Contact: John Hartgen
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SIXTEEN BANKRUPTCY JUDGES FEATURED AT ABI’S “BANKRUPTCY 2006: VIEWS FROM THE BENCH” CONFERENCE

June 20, 2006, Alexandria, Va. — Sixteen judges are participating at the American Bankruptcy Institute’s “Bankruptcy 2006: Views from the Bench” on Oct. 6 at The Georgetown University Law Center. David R. Kuney of Sidley Austin (Washington, D.C.) is the program chair for the conference. Attendees will have the opportunity to earn 7.0 CLE credits, including 1.0 hour of ethics, at the conference.

Panel sessions include:

“First-Day Motions: Including Critical Vendors; Stay Bonuses; Ordinary-Course Professionals; Abuse of DIP Financing; Sale Orders on Day One” will be moderated by Marcia L. Goldstein of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP (New York) and facilitated by Karen H. Moore of Whiteford, Taylor and Preston LLP (Baltimore). The judges panel includes Bankruptcy Judges Mary Grace Diehl (Atlanta), Rosemary Gambardella (Newark, N.J.) and Gregg W. Zive (Reno, Nev.).

Jay M. Goffman of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (New York) will moderate “Confirmation and Plan Issues: Liquidating Trusts and Post-confirmation Jurisdiction; ‘Gift’ Plans; Absolute Priority after Armstrong; Appeals; and Unfair Discrimination” with facilitator Edward C. Dolan of Hogan & Hartson LLP (Washington, D.C.) and joined by Bankruptcy Judges Kevin J. Carey (Wilmington, Del.), Bruce A. Markell (Las Vegas), Douglas O. Tice Jr. (Richmond, Va.).

“Creditors and Equity Committees: Appointment, Disclosure Obligation; Sharing Information; Waiver of Attorney/Client Privilege; Hedge Funds on Committees” moderated by Robert J. Rosenberg of Latham & Watkins LLP (New York) and facilitated by Mary Joanne Dowd of Arent Fox PLLC (Washington, D.C.) features Bankruptcy Judges Robert D. Drain (New York.), Mary F. Walrath (Wilmington, Del.) and Judith H. Wizmur (Camden, N.J.).

Moderator Jamie H.M. Sprayregen of Kirkland & Ellis LLP (Chicago) will be joined by facilitator Prof. David Gray Carlson of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Yeshiva University (New York) along with Bankruptcy Judges Thomas B. Bennett (Birmingham, Ala.), Leif M. Clark (San Antonio) and Prof. William Widen of the University of Miami School of Law (Coral Gables, Fla.) to discuss “Substantive Consolidation: Deemed Consolidation; Structured Finance; Pre-packaged Plans.”

The “Legal Ethics: Conflicts Issues; Attorney Conflicts from Multiple Representation; Senior and Junior Lienholders” panel will be moderated by   Thomas E. Lauria of White & Case LLP; (Miami) with facilitator Irving E. Walker of  Saul Ewing LLP (Baltimore) featuring Bankruptcy Judges   Judith K. Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh) and   Arthur J. Gonzalez (New York).

William Perlstein of WilmerHale LLP (Washington, D.C.) will moderate “Corporate Governance: Enjoining Shareholder Meetings and Proxy Fights; Derivative Suits and Releases” with facilitator Jo Ann J. Brighton of Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP (Charlotte, N.C.) and a panel including Bankruptcy Judges Robert E. Gerber (New York), Allan L. Gropper (New York) and S. Martin Teel (Washington, D.C.).

This year’s program also features three break-out lunch sessions with judges and faculty to follow up on some of the topics in small-group formats. For more information on the “Views from the Bench” conference, please be sure to visit http://www.abiworld.org/GT06.

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ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes more than 11,500 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abiworld.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abiworld.org/conferences.html.