Thursday, July 14
2:00 p.m.
ABI Registration Desk and Exhibit Hall Open
5:00-6:00 p.m.
Emerging Leaders and Judges Roundtable (invite only)
Private roundtable for up-and-coming insolvency professionals and the judges in attendance.
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Opening Reception
Sponsored by Choate Hall & Stewart LLP, Duane Morris LLP and Nixon Peabody LLP
Bar sponsored by Sullivan & Worcester
Friday, July 15
6:30-7:30 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by Murtha Cullina LLP and WilmerHale
7:30-9:05 a.m.
Plenary Session
Practicing in the Limelight: The Challenges Faced in Cases Involving High-Profile Debtors
Representing public figures whose livelihoods depend on their public image and in remaining in the public eye, or individuals thrust into the public eye by perceived scandal, presents particular challenges to their bankruptcy lawyers. Flamboyance tends to catch the eye of judges and creditors, as well as fans and entertainment reporters. Scandal is a national pastime, so high-profile debtors catch the eyes of everybody. Representing creditors in those cases, and managing their expectations when outward appearances suggest no shortage of resources either because fame is equated with fortune or preservation of ill-gotten gains is presumed, also presents its own set of challenges. This multimedia session will be presented by lawyers who have lived through some of the highest-profile cases of recent years, and includes counsel in cases involving those who sought out the limelight, such as 50 Cent, Mike Tyson and Bob Guccione, and those who were thrust into it, such as David Drumm of Anglo-Irish Bank.
Robert J. Feinstein, Moderator
Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP; New York
James Berman
Zeisler & Zeisler, P.C.; Bridgeport, Conn.
Hon. Hannah L. Blumenstiel
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (N.D. Cal.); San Francisco
Kristin B. Mayhew
McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP; Southport, Conn.
Francis C. Morrissey
Morrissey, Wilson & Zafiropoulos LLP; Braintree, Mass.
9:15-9:30 a.m.
Coffee Break
Sponsored by Murphy & King, PC
9:30-10:45 a.m.
Consumer Track
A Collision Between Two Worlds: Estate Planning vs. Bankruptcy
This panel will explore the conflicts of law between estate planning and bankruptcy. Debtor’s counsel, beware: Life estate, remainder interest, trust or power of attorney may not be safe in bankruptcy. The panel will examine recent bankruptcy cases addressing the validity of estate-planning techniques designed to protect assets that then wreak havoc on pre-bankruptcy planning, timing and chapter selection and that can have significant implications on debtors and their nonfiling family members.
Donald R. Lassman, Moderator
Law Office of Donald R. Lassman; Needham, Mass.
Nadine Champagne
Law Office of Nadine Champagne; Roslindale, Mass.
Hon. Michael A. Fagone
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Me.); Bangor
Nancy H. Michels
Parnell, Michels & McKay, PLLC; Londonderry, N.H.
10:45-11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break
Sponsored by Goulston & Storrs PC
11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Consumer Track
Many Unhappy Returns: Another Hanging Paragraph Creates a Trap for Consumer Bankruptcy Lawyers
When is a tax return not a tax return? Bankruptcy can be very useful when seeking to discharge personal income tax obligations, but if the return has not been filed on time, dischargeability may be in jeopardy. Many courts have addressed this issue and have issued widely divergent views, including the First Circuit’s strict interpretation of what constitutes a tax return as announced by the majority in In re Fahey. This panel will focus on the development of the case law in the First Circuit, the information you must obtain from the taxing authority to determine when a tax return has been filed, what constitutes a return, and strategies to employ in the event that the tax return your client filed is defective and the taxes reported on that return are nondischargeable.
Anthony J. Manhart, Moderator
PretiFlaherty; Portland, Maine
Carl D. Aframe
Aframe & Barnhill, P.A.; Worcester, Mass.
Hon. Mildred Caban
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D.P.R.); San Juan
Celine E. de la Foscade-Condon
Department of Revenue (D. Mass.); Boston
1:00 p.m.
Optional Events
Golf Tournament
Tennis Tournament
Sponsored by Huron Consulting Group
Tour de ABI
Sponsored by Goodwin Procter LLP
2:00 p.m.
Optional Event
Horseback Riding
Sponsored by Phoenix Management Services
5:00-6:00 p.m.
New Addition: Judicial And Legislative Responses To Puerto Rico’s Struggle To Allocate Scarce Financial Resources Between Bond Debt And Governmental Services
Puerto Rico is burdened by over $70 billion in debt, as well as approximately $35 billion in pension underfunding. Once the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5278, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), in early June and the Senate passed it on June 29, 2016, President Obama signed the bill immediately — and just in time to address a $1.9 billion payment that was due on July 1, 2016. PROMESA offers relief to Puerto Rico, its municipalities and municipal agencies following a 10-year economic recession. This panel will describe the circumstances that led to the financial crisis, the failed effort of the Puerto Rican government to offer relief through a "state" statute that was found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and the details of how PROMESA is designed to work. The session will provide an opportunity to discuss these issues in a casual setting, including the way forward for Puerto Rico, and features a panelist who served as Hon. Steven Rhodes' expert on feasibility issues in the City of Detroit chapter 9 case.
Hon. Frank J. Bailey, Moderator
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, (D. Mass.); Boston
Hon. Mildred Caban
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge (D. P.R.); San Juan
Marti E.M. Kopacz
Phoenix Management Services, Boston
7:00-9:30 p.m.
Friday Dinner
Dinner and Entertainment sponsored by Posternak Blankstein & Lund LLP; Neubert Pepe& Monteith PC; Pullman & Comley LLC; Reid and Reige PC; Updike Kelly Spellacy PC; Zeisler & Zeisler PC
Bar sponsored by Verdolino & Lowey, P.C.
9:00 p.m.
Mountainside Bonfire
Sponsored by Devine Millimet
Saturday, July 16
6:30-7:50 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by Bernstein Shur and Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
7:50-8:50 a.m.
Plenary Session
How to Attract Clients and Referrals in a Down Market: Advice from a Law Firm Marketing Expert
Commercial chapter 11 has suffered double-digit percentage decreases in in the number of filings in each of the past three years. This plenary session will be conducted by a law firm marketing expert, who will provide advice on obtaining market share in a down market. Jim Durham, chief marketing and business development officer at Littler Mendelson and author of The Essential Little Book of Great Lawyering and The Law Firm Marketer’s Guide to Survival, will provide marketing advice, including getting known, getting referrals, maximizing client satisfaction and increasing profit.
James Durham
Littler Mendelson P.C.; Boston
9:00-9:15 a.m.
Coffee Break
Sponsored by Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP
9:15-10:30 a.m.
Consumer Track
The Ethics Trifecta: How to Avoid Sanctionable Lawyer Behavior, Crossing the Line in Pre-Petition Planning, and Dangerous Conflicts of Interest
Join us as we explore three complicated areas of ethics that all attorneys should be wary of. First, we will discuss examples of sanctionable lawyer behavior and when that behavior can result in a law firm being sanctioned. Second, some pre-petition planning is necessary, obvious and required in order to advance your clients’ interests, but some planning can cross the line between permissible advocacy and fraud. How do you know where the line is so that you can represent your client to the best of your abilities and avoid trouble? Lastly, some conflicts are clear, while others are more nuanced. This panel delves into the duties regarding perilous conflicts, and steps you can take to make sure you comply with the appropriate rules of professional responsibility while still representing the best interests of the client.
Tanya Sambatakos, Moderator
Molleur Law Office; Biddeford, Maine
Hon. Peter G. Cary
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Me.); Portland
Jonathan R. Goldsmith
Goldsmith, Katz & Argenio, P.C.; Springfield, Mass.
William K. Harrington
Office of the U.S. Trustee; New York
10:30-10:45 a.m.
Coffee Break
Sponsored by Hinckley Allen
10:45 a.m.-12:00 noon
Consumer Track
Keeping that Simple No-Asset Case a No-Asset Case: Recent Areas of Chapter 7 Trustee Activity
Debtors and their counsel want a smooth, quick chapter 7 experience and discharge: a simple no-asset case that will proceed promptly through a short, uneventful first meeting of creditors, to discharge and case closing in a matter of a few months. The chapter 7 trustee stands in the way, though, as he/she looks for discharges to deny and assets to pay creditors. Forewarned is forearmed: This seminar will explore recent skirmishes in the struggle between the impecunious and their trustees, including the important areas of homestead exemption and mortgage-lien avoidance, avoidance of large pre-filing family expense payments, and nondisclosure issues.
Janet J. Goldman, Moderator
Janet J. Goldman, Attorney at Law; Warwick, R.I.
Joseph H. Baldiga
Mirick O’Connell; Westborough, Mass.
Hon. J. Michael Deasy (ret.)
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. N.H.); Manchester
Edmond J. Ford
Ford & McPartlin, P.A.; Portsmouth, N.H.
12:30 p.m.
Optional Event
Mt. Washington Cog Railway Ride
Sponsored by Ruberto, Israel & Weiner, P.C.
1:00 p.m.
Optional Event
Canopy Tour/Zip-Line Adventure
Sponsored by Brown Rudnick LLP
2:00 p.m.
Optional Event
Horseback Riding
Sponsored by Phoenix Management Services and Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA
4:00-5:15 p.m.
Mountainside Chat
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Sponsor Reception (invite only)
Sponsored by Foley Hoag LLP and Spinglass Management Group, LLC
7:00-10:00 p.m.
Saturday BBQ
Sponsored by Deloitte CRG and Ropes & Gray LLP
Entertainment sponsored by Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP
Optional Events
Golf Tournament
Friday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Take your game to a higher level at the 18-hole, par 71, Donald Ross-designed Mount Washington Course. Participants of all skill levels are encouraged to join in the tournament. The $150-per-person fee includes boxed lunch, green fee and prizes. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form to play, and indicate your handicap. For those participating in the ABI Golf Tour, this is the third stop in the 2016 Tour. Please check the ABI Golf Tour box on the registration form to participate, and indicate your handicap.
Tennis Tournament
Friday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Huron Consulting Group
Participants of all skill levels are encouraged to play in the Tennis Tournament. The $35-per-person fee includes boxed lunch, court fee and prizes. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form to play.
Tour de ABI
Friday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Goodwin Procter LLP
Join us for the annual Tour de ABI bike ride as an expert biker, or opt to enjoy a guided bike ride around the area. The ride will begin after lunch. The $35-per-person fee includes a boxed lunch; the guided option is $50 per person, which includes guide, bike rental (if you need it) and boxed lunch. Please select the appropriate box(es) on the registration form.
Mt. Washington Cog Railway Ride
Saturday, July 16, 12:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Ruberto, Israel & Weiner, P.C.
Come take a ride on The Little Train that Could! Enjoy a three-hour round-trip ride up Mt. Washington on the world’s first mountain-climbing railway. Enjoy ever-changing surroundings, magnificent views, and some of the steepest railroad tracks in existence on one of the best railway journeys. Tickets are $60 for each adult and $30 for each child, and include a boxed lunch. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.
Canopy Tour/Zip-Line Adventure
Saturday, July 16, 1:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Brown Rudnick LLP
This thrilling adventure will give you a bird’s eye view of scenic Rosebrook Canyon. The 3.5-hour tour consists of 10 cable zip-lines and two adventure sky bridges suspended 50 feet above the forest floor. Each zip-line varies in length, with a maximum span of 830 feet. The final thrill consists of a dual zip-line cable so you can race your friends or family members to the finish line! The $100-per-person fee includes a boxed lunch. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.
Horseback Riding
Friday, July 15, 2:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 16, 2:00 p.m.
Sponsored by Phoenix Management Services and Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA
Take the reins and go for a ride through one of the most scenic areas you’ll ever visit. Riders must be at least 8 years old, unless given special permission by the stablemaster. The trail ride is one hour and limited to eight people. The cost for this event is $35 per rider. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form.
Northeast Bankruptcy Conference Co-Chairs
Hon. Bruce A. Harwood
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. N.H.); Manchester
John J. Monaghan
Holland & Knight LLP
Elisa M. Sartori
Greenridge Financial Services LLC
Northeast Consumer Forum Co-Chairs
Shawn L. Doil
Perkins Thompson, P.A.
Donald R. Lassman
Law Office of Donald R. Lassman
Advisory Board |
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Patricia Antonelli Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP Janet E. Bostwick Janet E. Bostwick, PC Christopher M. Candon Sheehan Phinney, Bass + Green PA Paul W. Carey Mirick O’Connell Roger A. Clement Verrill Dana LLP Roma N. Desai Bernstein Shur Michael J. Epstein Deloitte CRG Michael J. Fencer Jager Smith P.C. Jeremy R. Fischer Drummond Woodsum Matthew R. Flynn Verdolino & Lowey, P.C. Edmond J. Ford Ford & McPartlin, P.A. Julia Frost-Davies Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP Jay S. Geller Law Office of Jay S. Geller Michael J. Goldberg Casner & Edwards, LLP Janet J. Goldman Janet J. Goldman, Attorney at Law Douglas R. Gooding Choate Hall & Stewart LLP Eric A. Henzy Reid and Riege, P.C. D. Ethan Jeffery Murphy & King, PC Jeffrey L. Jonas Brown Rudnick LLP Gregory O. Kaden Goulston & Storrs PC Robert E. Kaelin Murtha Cullina LLP Marjorie Kaufman Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC Benjamin W. Loveland WilmerHale |
George J. Marcus Marcus, Clegg & Mistretta, P.A. Timothy J. Martin Huron Consulting Group William J. McLeod U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.) Richard Mikels Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. James F. Molleur Molleur Law Office Paul D. Moore Duane Morris LLP William R. Moorman, Jr. Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP Guy B. Moss Riemer & Braunstein LLP Michael R. Nowlan FTI Consulting, Inc. Michael J. Pappone Goodwin Procter LLP Nina M. Parker Parker & Associates David T. Plastino The Michel-Shaked Group David Rychalsky Capstone Partners LLC Tanya Sambatakos Molleur Law Office Natalie B. Sawyer U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.) Andrew Z. Schwartz Foley Hoag LLP Mackenzie L. Shea K&L Gates LLP Douglas S. Skalka Neubert, Pepe & Monteith, P.C. Daniel W. Sklar Nixon Peabody LLP Mark F. Stickney Spinglass Management Group, LLC Robert P. Wexler The Tron Group James M. Wilton Ropes & Gray LLP |
Conference Information
Hotel Accommodations
ABI has arranged for special conference rates of $382 single/$491 double per night at the Omni Mount Washington Resort; additional fees apply for additional room guests. All rates include full breakfast and dinner each night. To secure the special rates, hotel reservations must be made by June 6, 2016. Reservations may only be made once you have registered with ABI. Upon payment of the conference registration fees, you will receive a hotel reservation link to reserve your room. Rooms are held on a first-come, first-served basis. ABI cannot guarantee anyone a room after the specially rated ABI block is filled.
Hotel Meal Plans/ABI Events: If you are staying at the Omni Mount Washington Resort, please remember that you are on a meal plan, which includes full breakfast and dinner each day in your room fees. Most ABI events are included in those fees. If you are not staying at any of the hotel’s properties, please let ABI know so we can arrange for you to eat at the ABI meal functions without being charged by the hotel. Please note: The Thursday night Opening Reception is not part of your meal plan, so you will need to arrange for dinner at the resort. Guest fees are additional for this reception.
Transportation
Auto: Bretton Woods is an easy drive from Portland, Manchester and Boston and is 5 hours from New York.
Air: The resort is located 95 miles from the Portland International Airport and about 110 miles from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
Cancellation Policy
All fees, except a $75 handling fee, will be refunded if notice of cancellation is received in writing by June 23, 2016. No refunds will be made if notice is received after June 23, although substitutions will be allowed. After June 23, 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
Northeast Bankruptcy Conference: Approval for approximately 10.25 hours of CLE credit, including 1.25 hours of ethics, is pending in states calculating CLE on a 60-minute hour, and 12 hours of CLE credit, including 1.5 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 by the State Bar of California in the amount of 10.25 hours, of which 1.25 hours will apply to legal ethics. NY MCLE: This traditional program has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the CLE Board for a maximum of 12 credit hours, of which 1.5 hours of credit can be applied toward the ethics professionalism requirement. 12 hours of CPE credit, including 1.5 hours of ethics, are also available.
Northeast Consumer Forum: Approval for approximately 7.5 hours of CLE credit, including 2.5 hours of ethics, is pending in states calculating CLE on a 60-minute hour, and 9 hours of CLE credit, including 3 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 by the State Bar of California in the amount of 7.5 hours, of which 2.5 hours will apply to legal ethics. NY MCLE: This traditional program has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the CLE Board for a maximum of 9 credit hours, of which 3 hours of credit can be applied toward the ethics professionalism requirement. 9 hours of CPE credit, including 3 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 the full registration fee. 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. Illinois Attorneys: If registration fees are more than $500, attorneys who qualify will receive at least 50% reduction in the registration fee. For information on tuition assistance, send an e-mail to [email protected].
ABI Northeast Scholarship Program
Limited scholarship funds are available for those who cannot afford to attend the program. Please send your request for approval to Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]. Space is limited.
Attorney Specialist Certification
The American Board of Certification (ABC) will offer its business bankruptcy, consumer bankruptcy and creditors’ rights exams at the Omni Mount Washington Resort on Thursday, July 14, from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Details on the certification process, exam composition and a 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.
Benefactor |
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Bernstein Shur |
Murtha Cullina LLP |
Patron
Devine Millimet & Branch PA
Gavin/Solmonese
Greenridge Financial Services LLC
Holland & Knight
Mirick O'Connell
Phoenix Management Services
Riemer & Braunstein LLP
Ruberto Israel & Weiner PC
Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA
Sponsors
Baker Newman Noyes
Bartlett Hackett Feinberg PC
Bowditch & Dewey LLP
Drummond Woodsum
Eaton Peabody
Gary W. Cruickshank, Law Office of
Marcus Clegg & Mistretta, PA
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Morrissey, Wilson & Zafiropoulos LLP
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
Paul E. Sapperstein & Co.
Pearce & Dow LLC
Perkins Thompson, P.A.
Pierce Atwood LLP
Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin
Sternklar Law
Swiggart & Agin LLC
The Tron Group
Verrill Dana LLP
William S. Gannon, PLLC
Scholarship Fund Donors
Foley Hoag LLP
Mirick O'Connell
The Tron Group
Sternklar Law
Special Thanks
Media Partnership: Bloomberg Brief
Conference App Sponsor: Donlin, Recano & Company, Inc.
“At-a-Glance” Sponsor: Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC
“Live at ABI” Sponsor: Getzler Henrich & Associates LLC
Cell Phone Charging Stations: Greenridge Financial Services LLC and Mirick O'Connell
Thumb Drives: Polsinelli
Conference Wifi: Preti Flaherty
Exhibit Hall Sponsor: Sherwood Partners, Inc. / agencyIP
Conference Educational Materials Sponsor: Thomson Reuters
Conference Tote Bags: Wilmington Trust
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]
Rates
Registration Rates | Early (postmarked by 4/29/16) |
Regular (4/30/16-6/10/16) |
Late (after 6/10/16) |
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ABI Member
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$295
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$345
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$395
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New ABI Member*
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$545
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$595
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$645
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Exhibitor Rates
ABI Member Exhibitor Registration***
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$1,600
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New ABI Member Exhibitor Registration****
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$1,895
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Additional Booth Representative
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$375
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*** Includes one 6’ table and full registration for one booth representative.
**** Includes one 6’table, full registration for one booth representative AND one-year ABI membership.
ABI DEFINES A “GUEST” AS A SPOUSE, CHILD OR COMPANION — NOT A PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUE. A professional colleague is defined as someone who consults with or is employed by an organization whose members are eligible for ABI membership. If a professional colleague is found to be registered as a guest, ABI reserves the right to cancel his or her event registration. Any person not meeting the criteria of “guest” who wishes to participate in any ABI function at the conference is required to register separately at the full conference rate.
If you are interested in exhibiting, please contact Jennifer Guirguis at [email protected]