Alexandria, Va. — The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) and the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law have collaborated again to present the 32nd Annual Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute program on Oct. 5. The conference will take place at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown in Kansas City, Mo. The Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute features distinguished speakers on current developments, including 12 bankruptcy judges. There will also be a Consumer Track featuring breakout sessions specifically designed for consumer practitioners offered at a reduced rate. In addition, the program will feature a special lunch presentation by Kansas City Mayor Sly James. Ronald S. Weiss of Berman, DeLeve, Kuchan & Chapman, LC (Kansas City) and Mark G. Stingley of Bryan Cave LLP (Kansas City) are the program co-chairs, and Bankruptcy Judge Dennis R. Dow (W.D. Mo.; Kansas City) is the judicial chair. Bankruptcy Judges Anita L. Shodeen (S.D. Iowa; Des Moines), Robert E. Nugent (D. Kan.; Wichita) and Arthur B. Federman (W.D. Mo.; Kansas City) will provide a special “Case Law Update” plenary session examining bankruptcy cases at the Eighth Circuit, Tenth Circuit and Supreme Court. Plenary sessions at the conference include: - The World Has Changed: You’d Better Know the Alternatives to Bankruptcy - Mock Appellate Argument: Individual Chapter 11—Does the Absolute Priority Rule and the Preconfirmation Use of the Debtor's Disposable Income Apply in Individual Chapter 11 Cases? - Latest Wide World of Fraud: Claims and Defenses in Actions Targeting Investors, Bankers, Accountants and Attorneys - Ethics Session: The Seven Deadly Ethical Sins for the Bankruptcy Lawyer - “View from the Bench” Judges’ Panel For more information about the Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute program, including a list of program speakers, please click here: http://www.abiworld.org/MW12/schedule.html. The Consumer Forum will feature the following breakout sessions specifically designed for consumer practitioners: - 25 Key Issues in Advising Debtors Pre-Petition - 10 Strategies for Better Consumer Bankruptcy Outcomes: A Mini-Arsenal of Best Practices, Novel Approaches and Innovative Ideas that Might Just Improve the Consumer Bankruptcy System For more information about the Midwestern Consumer Forum, please click here: http://www.abiworld.org/MW12/consumer.html. ### 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 13,000 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.