Members in the News

Members in the News

Journal Issue: 
Column Name: 
Journal Article: 
ABI's Commercial Fraud Task Force Committee, which facilitates information sharing, training and education between ABI members and the public-private sector to combat commercial bankruptcy fraud, is co-chaired by Sandra T. Rasnak and Jack Seward.

Sandra Taliani Rasnak is the acting deputy chief of the criminal enforcement unit for the U.S. Trustee Program and also serves as an assistant U.S. Trustee in Region 11 in Chicago. Ms Rasnak is a member on several Department of Justice committees on bankruptcy-related fraud, including the National Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group. She has served as a speaker at numerous private and government national training programs on bankruptcy and bankruptcy fraud. In 1994, Ms. Rasnak received the Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award for her leadership in establishing the U.S. Trustee Program in the forefront prosecuting of bankruptcy crimes.

Jack Seward is consultant at Jack Seward Associates LLC in New York, where he provides litigation support for e-discovery and recovery of e-data that often demands corporate-wide computer forensics in bankruptcy. He has more than 35 years of managing and consulting experience including computer forensics, information technology, corporate accounting, public accounting and forensic accounting. Mr. Seward is a contributing editor of the ABI Journal's Straight & Narrow and Beyond the Quill columns, as well as the bankruptcy treatise Norton Bankruptcy Law & Practice, 2d, by Thompson West. He is a member of the New York Electronic Crimes Task Force (sponsored by the U.S. Secret Service) and has written and spoken extensively on digital and bankruptcy fraud, e-discovery, e-security and computer forensics.

More Members in the News

Jonathan R. Goldsmith was appointed to the Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the District of Massachusetts, Western Division, in October. Mr. Goldsmith has more than 20 years of bankruptcy experience and has represented debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, trustees, financial institutions and creditors' committees. His practice includes representation of parties in cases in chapters 7, 11 and 13 as well as informal workouts. He is certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification and is in private practice in Springfield, Mass.

Chief Judge Anthony J. Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia in October reappointed Hon. John J. Thomas as bankruptcy judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for a second 14-year term.

Ruden McClosky in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla, recently announced the addition of attorney David Neal Stern to its firm. Previously a partner of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP in Atlanta, Mr. Stern joins the firm's bankruptcy and litigation practice groups and focuses his practice on the areas of commercial litigation, bankruptcy and chapter 11 corporate reorganizations. He regularly represents clients before trial and appellate courts with regard to bankruptcy, business torts, construction, contracts, creditors' rights and landlord-tenant law. A member of the Florida Bar and the State Bar of Georgia, he is admitted to practice before the trial and appellate courts of Florida and Georgia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, and the Middle and Northern Districts of Georgia.

Roy L. Prange Jr. of Quarles & Brady LLP in Madison, Wis., was recently listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 12th Edition. Mr. Prange earned his B.A. from the University of Iowa, his M.A. from Ohio State University and his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin.

David A. Birdsell, CPA, was recently elected president of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees. He is a panel trustee in Mesa, Ariz.

Morris Anderson & Associates recently expanded its operation with the launch of a new practice in Los Angeles. Leading the West Coast-focused practice is Michael A. Cavan, who will serve as managing director. Mr. Cavan, who has more than 17 years of experience in the field of corporate finance and reorganization, specializes in corporate turnarounds and improvement. He has completed numerous turnarounds and was a senior manager on the Orange County municipal chapter 9 proceedings. He has acted as financial advisor on behalf of debtors as well as secured and unsecured creditors' committees, and has implemented numerous cost-reduction strategies.

Harry R. Novak, senior vice president and Chicago head of Buccino & Associates Inc., a national financial advisory and business turnaround services firm, was re-elected as a co-chair of the Turnaround Management Association's Chicago/ Midwest Chapter Pro Bono Program for 2006. In this role, Mr. Novak will work with the co-chairs to oversee the committee's mission to provide turnaround consulting and other necessary services at no charge to nonprofit organizations and small for-profit businesses experiencing serious financial, operational or other problems.

Donlin, Recano & Co. Inc. announced that Scott Y. Stuart has joined the firm as vice president. His background includes extensive public and private-sector experience, including the Office of the U.S. Trustee for the Eastern District of New York, Department Chair of Rivkin Radler's insolvency department and General Counsel to TruFoods Systems Inc., a company built on acquiring distressed companies in the fast-food sector either as turnaround opportunities or out of bankruptcy. Mr. Stuart will be responsible for business development and marketing.

Thomas H. Curran has joined the Boston law firm of Sherin and Lodgen LLP as a partner in the firm's litigation department and as a co-chair of the bankruptcy and creditors rights group, where he focuses his practice in business law, commercial litigation and creditors' rights/bankruptcy law.

John Tittle Jr., CPA, CIRA, recently joined the firm of LECG LLC in Dallas as a director.

Otto Beatty III, a partner with the law firm of Baker & Hostetler LLP in Columbus, Ohio, has been selected as a "Rising Star" by the Ohio Super Lawyers, Law & Politics, 2005. "Rising Stars" is a comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding emerging attorneys in Ohio selected by their peers. Mr. Beatty also received the "2005 Community Service Award" by the Columbus Bar Association (CBA), which recognizes attorneys who substantially contribute their time and effort in service to the Central Ohio community. Mr. Beatty is one of only four individuals honored by the CBA. He focuses his practice in the areas of bankruptcy, creditors' rights, commercial finance law and commercial litigation.

Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor partners Brendan Shannon, Robert Brady and Michael Nestor recently moved behind the bar at Deep Blue Bar & Grill in Wilmington, Del., to earn tips and encourage additional contributions toward Cystic Fibrosis research. Their efforts netted nearly $7,000. More than one dozen law firms and local court personnel donated to the fundraiser. Deep Blue donated appetizers and staff gave up tips to help the cause.

Robert Mercer and John Moore were recently selected as 2005 Georgia Rising Stars in Bankruptcy Law by Law & Politics and the Atlanta Magazine. Mr. Mercer and Mr. Moore both practice in the bankruptcy and corporate reorganization group at Powell Goldstein LLP's Atlanta office.

Adams and Reese reopened its New Orleans office in November. Following the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the firm quickly moved its New Orleans operations 90 miles west to Baton Rouge, La., across the street from its existing downtown office, and dubbed the temporary location "New Orleans West." ABI member Charles W. Cook III is a partner in the firm's Nashville, Tenn., office.

William J. Donovan, senior vice president and general counsel of NAFCU, joined Venable LLP in Washington, D.C., as a partner in November, and will split his time between the firm's banking/financial services and the legislative/government affairs practices.

Jimmy S. Pappas recently founded Passio Consulting Inc. in Boston, a consulting firm specializing in advising organizations, legal counsel, investors and lenders on accounting and financial issues driving business conflicts, risks and organizational change. Mr. Passio's service lines include dispute consulting, financial investigations, expert witness testimony, internal audit consulting and turnaround/crisis management. Prior to founding Passio Consulting, Mr. Pappas was a principal with the management consulting practice of Tofias PC.

Barbara George Barton and G. William McCarthy Jr. of Robinson, Barton, McCarthy, Calloway & Johnson PA in Columbia, S.C., have been selected to be included in The Best Lawyers in America.

Topic Tags: 
Journal Date: 
Thursday, December 1, 2005