section update
Bankruptcy Section
By M. Regina Thomas
United States Bankruptcy Court
[email protected]
T
he Bankruptcy Section will hold its next breakfast
series presentation on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at
Troutman Sanders from 7:30 am – 9:00 am. The
program will feature Susan R. Sherrill-Beard and David W.
Baddley, Senior Trial Counsel/Bankruptcy, Atlanta Regional
Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Ms. Sherrill-Beard and Mr. Baddley will discuss the SEC’s
role as a creditor and statutory party-in-interest in bankruptcy
cases. Registration is open on the Atlanta Bar Association’s
website, www.atlantabar.org. Our thanks to Troutman
Sanders for hosting this event.
2015 Recipient of the David Pollard Award:
The Bankruptcy Section is pleased to announce that the
2015 recipient of the David Pollard Award is Karen Fagin
White of Cohen Pollock Merlin & Small, P.C. Ms. White is a
highly regarded member of the bankruptcy community and
embodies the spirit of the prestigious Pollard Award. The
annual Pollard luncheon will be held on May 14, 2015 at
the Capital City Club, preceded by a two-hour CLE program
featuring Dean Robert A. Schapiro of the Emory University
School of Law. Dean Schapiro will discuss bankruptcy cases
currently pending before the United States Supreme Court.
Further details and registration for the Pollard Luncheon and
CLE program will be available soon.
New Bankruptcy Pro Bono Program:
The Bankruptcy Section is commencing a new pro bono
program in conjunction with the United States Bankruptcy
Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The program will
involve the pro bono representation of indigent, pro se litigants,
both plaintiffs and defendants, in adversary proceedings
pending before the Court. The section is soliciting volunteers
to participate in the program and substantive knowledge of
bankruptcy law is not required. The Judges of the Northern
District Bankruptcy Court bench will identify pro se parties
in adversary proceedings who would likely benefit from
representation. The parties will be notified of the opportunity
to contact a Program Administrator who, in turn, will make a
referral to the volunteer panel of attorneys.
interested in volunteering, a training session regarding
adversary proceedings and the program requirements will
be held at Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough on Friday,
April 24, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Breakfast will be
provided. For more information, or to register for the training
session, please contact John W. Mills, III
([email protected]) or Gregory M. Taube
([email protected]).
Members of the Bankruptcy Section of the
Atlanta Bar:
Become a Mentor! The Section’s mentoring program will pair
law students in Georgia law schools who have a demonstrated
interest in practicing in the area of bankruptcy and insolvency
law with experienced bankruptcy attorneys. The Section is
soliciting interest in the program now and will make mentor/
mentee pairings in May. The formal program will begin with
a kickoff event in the fall at which mentors and mentees will
be introduced. Please contact Summer Chandler
([email protected]) with questions.
For the 2014-2015 year, the officers and board
members of the Bankruptcy Section are:
Nancy J. Whaley (Chair), John W. Mills, III (Vice Chair/Chair
Elect), Ron C. Bingham, II (Secretary), Alison Elko Franklin
(Treasurer), John A. Th omson, Jr. (Immediate Past Chair),
Brett J. Berlin, B. Summer Chandler, Jeffrey W. Cavender,
Melissa Davey, Sage M. Sigler, Howard P. Slomka and M.
Regina Thomas (Members at Large).
If you have ideas or suggestions for Bankruptcy Section
activities or projects, please feel free to contact any of the
officers or board members. We look forward to a great year
and welcome your participation.
This program provides an excellent opportunity for younger
lawyers to gain experience managing clients and cases,
preparing for trial and arguing cases. For those who are
32 THE ATLANTA LAWYER
April 2015
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association