Resident Scholars Named for 2004

Hon. Roger M. Whelan and Prof. Edward J. Janger have been named as the Robert M. Zinman ABI Resident Scholars for 2004. Judge Whelan, a former member of the ABI Board of Directors and Executive Committee, served as a bankruptcy judge for the District of Columbia from 1972-83. He has been an adjunct professor at Catholic University of the American Law School in Washington, D.C., since 1975.

A member of the first class of inducted Fellows in the American College of Bankruptcy, Judge Whelan has been in private practice since leaving the bench. His practice includes work as a claims mediator on several large cases, including the Loewen Group bankruptcy. Judge Whelan is a graduate of Georgetown University for both his undergraduate and law degrees. He will serve as the ABI scholar for the spring term in 2004. Prof. Janger will be the fall 2004 scholar. He is a tenured professor at Brooklyn Law School, where he teaches Business Reorganizations, Commercial Transactions and Creditors' Rights. He joined the faculty in 1988 after teaching at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and the Ohio State University College of Law. He was formerly in practice at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington, D.C., specializing in bankruptcy matters. He clerked for Judge Irving L. Goldberg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Prof. Janger's scholarly publications have received critical acclaim while focusing on commercial law viewed through the lens of public choice theory. He serves as chair of the AALS Section on Commercial and Consumer Law. The Robert M. Zinman ABI Resident Scholar is a paid position for academics who reside in ABI's offices for an academic semester. Housing and travel stipends are provided, with financial support coming from the ABI Endowment Fund. Those wishing to be considered for the Resident Scholar post in 2005 should contact me.

New Educational Programs Developed for Government Agencies

ABI is planning two programs to assist federal agency counsel understand how bankruptcy law interacts with other federal laws they are responsible for administering. Programs are planned for both the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Each will focus on basic bankruptcy fundamentals and the particulars of laws administered by each agency, such as claims under the Black Lung Benefits Act (DOL) and the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (USDA). The USDA program is set for Nov. 19 in Washington, D.C. Staff attorneys in the Office of the General Counsel and several regional offices will participate by video conferencing.

Health Care Teleseminar Focuses on HMO Insolvencies

ABI and the American Health Lawyers Association presented a teleseminar, "The Brave New World of HMO Insolvency: New Issues and Trends," on Sept. 18. The seminar addressed how to identify key issues in an HMO case, how to protect both plans and providers and other issues regarding liability. Both for-profit and nonprofit HMOs were covered during the 90-minute program. ABI speakers included Samuel Maizel, co-chair of the Health Care Committee (Pachulski, Stang, Ziehl, Young, Jones & Weintraub PC; Los Angeles) and David Tatge (Epstein Becker & Green; Washington, D.C.).

New Editions of State Court Judges Manuals to Be Published

ABI's popular program to help educate state court judges on the basics of bankruptcy has received new funding from the NCBJ Endowment. Bankruptcy Issues for State Court Judges is aimed at trial judges in general jurisdiction courts. The new edition was prepared by ABI Resident Scholar Marianne Culhane. When Worlds Collide: Bankruptcy and its Impact on Domestic Relations and Family Law was prepared by Prof. (now Dean) Peter Alexander (Southern Illinois University Law School) and Hon. Judith Fitzgerald (W.D. Pa).

ABI Welcomes New Staff

Susan Druzak joined our communications department staff in September as a desktop publishing specialist. She has more than seven years of progressively responsible experience in the graphic design field, most recently for First Virginia Banks. Susan has designed award-winning calendars, animated web ads, pocket folders, direct-mail pieces, posters, brochures, advertisements and newsletters. She has extensive experience with project management and working with outside vendors such as service bureaus and printers. Susan has lived all over the world in a military family. She has a B.A. in graphic design from Marymount University in Arlington, Va.

Patricia Sadusky also joined our staff this month as Senior Accounting Manager. After receiving a B.S. in finance from George Mason University, Patty served in several accounting and financial management positions for large trade and professional associations. Prior to joining ABI, Patty was the accounting manager for the Electronic Industries Alliance and senior accountant for the Society of Human Resource Management, both in northern Virginia. She brings comprehensive, hands-on experience in financial analysis, internal and external reporting and monthly accounting activities. Patty will supervise a staff of two in the accounting department and will report to Kathy Sheehan, ABI's Director of Administration.