at the Opening Reception on Thursday, April 16!

Sessions

Event Information 139243

Thursday, April 16

8:00 a.m.

Optional Event

Golf Tournament at Army Navy Country Club (Arlington, Va)

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

ABC Exams

1:00-8:00 p.m.

Registration Desk Open

3:00-5:00 p.m.

Optional Event

Blowout Bar Salon: Perfect Hair for the Opening Reception

4:00-8:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Open

Sponsored by Sherwood Partners, LLC/agencyIP

5:00-6:00 p.m.

Emerging Leaders and Judges’ Roundtable Reception

By Invitation Only

Private roundtable for up-and-coming insolvency professionals and the judges in attendance.

6:00-8:00 p.m.

Opening Reception

Sponsored by: East West Bank, Gavin/Solmonese LLC, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Loeb & Loeb LLP, and Polsinelli 
Bar Service Sponsored by AlixPartners LLP, Lowenstein Sandler LLP, Protiviti, Inc. and SSG Capital Advisors, LLC

Friday, April 17

7:00-5:45 p.m.

Registration Desk Open

7:30-8:30 a.m.

Breakfast with the Judges

presented by the ABI Financial Advisors and Investment Banking Committee

8:00-8:30 a.m.

Breakfast

Sponsored by: Bernstein Shur and MorrisAnderson

8:30-10:00 a.m.

19th Annual Great Debates

Jeffrey N. Pomerantz, Moderator

ABI Vice President-Education

Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; Los Angeles

Resolved: Curbing pension rights in a chapter 9 case is constitutional.

Pro: Bruce S. Bennett

       Jones Day; Los Angeles

Con: Babette A. Ceccotti

       Cohen, Weiss & Simon LLP; New York

Resolved: Committee member fees are not payable as part of a Chapter 11 plan.

Pro: Nan Roberts Eitel

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

Con: Dennis F. Dunne

       Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP; New York

Resolved: A chapter 13 debtor may employ § 363 to effect a free-and-clear short sale of a principal residence notwithstanding § 1322(b)(2) and the secured creditor’s objection.

Pro: Hon. Eugene R. Wedoff

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

Con: Hon. Mary Grace Diehl

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

10:00-10:15 a.m.

Break

Sponsored by: Jones Day and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McColy LLP

10:15-11:45 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions (3)

How Secured Are Secured Creditors? The Changing Landscape of Chapter 11 Plan Confirmation

This panel will provide a review and analysis of § 1129(a) and (b) confirmation standards focused on recent developments affecting senior and junior secured creditors including the ABI Commission Report. Discussed will be Momentive Performance issues, including cramdown interest rates at below-market rates even when market rates exist, the extent of the subordination of senior subordinated noteholders, the enforceability of make-whole payment provisions in chapter 11 plans, and intercreditor and cramdown issues.

Stephen D. Lerner, Moderator

Squire Patton Boggs; Cincinnati

Colin McNeil Adams

Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.; New York

Hon. Shelley C. Chapman

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

Jeff J. Marwil

Proskauer; Chicago

John Tittle, Jr.

Tittle Advisory Group, Inc.; Irving, Tex.

What Do Clients Really Want?

Join a distinguished group of panelists involved in the hiring — and firing — of bankruptcy professionals. Hear how you can serve clients better and make them need to work with you.

James T. Markus, Moderator

Markus Williams Young & Zimmermann, LLC; Denver

Steven Charles Krause

Owl Creek Asset Management, L.P.; New York

Anne M. Peterson

HSBC Bank USA; Buffalo, N.Y.

John Ray

Greylock Partners LLC

Cherie Schaible

AIG Investments; New York

Ronald M. Tucker

Simon Property Group; Indianapolis. Ind.

Preference Action Mock Hearing

The panelists will present a mock hearing during which they will adduce evidence from plaintiff and defense witnesses and make legal arguments on various topical issues that arise in a preference action. Among the matters at issue are both the new value and ordinary course of business defenses, as well as the use of state law preference actions and safe harbors.

Litigants:

Andrew W. Caine

Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; Los Angeles

Jennifer M. McLemore

Christian & Barton, L.L.P.; Richmond, Va.

Judges:

Hon. Dennis R. Dow

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

Hon. Bruce A. Harwood

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, (D. N.H.); Manchester

Hon. August B. Landis

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

12:00-2:00 p.m.

Luncheon and Keynote

Sponsored by NERA Economic Consulting

Featuring Best-Selling Author Jake Halpern

Author of Bad Paper: Chasing Debt from Wall Street to the Underworld

2:15-3:45 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions (4)

Report from the ABI Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11

The Final Report of the Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11 is the culmination of nearly three years of testimony, advisory reports and deliberations. This panel will present key findings as submitted to Congress, with several members of the Commission and the official reporter.

Prof. Michelle M. Harner, Moderator

University of Maryland School of Law; Baltimore

Robert J. Keach

Bernstein Shur; Portland, Maine

Prof. Kenneth N. Klee

University of California at Los Angeles, School of Law; Los Angeles

James P. Seery, Jr.

River Birch Capital, LLC; New York

Albert J. Togut

Togut, Segal & Segal LLP; New York

Clifford J. White, III

U.S. Department of Justice; Washington, D.C.

Getting to Confirmation: How to Draft a Chapter 11 Plan, Disclosure Statement and Related Documents

This panel is part of our continuing series on drafting skills for bankruptcy and restructuring attorneys. The panel is intended to provide a practical “how to” discussion and analysis of drafting chapter 11 plan documents including the Disclosure Statement, the Chapter 11 Plan, Liquidating Trust Agreements, and related documents. The panel will provide form documents and discuss heavily negotiated or scrutinized provisions.

John R. Ashmead, Moderator

Seward & Kissel LLP; New York

Jessica C.K. Boelter

Sidley Austin LLP; Chicago

Ted A. Dillman

Latham & Watkins LLP; Los Angeles

Ian T. Peck

Haynes and Boone, LLP; Fort Worth, Tex.

Chapter 15 Answers that My Bankruptcy Teacher Never Told Me

Find out not only what the hot new issues are in chapter 15 proceedings, but also the answers to issues that no one talks about. For example, can chapter 15 be used to bring a cause of action? Can a foreign debtor recognized under chapter 15 use § 108 to extend limitations, and can such a debtor seek turnover pursuant to § 542(e)? Come hear our panel discuss these and other important chapter 15 questions.

Ronald J. Silverman, Moderator

Hogan Lovells; New York

Hon. Leif M. Clark (ret.)

San Antonio

Hon. Mr. Justice Geoffrey B. Morawetz

Superior Court of Justice - Toronto Region; Toronto

Randall A. Swick

Reid Collins & Tsai LLP; Austin, Tex.

Claudia R. Tobler

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; Washington, D.C

Home Loans Redux

This panel will highlight new problems with loan documentation and transfer, escrow issues in proofs of claim and post-petition, proliferation of automatic stay and discharge violation litigation, and the impact of regulatory developments in the treatment and servicing of mortgage loan claims.

John Rao, Moderator

National Consumer Law Center; Boston

Lawrence R. Ahern, III

Brown & Ahern; Brentwood (Nashville), Tenn.

Hon. Robert D. Drain

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

Peter J. Mulcahy

Ocwen Financial Corporation; Fort Washington, Pa.

3:45-4:15 p.m.

Networking Happy Half-Hour

Sponsored by Development Specialists, Inc., Foley & Lardner LLP and Proskauer

4:15-5:45 p.m.

Committee Educational Sessions (3)

Legislation/Secured Credit

Secured Credit Under the Code and Commission Report

Patricia A. Redmond (Moderator)

Stearns, Weaver, Miller, Weissler, Alhadeff & Sitterson, PA; Miami

Anthony Grossi

Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives; Washington, D.C.

Jonathan N. Helfat

Otterbourg P.C.; New York

Daniel Kamensky

James Millstein

Millstein & Co.; New York & Washington, D.C.

Bankruptcy Litigation/Ethics & Professional Compensation

Trustee Selection in Commercial Bankruptcy Cases: Who Wins the Battle to Control the Estate?

Eve H. Karasik, Moderator

Levene Neale Bender Yoo & Brill; Los Angeles

Ramona D. Elliott

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

Edward T. Gavin

Gavin/Solmonese LLC; Wilmington, Del.

James A. Lodoen

Lindquist & Vennum LLP; Minneapolis

Asset Sales/Real Estate

Don’t Restrict My Sale: The Enforceability of Restrictive Covenants and Easements in Assets Sales in Bankruptcy

Gregory G. Hesse

Hunton & Williams LLP; Dallas

Hon. Catherine Peek McEwen

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (M.D. Fla.); Tampa

Alec P. Ostrow

Becker, Glynn, Muffly, Chassin & Hosinski LLP; New York

Michael D. Sirota

Cole Schotz P.C.

5:45 p.m.

Bankruptcy Litigation/Ethics & Professional Compensation Networking Reception

6:00-7:00 p.m.

Optional Event

Women’s Networking Reception

Sponsored by Ernst & Young LLP

6:00-11:00 p.m.

Optional Event

Baseball Night Out: Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies

7:00-10:00 p.m.

Optional Event

National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center

10:00-12:00 pm

Optional Event

Late Night Bowling at Lucky Strike in Chinatown

Saturday, April 18

7:30-8:00 a.m.

Breakfast

Sponsored by: Latham & Watkins LLP

7:45 a.m.

Mimosas and Bloody Marys

Sponsored by ABI’s Bankruptcy Taxation, Business Reorganization and Young & New Members Committees

8:00-9:30 a.m.

Committee Educational Sessions (3)

Bankruptcy Taxation/Business Reorganization/Young & New Members

Tax-Sharing Agreements in Bankruptcy that Have Been the Subject of Recent Appeals Court Decisions

Richard J. Corbi

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York

Todd C. Meyers

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP; Atlanta

Whitman L. Holt

Klee, Tuchin, Bogdanoff & Stern LLP; Los Angeles

Jeffrey Schmitt

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Washington, D.C.

Financial Advisors & Investment Banking/International

Structuring Cross-Border Deals to Protect Creditor Interests

Gilberto Deon Correa, Moderator

Souto, Correa, Cesa, Lummertz & Amaral Advogados; Porto Alegre, Brazil

Van C. Durrer, II

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Los Angeles

Soneet R. Kapila

KapilaMukamal, LLP; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Neil Lupton

Walkers; Grand Cayman

Paul Melville

Grant Thornton LLP; Chicago

Health Care/Labor & Employment

Hemorrhaging Hospitals: Labor Issues in the Healthcare Insolvency E.R.

Scott B. Davis

Grant Thornton LLP; Charlotte, N.C.

David M. Fusco

Schwarzwald McNair & Fusco LLP; Cleveland, OH

Sharon L. Levine

Lowenstein Sandler LLP; Roseland, N.J.

Nancy A. Peterman

Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Chicago

9:30-11:00 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions (4)

Report of ABI Task Force on Plan Confirmation: Recommendations for Sale Cases

John William Lucas, Moderator

Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; San Francisco

Hon. Kevin J. Carey

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

William K. Harrington

Office of the U.S. Trustee; New York

Hon. Barbara J. Houser

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

Jeffrey W. Kelley

Troutman Sanders LLP; Atlanta

Anatomy of a Chapter 11 Plan Confirmation Hearing

This panel will explore key chapter 11 plan confirmation issues by way of a live demonstration of a confirmation hearing. The demonstration will address the most commonly litigated legal issues, the evidence required to satisfy those requirements, and in particular, how to present and cross-examine experts in connection with feasibility. Audience members will be asked to "rule"

Michael H. Ahrens, Moderator

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP; San Francisco

Hon. Kevin R. Huennekens

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

Susan Jaffe Roberts

Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP; Baltimore

Bradley D. Sharp

Development Specialists, Inc.; Los Angeles

Kelly Beaudin Stapleton

Alvarez & Marsal; New York

ABI/TMA Panel: Lawyers and FA's-All for One and One for All

This panel will discuss how lawyers and FAs can work together in creating clear client expectations by defining both the lawyer’s and FA’s work scope. Also discussed will be the fee structure involved in the retention of FAs both as company advisors and expert witnesses. Finally, this panel will explain in detail what can be done to make our mutual clients satisfied with both the lawyers and FAs in the obtained results.

Kathryn A. Coleman, Moderator

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP; New York

Ronald F. Greenspan

FTI Consulting, Inc.; Los Angeles

Martha E.M. Kopacz

Phoenix Management Services; Boston

Thomas A. Morrow

AlixPartners LLP; Southfield, Mich.

Class Actions in Bankruptcy Cases

Class action lawsuits in both business and consumer cases are becoming more prevalent. Are you wondering whether your clients’ WARN Act claims would be better pursued against a debtor company in a class action adversary proceeding or in a class proof of claim, or both? If your client has been sued in a debtor’s consumer class action adversary proceeding, do you know the best defenses against class certification? This panel of experts will explore the potential benefits and pitfalls of class actions by creditors against debtor companies and by debtors/trustees against creditors and others by highlighting recent appellate and bankruptcy court decisions.

Rudy J. Cerone, Moderator

McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC; New Orleans

Michael H. Goldstein

Goodwin Procter LLP; New York

Hon. Robert E. Grossman

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (E.D.N.Y.); Central Islip

Johnie J. Patterson, II

Walker & Patterson, PC; Houston

11:00-11:15 a.m.

Break

Sponsored by: PwC and Reid Collins & Tsai LLP

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions (3)

Panic in Detroit – Chapter 9 Bankruptcy Process from Soup to Nuts

This panel of Chapter 9 specialists will discuss eligibility under Chapter 9, the authority of the bankruptcy court, powers of the municipal debtor, the role of creditors, mediation, the automatic stay, and issues peculiar to certain types of Chapter 9 debtors such as hospitals and cities and other recent developments in chapter 9.

Heather Lennox, Moderator

Jones Day; Cleveland

Ryan Blaine Bennett

Kirkland & Ellis LLP; Chicago

Prof. Melissa B. Jacoby

University of North Carolina; Chapel Hill, N.C.

William W. Kannel

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, PC; Boston

Van E. Conway

Conway MacKenzie; Birmingham, Mich.

Business Case Law Updates

Recent developments in cases at the bankruptcy and appellate levels.

Howard Seife, Moderator

Chadbourne & Parke LLP; New York

Kristin K. Going

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Washington, D.C.

Lisa Sommers Gretchko

Howard & Howard Attorneys, PLLC; Royal Oak, Mich.

Eric E. Walker

Perkins Coie LLP; Chicago

Consumer Case Law Updates

Analysis of recent cases in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13

Alane A. Becket, Moderator

Becket & Lee, LLP; Malvern, Pa.

Elizabeth Gunn

Sands Anderson PC; Richmond, Va.

Cecilia Lee

Cecilia Lee, Ltd.; Reno, Nev.

Hon. C. Ray Mullins

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Georgia; Atlanta

12:30-2:00 p.m.

Optional Event

Sponsored by McGuireWoods LLP and MWI

Keynote Luncheon: A Conversation with the Hon. Steven W. Rhodes

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

Join in a dialogue led by former ABI Presidents:

Richardo I. Kilpatrick

Kilpatrick & Associates, PC; Auburn Hills, Mich.

Melissa Kibler Knoll

Mesirow Financial Consulting, LLC; Chicago

Michael P. Richman

Hunton & Williams LLP; New York

2:15-3:45 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions (3)

Reconsidering Safe Harbors For Repurchase Agreements

Recent decades have seen substantial expansion in exemptions from the Bankruptcy Code’s provisions with respect to repurchase agreements, or “repos.” These agreements, which are equivalent to very-short-term (often one-day) secured loans, are exempt from such core bankruptcy provisions as the automatic stay, the avoidability of fraudulent transfers and the avoidability of preferences. Recent scholarship has questioned whether these exemptions are justified for mortgage-backed securities and other securities that could prove illiquid or unable to realize their long-term value in the event of the kind of panic experienced during the financial crisis of 2007-09. This panel will explore the arguments for and against revising the Bankruptcy Code’s existing treatment of these agreements.

Hon. Christopher S. Sontchi, Moderator

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

Prof. Stephen J. Lubben

Seton Hall University Law School; Newark, N.J.

M. Stephanie Wickouski

Bryan Cave LLP; New York

Maximizing the Benefits of Your iPad or Android to Your Practice

This panel will discuss the use of your iPad and other tablets to maximize the return to your practice. The topics will include a discussion of leading apps that are available for bankruptcy attorneys and other bankruptcy case professionals.

Damian S. Schaible, Moderator

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP; New York

Karim Guirguis

American Bankruptcy Institute; Alexandria, Va.

Brain L. Shaw

Shaw Fishman Glantz & Towbin LLC; Chicago

Paul Unger

Affinity Consulting Group; Columbus, Ohio

Chapter 13 Cramdowns

Lien-stripping, short sales and other contested confirmation issues will be highlighted.

Nancy J. Whaley, Moderator

Office of Nancy J. Whaley, Standing Chapter 13 Trustee; Atlanta

Hon. Wendelin I. Lipp

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Md.); Greenbelt

Kimberly A. Pierro

SunTrust Banks, Inc.; Richmond, Va.

Tara Twomey

National Consumer Law Center; Carmel, Calif.

3:45-4:15 p.m.

Wine & Cheese Reception

Sponsored by Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

4:15-5:45 p.m.

Committee Educational Sessions (3)

Commercial Fraud/Unsecured Trade Creditors

Advanced Defenses to Avoidance Actions: Understanding Them Can Make All The Difference

Hon. Marci B. McIvor (Moderator)

U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Michigan; Detroit

Philip D. Anker

WilmerHale; New York

Edward Weisfelner

Brown Rudnick LLP; New York

Peter S. Willett

Bingham McCutchen LLP; Boston

Consumer Bankruptcy/Mediation

Consumer Mortgage Modification Mediation: A Florida Success Story

Robert B. Branson

BransonLaw, PLLC; Orlando, Fla.

Laurie K. Weatherford

Chapter 13 Trustee; Winter Park, Fla.

Hon. Michael G. Williamson

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (M.D. Fla.); Tampa

Melissa A. Youngman

McCalla Raymer, LLC; Orlando, Fla.

Technology

Using Technology Effectively: Strategies for Courtroom Success

Roy M. Terry (Moderator)

Sands Anderson PC; Richmond, VA

Paige L. Ellerman

Frost Brown Todd LLC; Cincinnati

Narendra Ganti

Ganti Advisors LLC; Bethesda, MD

Hon. Mary F. Walrath

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

7:00-10:00 p.m.

Saturday Night Gala Dinner

Performance by Lou Gramm, Formerly of Foreigner

Dinner and Entertainment Sponsored by Armstrong Teasdale LLP, BakerHostetler, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Bryan Cave LLP, Chadbourne & Parke LLP, EisnerAmper LLP, Gavin/Solmonese LLC, Gray Reed & McGraw, PC, Logan & Company, Inc., McCalla Raymer, LLC, Miles & Stockbridge PC, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP, Shaw Fishman Glantz & Towbin LLC, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP , Stearns, Weaver, Miller, Weissler, Alhadeff & Sitterson, PA and Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP
 

10:00-11:00 p.m.

Endowment Reception

By Invitation Only

Sponsored by: Becket & Lee LLP, Perkins Coie LLP and Rust Omni

Sunday, April 19

8:30-9:00 a.m.

Breakfast

Sponsored by: Brown Rudnick LLP

9:00-10:00 a.m.

Plenary Session:

Flapjacks and Sage Advice: Judges’ Panel on Everything!

Your favorite judges will answer the most difficult questions fielded from ABI members in the weeks before this event and from members of the audience. Hear the judges provide their input on best practices, interesting arguments and the current state of the law.

James Patrick Shea, Moderator

Armstrong Teasdale LLP; Las Vegas

Hon. Robert E. Gerber

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

Hon. Laurel Myerson Isicoff

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

Hon. Stacey G. C. Jernigan

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

Hon. Pamela Pepper

U.S. District Court (E.D. Wisc.); Milwaukee

10:00-10:15 a.m.

Break

Sponsored by: Stinson Leonard Street LLP

10:15-11:45 a.m.

Ethics: Chapter 11 Commission Recommendations on Professional Fees and Expenses

Any reform of current chapter 11 practice must account for the prevailing criticism that fees and costs are too high, and do it in a way that focuses on aligning incentives with case efficiency. This panel of Commissioners will discuss recommended reforms that provide for more effective oversight, as well as alternative fee structures consistent with professionals’ ethical obligations under the Code of Professional Responsibility.

Deborah D. Williamson, Moderator

Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated; San Antonio

William A. Brandt, Jr.

Development Specialists, Inc.; New York

Jack Butler

Hilco Global; Northbrook, Il.

Clifford J. White, III

U.S. Department of Justice; Washington, D.C.

11:45 a.m.

Adjourn

 

Optional Events

Attorney Specialist Certification

The American Board of Certification (ABC) will offer its Business Bankruptcy, Consumer Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Exams at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown on Thursday, April 16, from 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Details on the certification process, exam composition and sample exam can be obtained by calling ABC at (319) 365-2222, by e-mailing [email protected] or by visiting the ABC Website at www.abcworld.org. The ABC certification programs are sponsored by the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Commercial Law League of America, and all three programs are accredited by the American Bar Association.

 

Golf Tournament

Thursday, April 16, 8:00 a.m.

Golf Club

Join your colleagues for the 6th Annual Golf Tournament at the Annual Spring Meeting. The $150-per-player fee includes round-trip transportation, breakfast, cart rental, prizes and tournament fee. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form, and indicate your handicap.

 

Blowout Bar Salon – Perfect Hair for the Opening Reception

Thursday, April 16, 3:00-5:00 p.m.

 Blowout Bar Salon

No cuts. No color. Just blowouts! Sip champagne, get pampered and get ready for the Opening Reception with your colleagues at this private event. Cost is $75 per person. Please mark the appropriate box on the registration form.

 

Women's Networking Reception

Friday, April 17, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Join your fellow ABI members for a reception and conversation about common issues facing today’s women in the restructuring industry. Tickets are $50 per person. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.

 

Baseball Night Out: Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Friday, April 17, 6:00-11:00 p.m.

MLB

 

 

Take me out to the ballgame! Enjoy the rivalry between DC and Philly at Nationals Park in a private suite - a great spot for networking with colleagues while enjoying America’s favorite pastime. The $100 fee includes a ticket to the game and food and beverages. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.

 

 

National Symphony Orchestra: Vassily Sinaisky, Conductor: Rachmaninoff's “The Bells”/Loren Kitt, Principal Clarinet, Plays Mozart's Clarinet Concerto

Friday, April 17, 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Kennedy Center

 

 

Conductor Vassily Sinaisky and three Russian singers make their NSO debut with Rachmaninoff's “The Bells” in a program including Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, featuring NSO Principal Clarinet Loren Kitt, and Borodin’s “Prince Igor Overture.” Tickets are $75 per person and do not include transportation. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.

 

Late-Night Bowling at Lucky Strike in Chinatown

Friday, April 17, 10:00 p.m.-12:00 midnight

Lucky Strike

 

 

Grab dinner early and head over for late-night bowling at Lucky Strike, DC’s upscale bowling venue! Drinks and lanes are provided for unforgettable fun with old and new friends! Cost is $50 per person; please check the appropriate box on the registration form. Event hosted by the Young and New Members Committee - thank you to our Late-Night Bowling sponsors, Bayard and Turnaround Underground!

 

 

Keynote Luncheon: A Conversation with Hon. Steven W. Rhodes

Saturday, April 18, 12:30-2:00 p.m.

Rhodes Steven

 

 

A panel of past ABI presidents will interview Judge Steven Rhodes in a discussion of current topics, including the Detroit bankruptcy case as well as emerging challenges for insolvency professionals. Tickets to the luncheon are $75 per person; please check the appropriate box on the registration form.

 

 

 

Final Night Gala Dinner with Lou Gramm, Formerly of Foreigner

Saturday, April 17, 7:00-10:00 p.m.

 

 

 

Join your colleagues for dinner and classic rock with Lou Gramm, former lead singer of the popular band Foreigner. Cost is $105 per attendee, $125 for guests; please check the appropriate box on the registration form.

 

Conference Information

Hotel Accommodations

Discover the culture of Washington, D.C., while experiencing true sophistication at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown hotel. Award-winning restaurants, boutique shopping, CityCenterDC, Verizon Center, Spy Museum, Chinatown, National Portrait Gallery and the world-famous National Mall are all steps from the hotel, but will feel worlds away. The newly renovated hotel offers five dining options, including a Starbucks Café, a vibrant lounge, an on-site day spa and the hotel’s Vida fitness center.

 

ABI has arranged for a special conference rate of $334 per night. Reservations must be made by March 25, 2015, to secure the special conference rate. Reservations may be made only once you have registered with ABI. Upon payment of the conference registration fees, you will receive hotel reservation information with your conference confirmation. Rooms are held on a first-come, first-served basis. ABI cannot guarantee anyone a room after the specially rated ABI block is filled.

 

The hotel is located at 999 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001.

Conference Attire

Professional business attire is requested throughout conference.

Cancellation Policy

All fees, except a $75 handling fee, will be refunded if notice of cancellation is received in writing by March 26, 2015. No refunds will be made if notice is received after March 26, although substitutions will be allowed. After March 26, upon written request, a coupon for 20% off the registration fee (not including optional events) will be issued, which can be used (by the cancelling registrant only) for any ABI educational program up to one year after this conference, or for this same conference next year.

Continuing Education

18.5 hours of general CLE credit, including 3 hours of ethics, are pending in states calculating CLE on a 60-minute hour, and 22 hours of general CLE credit, including 3.5 hours of ethics, are pending in 50-minute-hour states. Credit hours granted are subject to approval from each state. California MCLE: ABI certifies that this activity has been approved for MCLE credit in the amount of 18.5 hours, of which 3 hours will apply to ethics. NY MCLE: This transitional and non-transitional program has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the CLE Board for a maximum of 22 credit hours, of which 3.5 hours of credit can be applied toward the ethics professionalism requirement. 22 hours of CPE credit, including 3.5 hours of ethics, are also available.

 

*ABI offers intermediate-level courses, which assume that attendees will have at least some detailed knowledge of insolvency matters (pursuant to the “Statement on Standards for CPE Programs” established by AICPA and NASBA). ABI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE sponsors. State boards of accountancy have the final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be addressed to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 150 Fourth Ave. North, Suite 700, Nashville, TN 37219-2417, or www.nasba.org. For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaint and refund, please contact the American Bankruptcy Institute at (703) 739-0800.

 

ABI acknowledges that in some instances there will be persons who need to attend an educational seminar for CLE credit who are not able to pay full registration fees. ABI will handle such instances on a case-by-case basis and will work with the individual on alternative solutions. For persons who cannot meet the full registration rate, ABI will offer a reduced rate based on what the individual can reasonably afford to cover the cost of meals and materials. For persons unable to pay a reduced rate, we may allow the individual to work at our registration area for a few hours during attendee check-in, or assist in conference set-up. ABI also has reduced rates for government employees, professors, law clerks and students. For information on tuition assistance, send an e-mail to [email protected].

2015 Annual Spring Sponsors

AlixPartners LLP 
Becket & Lee LLP 
Bernstein Shur 
Bloomberg BNA 
BMC Group 
Brown Rudnick LLP 
Conway MacKenzie 
Deloitte CRG 
Development Specialists, Inc. 
Donlin Recano & Company, Inc. 
East West Bank 
Ernst & Young LLP 
Foley & Lardner LLP 
Freeborn & Peters LLP 
FTI Consulting, Inc. 
Gavin/Solmonese LLC 
Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC
GlassRatner Advisory & Capital Group LLC
Gordon Silver 
Grant Thornton LLP 
Greenberg Traurig, LLP 
Jefferies LLC
Jones Day 
KCC 
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP 
Latham & Watkins LLP

Loeb & Loeb LLP 
Lowenstein Sandler LLP 
McGuireWoods LLP 
Mesirow Financial Consulting, LLC 
Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP 
MorrisAnderson 
MWI 
NERA Economic Consulting 
Perkins Coie LLP 
Polsinelli 
Proskauer 
Protiviti, Inc. 
PwC 
Reid Collins & Tsai LLP  
Rust Omni 
Sherwood Partners LLC / agencyIP 
SSG Capital Advisors, LLC 
Stinson Leonard Street LLP 
Summit Investment Management LLC 
Thomson Reuters
Tittle Advisory Group, Inc. 
Togut, Segal & Segal LLP  
The Wall Street Journal
Wilmington Trust
WithumSmith+Brown

Final Night Gala Dinner & Entertainment Sponsors

Armstrong Teasdale LLP 
BakerHostetler 
Barnes & Thornburg LLP 
Bryan Cave LLP 
Chadbourne & Parke LLP
EisnerAmper LLP 
Gavin/Solmonese LLC 
Gray Reed & McGraw, PC 
Logan & Company, Inc. 
McCalla Raymer, LLC 
Miles & Stockbridge PC 
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. 
Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP 
Shaw Fishman Glantz & Towbin LLC 
Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP 
Stearns, Weaver, Miller, Weissler, Alhadeff & Sitterson, PA 
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP

Pre-Dinner VIP Reception Sponsors to Honor ABI's New Incoming President, James Patrick Shea

Mr. and Mrs. Van C. Durrer, II 
Elsaesser Jarzabek Anderson Elliott & Macdonald, Chtd. 
Engelman Berger, PC 
Gray Reed & McGraw, PC 
Greenberg Traurig, LLP 
Holland & Hart LLP 
Howard & Howard Attorneys 
Law Office of Brian D. Shapiro 
Markus Williams Young & Zimmermann, LLC 
McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC 
Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP 
Nussbaum Gillis & Dinner, P.C. 
Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP 
Polsinelli 
Robins Kaplan LLP 
Rust Omni 
Shaw Fishman Glantz & Towbin LLC 
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP 
Stearns, Weaver, Miller, Weissler, Alhadeff & Sitterson, PA 
Mark G. Stingley 
Deborah D. Williamson

Sponsorship Opportunities

 

To get the information about Sponsorship Opportunities please click here (PDF file) or email Sharisa Sloan.

Special Thanks

We extend our special thanks to Bloomberg BRIEF for the media partnership, BMC Group for the debate polling, speaker lounge and the business session sponsorship, Conway MacKenzie for the conference thumb drives, Deloitte CRG for the program pocket agenda, Donlin, Recano & Company, Inc. for the conference app, Freeborn & Peters LLP for the concierge table, Gorden Silver for the conference e-newsletter, Grant Thornton LLP for the bottled water and landing pad, FTI Consulting, Inc. and Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC for the column wraps, GlassRatner Advisory & Capital Group LLC for the conference lanyards, KCC for the conference wi-fi service, Mesirow Financial Consulting, LLC for the hotel key cards, WithumSmith+Brown for the Twitter Feed, Sherwood Partners, LLC/agencyIP for sponsoring the exhibit hall, Summit Investment Management LLC and Title Advisory Group, Inc. for the cellphone charging stations,  The Wall Street Journal for the media partnership, Thomson Reuters for providing the printed educational materials, Togut, Segal & Segal LLP for the Reportage Illustrator, Ted Michalowski and Wilmington Trust for the conference tote bags.

Presidential Partners

Bloomberg BNA Conway Mackenzie

 

Gavin Solmonese Thomson Reuters

Wilmington Trust

Executive Partners

 

FTI ConsultingWall Street Journal

Capital Partners

Alix Partners bmc Group Deloitte Donlin Recano East West Bank Epiq Systems Freeborn Grant Thornton Greenberg KCC Mesirow Pachulski

2015 Annual Spring Exhibitors

ABI Bookstore 
ABI Membership 
American Board of Certification (ABC)
Auction Advisors
Bankruptcy Management Solutions, Inc. (BMS)
BKAssets.com, LLC
Bloomberg BNA 
BMC Group 
CourtCall LLC 
Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE)
Debtwire
Epiq Systems, Inc. 
Financial Software Solutions
Heritage Equity Partners 
iQor 
Keen-Summit Capital Partners LLC 
Liquid Asset Partners LLC 
Melville Capital, LLC 
ModioLegal 
National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees (NABT) /
National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (NACTT)
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers 
Sherwood Partners, LLC / agencyIP
SM Financial Services Corporation 
The Wall Street Journal 
Turnaround Management Association (TMA)

Exhibitor Opportunities

 

To get the information about Exhibitor Opportunities please click here (PDF file).

 

Rates

  Early Bird
(by 2/6/15)
Regular
(01/31/15-03/27/15)
Late
(after 03/27)

ABI Member
$975
$995
$1,095
New ABI Member*
$1,250
$1,270
$1,370
Gov’t./Aca. ABI Member
$345
$395
$445
Gov’t./Aca. New ABI Member*
$440
$490
$540

* Includes a one-year ABI membership for first-time members only — a $295 value! You must be an ABI member to attend. Membership is individual and nonrefundable. If your membership has expired, select the member rate and add in your membership renewal fee.

Exhibitor Rates

ABI Member Exhibit
$2,950
New ABI Member Exhibit***
$3,245
Additional Booth Rep.
$500

** Includes Opening Reception and Friday Luncheon.

 

*** Includes Opening Reception, Friday Luncheon and a one-year ABI membership. 

 

**** Includes Opening Reception and Friday Luncheon. You may add up to two additional booth reps.

Optional Event

Golf Tournament:

  Handicap

$150
Blowout Bar Salon: 
$75

Opening Reception

Attendee:

Guest:

 

 FREE

$75

Friday Luncheon (Attendee):
Free
Women’s Networking Reception
$50
Baseball Night Out:
$100
NSO at the Kennedy Center:
$75
Late-Night Bowling at Lucky Strike:
$50

Saturday Keynote Luncheon:

Attendee:

Guest:

 

$75

$75

Final Night Dinner:

Attendee:

Guest:

 

$105

$125