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

TOP BANKRUPTCY JUDGES AND PRACTITIONERS FEATURED AT ABI’S “BANKRUPTCY 2009: VIEWS FROM THE BENCH” CONFERENCE

June 19, 2009, Alexandria, Va. — Sixteen bankruptcy judges will participate at the American Bankruptcy Institute’s “Bankruptcy 2009: Views from the Bench” program on Oct. 2 at The Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. David R. Kuney of Sidley Austin LLP (Washington, D.C.) is the program chair for the conference. Attendees will have the opportunity to earn 7.5 CLE credits, including 1.0 hour of ethics, at the conference. “Views from the Bench” will also feature keynote speaker Prof. Kenneth Klee of the UCLA School of Law discussing his book, Bankruptcy and the Supreme Court.

Panel sessions include:

The “New Dilemmas in DIP Financing” session will be moderated by Marcia L. Goldstein of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP (New York) and feature panelists Bankruptcy Judges Arthur J. Gonzalez (S.D.N.Y.; New York), Douglass D. Dodd (M.D. La.; Baton Rouge), Robert G. Mayer (E.D. Va.; Alexandria) and facilitator James H.M. Sprayregen of Kirkland & Ellis LLP (Chicago).

Craig Goldblatt of WilmerHale (Washington, D.C.) will moderate the “Steering Through the Auto Crisis” session with Bankruptcy Judges Robert E. Gerber (S.D.N.Y.; New York) and Steven W. Rhodes (E.D. Mich.; Detroit), along with facilitator Kevin D. Orr of Jones Day (Washington, D.C.).

The “Retail Cases” session will be moderated by Martin J. Bienenstock of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP (New York) featuring Bankruptcy Judges Wendelin I. Lipp (D. Md.; Greenbelt), Brendan Linehan Shannon (D. Del.; Wilmington) and Mary F. Walrath (D. Del.; Wilmington) with David L. Pollack of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP (Philadelphia) facilitating the session.

Moderator Robert J. Rosenberg of Latham & Watkins, LLP (New York) will be joined by Bankruptcy Judges Leif M. Clark (W.D. Tex.; San Antonio),Robert D. Drain (S.D.N.Y.; New York) and Gregg W. Zive (D. Nev.; Reno) along with facilitator Mary Jo Dowd of Arent Fox LLP (Washington, D.C.) for the “Asset Sales” session.

The “Current Issues in Plan Confirmation” session, moderated by Richard B. Levin of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP (New York), will include Bankruptcy Judges Thomas J. Catliota (D. Md.; Greenbelt), Allan L. Gropper (S.D.N.Y.; New York) and S. Martin Teel (D. D.C.) with facilitator Edward C. Dolan of Hogan & Hartson LLP (Washington, D.C.).

Bankruptcy Judges Nancy V. Alquist (D. Md.; Baltimore), Jean K. FitzSimon (E.D. Pa.; Philadelphia) and Rosemary Gambardella (D. N.J.; Newark) will be joined by moderator Jay M. Goffman of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (New York) and facilitator Michael P. Richman of Patton Boggs LLP (New York) for the “Ethics” session.

For more information on the “Views from the Bench” conference, please be sure to visit http://www.abiworld.org/GT09. 

###

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 12,000 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.