Member in the News

Member in the News

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ABI Committee Leaders Profile

ABI's Court Administration Committee, which studies, analyzes, makes reports and recommendations on the means to improve and enhance the function and operations of the bankruptcy system, is co-chaired by Deirdre A. Martini, Hon. Cecelia G. Morris and Lynn Lewis Tavenner.

Dierdre Martini was named senior restructuring advisor and managing director of the business capital group of CIT Group Inc. in July. She previously held the post of U.S. Trustee for Region 2 from 2003-06, where she oversaw the administration of chapter 11 cases in recent history, including Delphi, Delta Airlines, Dana Corp., Northwest Airlines and Refco Inc. In her new role, she will assist the CIT business unit that provides financing solutions and advisory services for distressed companies in connection with both pre-bankruptcy workouts and post-petition DIP and exit financings. Before her appointment as U.S. Trustee, Ms. Martini chaired the restructuring practice at Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara LLC. From 1988-99, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, representing federal agencies in the bankruptcy court and prosecuting bankruptcy crimes. She earned the 2006 Woman of the Year award from the IWIRC. An adjunct professor at St. John's University School of Law, she is a graduate of New York University and Quinnipiac University School of Law.

Judge Cecelia Morris is a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York in Poughkeepsie. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Morris served as an assistant district attorney in the Child Support Recovery Unit of the district attorney's office of the Spalding Judicial District headquartered in Griffin, Ga. Judge Morris also worked in private practice and ultimately served as clerk of court for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York from 1999-2000. Judge Morris is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy and is a frequent writer and lecturer on issues related to bankruptcy, with particular emphasis on mediation and electronic filing/Internet issues. Judge Morris is an active member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Commercial and Litigation Section, the American College of Bankruptcy and the Coalition for Consumer Bankruptcy Debtor Education. Judge Morris is admitted to practice in courts in Georgia and the District of Columbia. She earned her B.S. at West Texas State University and received her J.D. from the John Marshall Law School.

Lynn Tavenner is a founding member of Tavenner & Beran, PLC in Richmond, Va., where she provides legal reprsentation to all entities in business reorganizations and trustees and creditors in all other aspects of bankruptcy and creditors' rights, and focuses exclusively on bankruptcy, creditors' rights, business reorganizations and commercial finance. In addition, she is a panel member of the chapter 7 trustees for the Richmond Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Ms. Tavenner is a member of the Virginia and Richmond Bar Associations. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Bridgewater College and earned her J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of Law.

More Members in the News

Brown McCarroll LLP in Houston recently added Michael P. Ridulfo to its bankruptcy, reorganization and creditors' rights section. Mr. Ridulfo specializes in creditors' rights, bankruptcy and collection matters throughout central and south Texas. He is a frequent writer and speaker for the University of Texas and Texas State Bar conferences. He received his J.D. from Southern Methodist University and his B.A. with honors from New Mexico State University. He has been an ABI member since 1998.

Leonard H. Gilbert, a partner in Holland & Knight's Tampa, Fla., office, has been appointed to the American Bar Association's prestigious Committee on Federal Judiciary, representing the Eleventh Circuit. In this role, he will review all Presidential nominees to the Federal Courts in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, as well as all nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Gilbert was appointed for a three-year term. A former President of the Florida Bar and active in the American Bar and International Bar Associations, Mr. Gilbert has been an ABI member since 1985.

Henry A. Callaway III recently received the Liberty Bell Award from the Mobile, Ala., Bar Association. The award honors a local citizen who "promotes a better understanding of the U.S. Constitution and encourages respect for the law and the courts, stimulates a deeper sense of individual responsibility, and fosters a better understanding and appreciation for the rule of law." Mr. Callaway is a partner in the Hand Arendall LLC's Mobile office and practices in the areas of business litigation and bankruptcy. He has been an ABI member since 1992.

Katz Barron attorney Leyza Florin Blanco has been elected President-Elect of the Bankruptcy Bar for the Southern District of Florida. Ms. Blanco is a member of Katz Barron's restructuring and creditor rights' department in Miami. She has represented debtors, creditors, trustees and other parties in all facets of bankruptcy proceedings. She has been involved in complex reorganization and corporate restructuring matters as well as bankruptcy appeals. Ms. Blanco is a member of the Florida, American, Hispanic National and Cuban American Bar Associations and IWIRC, and she has been an ABI member since 2001. She is also an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University Law School. Ms. Blanco earned her B.A. and her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law.

Verrill Dana LLP in Portland, Maine, has been recognized as a leader in all practice areas ranked by the 2006 edition of Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business. The firm's bankruptcy and commercial law group was among the first-ranked; attorneys Gayle H. Allen and Roger A. Clement Jr. were both recognized for their achievements. Ms. Allen is a partner in the bankruptcy and commercial law group and serves as chair of the firm's mentor committee. She earned her B.A. at Simmons College and her J.D. at Golden Gate University School of Law. She has been an ABI member since 1996. Mr. Clement is the chair of the firm's bankruptcy and commercial law department. Mr. Clement earned his A.B. from Bowdoin College and his J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law, where he was a notes editor of the Maine Law Review. He has been an ABI member since 1994.

Kurt O'Keefe, a solo practitioner in Detroit, was recently named Michigan state chair of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. Mr. O'Keefe represents debtors in all chapters, as well as FCRA, FDCPA, TILA and RESPA plaintiffs. He earned his J.D. at Wayne State Law School and was a cum laude graduate at the University of Michigan. Mr. O'Keefe is president of the Detroit Debtor Bar Association and has been an ABI member since 2000.

Donald J. Detweiler joined Greenberg Traurig LLP's Wilmington, Del. in August as a shareholder in the business reorganization and bankruptcy department. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Mr. Detweiler was a partner at Saul Ewing LLP. He has been an ABI member since 2002. Mr. Detweiler earned his J.D. from Widener University School of Law and his B.A from Villanova University.

The Best Lawyers in America 2007 recognized Philadelphia-based Hangley Aronchick Segal & Pudlin attorneys Myron Bloom, Joseph Dworetzky and James Matour in the areas of bankruptcy and creditor-debtor rights law. Mr. Bloom is the chair of the firm's bankruptcy department, where his practice concentrates on corporate reorganization, bankruptcy, commercial workouts and creditors' rights. Mr. Dworetzky focuses his practice on bankruptcy matters and commercial litigation. He is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. Mr. Matour concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate reorganization, bankruptcy, and commercial workouts. He is a founding director of the Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project.

ABI Board Member Lawrence R. Ahern III and David W. Houston IV recently joined the Firm of Burr & Forman LLP in Nashville. For more information, visit www.burr.com.

The merger of Buchanan Ingersoll PC and Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling PC became effective July, creating Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. The firm has approximately 550 attorneys and government-relations professionals, with offices nationwide. ABI members include: Alan J. Brody, DeWitt Brown, Mary F. Caloway, Jeffrey M. Carbino, Magdeline D. Coleman, Teresa K.D. Currier, Louis T. DeLucia, Peter J. Duhig, Alyson M. Fiedler, Thomas W. Halm Jr., Mark S. Lichtenstein, James D. Newell, Jami B. Nimeroff, Susan P. Persichilli, Eric Lopez Schnabel, William H. Schorling, Terry A. Shulsky Jr. and Zakarij O. Thomas.

Altman Riley Esher LLP announced that it completed its merger in July. The firm is still located at 100 Franklin Street in Boston, but a new Web site can be found at www.are-law.com. ABI members at the firm include Jack Esher, Lynn Riley and Mark Rossi.

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Sunday, October 1, 2006