Alexandria, Va. — The American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) and St. John’s University School of Law are co-sponsoring the 23^rd Annual Duberstein Bankruptcy Moot Court Competition, to be held March 7-9, 2015, in New York City. The competition promotes and recognizes the finest oral and written advocacy on a significant problem in bankruptcy practice. The event, the nation’s only moot court competition devoted entirely to bankruptcy, is named in honor of Chief Judge Conrad B. Duberstein, a St. John’s University alumnus and a former member of ABI’s Board of Directors. The competition’s preliminary and octo-final rounds will be held on March 7-8, and quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds will be held on March 9. The preliminary and octo-final rounds will be held at 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 Cecilia G. Morris, respectively), along with Federal Appeals Court Judges Adalberto Jordan (Eleventh Circuit) and Michael J. Melloy (Eighth Circuit), and U.S. District Court Judge Joy Flowers Conti (W.D. Pa.). Bankruptcy judges from across the nation will judge the quarter- and semifinal rounds.

More than 60 law school teams participated last year, and the same number of teams are expected to participate in this year’s competition. The awards banquet, which draws more than 1,000 attendees and New York-area bankruptcy professionals, will be held on the last day of the competition at the Sheraton New York Times Square hotel. Georgia State University College of Law is the defending champion, while past winners include the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, University of Texas School of Law, University of Houston Law School, 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 for Best Oralist 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 also encouraged to help sponsor or coach a team. Hotel and travel accommodations are at each school’s expense. The Sheraton New York Times Square is the host hotel.

More information is available on the competition website: http://www.stjohns.edu/law/center-bankruptcy-studies/duberstein-moot-court-competition.     

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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 more than 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.