Contact: John Hartgen
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SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL DUBERSTEIN BANKRUPTCY MOOT COURT COMPETITION TO BE HELD MARCH 14-16 IN NEW YORK

October 17, 2008, Alexandria, Va. — The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) and St. John’s University School of Law will co-sponsor the 17th Annual Chief Judge Conrad B. Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, March 14-16, 2009, 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 14-15, and quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds held on March 16. 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 U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in Brooklyn. The courthouse will be officially renamed to the “Conrad B. Duberstein U.S. Bankruptcy Courthouse” during a special ceremony on Monday morning, March 16.

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 Stuart M. Bernstein) along with Federal Appeals Court Judges R. Guy Cole (Sixth Circuit), Hon. Michael J. Melloy (Eight Circuit) and Jerry E. Smith (Fifth Circuit). More than 15 bankruptcy judges, including Nancy Alquist (D. Md), Randolph Baxter (N.D. Ohio), Michael Deasy (D. N.H.), Wesley Steen (S.D. Texas), Laurel Isicoff (S.D. Fla.), Pamela Hollis (N.D. Ill.), Joel Rosenthal (D. Mass.), Margaret Dee McGarity (E.D. Wis.), Robert Kressel (D. Minn), and Stephen Raslavich (E.D. Pa.) along with several bankruptcy judges of the Second Circuit, will judge the quarter-final and semi-final rounds.  

Approximately 50 ABA-accredited law schools will 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 Mississippi College School of Lawis the defending champion, while past winners include Brooklyn Law School, Baylor University School of Law, University of Connecticut Law School, Emory University School of Law, University of Miami 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 New York Marriott Financial Center is the host hotel. 

The registration deadline for teams is November 24. Visit the competition website for more information: http://www.abiworld.org/moot09/index.htm.    

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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 nearly 11,600 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/conferences.html.