Contact: John Hartgen
             703-894-5935
             [email protected]

October 27, 2010, Alexandria, Va.  — The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) and St. John’s University School of Law will co-sponsor the 19th Annual Hon. Conrad B. Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, March 5-7, 2011, in New York. The competition promotes and recognizes the finest oral written advocacy on a significant problem in bankruptcy practice. The event, the nation’s only moot court competition devoted entirely to bankruptcy, is named to honor the memory of Chief Judge Conrad B. Duberstein, a St. John’s University alumnus and a former member of the ABI Board of Directors. The competition’s preliminary and octo-final rounds will be held on March 5-6, and quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds will be held on March 7. The preliminary and octo-final rounds will be held at the St. John’s University School of Law, while the quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds will be held at the Conrad B. Duberstein U.S. Bankruptcy Courthouse in Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Judging the final round will again be the chief judges of the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York (Carla E. Craig  and  Arthur J. Gonzalez) along with Federal Appeals Court Judges  Michael J. Melloy  (Eight Circuit),  Mary M. Schroder (Ninth Circuit) and  Deanell Reece Tacha  (Tenth Circuit). Bankruptcy judges from across the nation will judge the quarter- and semifinal rounds.

Approximately 50 ABA-accredited law schools are expected to participate in this year’s competition. Awards will be presented to the winning team, as well as for best written brief and best oral advocate. The awards banquet will be held at the famous Pier 60, Chelsea Piers. The University of Texas Law School is the defending champion, while past winners include University of Miami School of Law, Mississippi College School of Law, Brooklyn Law School, Baylor University School of Law, University of Connecticut Law School, Emory University School of Law, University of Idaho College of Law, William & Mary Law School, the University of Florida Law School, the University of Alabama School of Law, Stetson University College of Law and New York University School of Law.

The ABI Endowment Fund will present awards of $5,000 to the first-place team, $3,000 to the second-place team and $1,500 to the two third-place teams. Individual awards of Best Oral Advocate and Best Brief will receive $1,000 each.

State and local bankruptcy bar sections are encouraged to participate by sponsoring law school teams. ABI members, and especially academic members, are encouraged to help sponsor or coach a team. Hotel and travel accommodations are at the school’s expense. The Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers is the host hotel. 

The registration deadline for teams is Nov. 22. Visit the competition website for more information:  www.stjohns.edu/law/bankruptcy.    

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 12,600 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/events.