Press Releases

Thomas B. Fullerton of Akerman LLP Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Thomas B. Fullerton of Akerman LLP (Chicago) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Fullerton is a partner with Akerman LLP’s Bankruptcy Group and a Major in the U.S. Army JAG Corps. His creditor practice includes the representation of traditional banks, loan-servicers, private lenders and commercial landlords in all facets of bankruptcy proceedings, and he represents transferees (including insurance companies/brokers, debt-buyers and individuals) in preference and fraudulent-transfer claims. Fullerton also has performed creditors’ rights litigation for banks and servicers, including mortgage foreclosures, receiverships, mechanics’ liens, and breach-of-note/guaranty and other affirmative matters. As a Judge Advocate in the Army, he is the Deputy Regional Defense Counsel for the Central Region of the 22nd Legal Operations Detachment, and in that capacity he defends soldier-clients who are facing charges and administrative matters, including Article 15s and discharge actions. Fullerton received his LL.M. in Taxation in 2021 from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, his J.D. in 2008 from the University of Dayton School of Law and his B.A. in political science in 2005 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

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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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

November Commercial Chapter 11 Bankruptcies Increase 74 Percent Over Last Year

Dec. 5, 2022 — Commercial chapter 11 filings increased 74 percent to 345 in November 2022 from the 198 filings recorded in November 2021, according to data provided by Epiq Bankruptcy, the leading provider of U.S. bankruptcy filing data.

The November 2022 commercial chapter 11 filing total was lifted by the more than 100 cases related to the chapter 11 filing on November 11 by crypto exchange FTX Trading, Ltd. Total commercial filings increased 17 percent to 1,848 in November over 1,586 total filings in November 2021. Subchapter V small business filings increased 38 percent to 117 in November 2022 from 85 filings in November 2021.

Total U.S. bankruptcy filings in November 2022 were 31,178, up six percent from 29,335 total filings in November 2021. Overall individual filings also increased six percent in November 2022, as 29,330 filings were up over 27,749 individual filings recorded in November 2021. While still below pre-pandemic levels, individual chapter 13 filings continued to increase in November, as 12,862 filings were up 25 percent over the November 2021 total of 10,327.
 
“Despite the month-to-month reduction in filings nationally, 13 states still had double-digit month-over-month increases in the percentage of total commercial filings and seven states had double-digit increases in individual filings,” said Gregg Morin, Vice President of Business Development and Revenue for Epiq Bankruptcy. “Even though more than 100 cases were influenced by a single crypto bankruptcy case, there will always be regional fluctuations, both higher and lower.”   
 
States with the highest percentage increases in commercial filings included DE, ID, NE, AL, SD, MN, MS, OK, MI, IN, NC, KS and NJ. States with the most individual filings percentage increases were AK, WV, SD, OR, KS, DE and ND.
 
“Rising debt loads, increasing interest rates and inflationary pressures are presenting families and businesses with difficult economic challenges to navigate,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “Bankruptcy provides a lifeline to financially struggling households and businesses during uncertain economic times.”
 
Almost all filing chapters in November registered a decrease compared to October’s figures. November’s total bankruptcy filings represented a five percent decrease when compared to the 32,696 total filings recorded the previous month. Total individual filings for November represented a five percent decrease from the October 2022 individual filing total of 30,792. Individual chapter 13 filings also registered a six percent decrease from October’s individual chapter 13 total of 13,619. The commercial filing total represented a three percent decrease from the October 2022 commercial filing total of 1,904. Conversely, commercial chapter 11 filings registered a 13 percent increase from the 305 filings the previous month due in large part to the related cases of the FTX filing. Subchapter V elections within chapter 11 decreased 11 percent from the 132 filed in October 2022.
 
ABI has partnered with Epiq Bankruptcy to provide the most current bankruptcy filing data for analysts, researchers, and members of the news media. Epiq Bankruptcy is the leading provider of data, technology, and services for companies operating in the business of bankruptcy. Its new Bankruptcy Analytics subscription service provides on-demand access to the industry’s most dynamic bankruptcy data, updated daily. Learn more at https://bankruptcy.epiqglobal.com/analytics.
 
About Epiq Bankruptcy
 
Epiq Bankruptcy is a division of Epiq, a global technology-enabled services leader to the legal services industry and corporations that takes on large-scale, increasingly complex tasks for corporate counsel, law firms, and business professionals with efficiency, clarity, and confidence. Clients rely on Epiq to streamline the administration of business operations, class action and mass tort, court reporting, eDiscovery, regulatory, compliance, restructuring, and bankruptcy matters. Epiq subject-matter experts and technologies create efficiency through expertise and deliver confidence to high-performing clients around the world. Learn more at https://www.epiqglobal.com.   
 
About ABI 
 
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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events. 

Warren J. Ford, III of the Goosmann Law Firm Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Warren J. Ford, III of the Goosmann Law Firm (Omaha, Neb.) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Ford is a partner and Corporate Maintenance leader at Goosmann Law Firm, where he is a litigation and transactional attorney who represents creditors, banks and business leaders in civil and commercial litigation, out-of-court workouts, and chapter 7, 11 and 13 bankruptcy proceedings, including adversary proceedings. He also routinely assists clients with complex business transactions and asset acquisitions. Ford was named on the 2021, 2022 and 2023 The Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” lists for Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. He also was recently named a 2022 Super Lawyers “Rising Star.” In addition, he is an Executive Committee member of the Nebraska State Bar Association’s Banking & Bankruptcy Sections, and he is a member of the Young Lawyers Division through the Iowa State Bar Association. He also is a member of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) and an active member of NAMWOLF’s Financial Services Litigation Practice Area Committee, through which he helps promote NAMWOLF members who concentrate on both offensive and defensive financial services litigation to major financial services companies. Ford received his J.D. in 2011 from the University of Nebraska College of Law and his B.A. in political science in 2008 from Creighton University.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

###

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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

Gianfranco Finizio of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Gianfranco Finizio of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (New York) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Finizio is a partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, where he advises and represents a diverse range of clients, including official committees of unsecured creditors, indenture trustees, debtors, bank agents, and major secured and unsecured creditors in complex chapter 11 bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings and other distressed situations. He has been listed in the 2021 and 2022 editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Up & Coming) and recognized as a New York “Rising Star” for the past eight years for Business Bankruptcy in Super Lawyers. Finizio’s pro bono activities include working with KIND (Kids in Need of Defense), a nonprofit that offers legal counsel to unaccompanied refugees and immigrant children; through the organization, he provides legal services to children in need. He also mentors new Kilpatrick Townsend associates, including participating in coaching sessions and yearly reviews. Finizio received his J.D. in 2009 from St. John's University School of Law and his B.B.A. cum laude in 2006 from George Washington University.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

###

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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

Rebecca Earl of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Rebecca Earl of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D.N.J.; Trenton, N.J.) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Earl is a career law clerk to Hon. Michael B. Kaplan, Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. As Judge Kaplan’s career clerk, she assists in overseeing more than 3,000 consumer and commercial bankruptcy cases. Earl has drafted numerous judicial opinions addressing complex and cutting-edge legal issues — several of which have received nationwide attention. Following law school, she clerked for a Superior Court judge in Burlington County, N.J., then moved to California, where she took odd jobs performing legal research and writing before teaming up with a local attorney handling high-volume mass tort litigation cases, eventually turning his small operation into a lucrative practice. Returning to New Jersey in 2011, Earl served as term law clerk for a magistrate judge in the District of New Jersey, then transitioned to bankruptcy as a term law clerk for Judge Kaplan. Upon completion of her term in the bankruptcy court, she moved to the South Pacific to serve as court counsel to the Supreme Court of Palau in Micronesia, where she assisted Supreme Court justices with their respective dockets, helped with the second jury trial held in Palauan history, and contributed toward the implementation of the nation’s Family Protection Act. Upon returning to the U.S., Earl worked as a staff attorney for the Prison Litigation Office in Trenton, N.J., where she addressed habeas corpus, civil rights and constitutional law claims filed by prisoners. In 2016, she became career law clerk to Judge Kaplan. Earl received her J.D. in 2008 from Rutgers University School of Law and her B.A. in history in 2005 from Lehigh University.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

###

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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

Erin E. Diers of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Erin E. Diers of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP (New York) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Diers is a partner in Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP’s Corporate Reorganization department, where she focuses on bankruptcy, restructuring and commercial litigation. Her diverse practice includes the representation of debtors and creditors in a wide range of matters, including in- and out-of-court restructurings and bankruptcy litigation. Diers also provides bankruptcy advice in connection with financing transactions and maintains an active pro bono practice, representing clients in prisoners’ rights, immigration and family law cases. A first-generation college and law school graduate, she was recognized in 2022 as an “Outstanding Young Restructuring Lawyer” by Turnarounds & Workouts, an honor given to just 12 attorneys nationwide under the age of 40. Diers also has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by New York Super Lawyers for seven consecutive years, and was recommended in The Legal 500 United States in the area of Finance – Restructuring (including Bankruptcy): Corporate in 2021 and 2022. She is co-chair of her firm’s Women’s Roundtable, a member of her firm’s Mentoring Task Force, a board member of the New York Chapter of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), and a member of the International Aviation Women’s Association. Diers received her J.D. in 2011 from Columbia University School of Law, where she was the Harlan Fisk Stone Scholar, and her B.A. magna cum laude in 2008 from American University.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

###

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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

Caleb Chaplain of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Caleb Chaplain of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia (Harrisonburg, Va.) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Chaplain is the career law clerk to Hon. Rebecca B. Connelly of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia. Previously, he was a term law clerk for both Judge Connelly and Hon. Paul M. Black, Chief Judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia. On top of work with his court, he is active in national projects like the Chambers Automated Program Working Group and previously served on the CSO Expert Panel. In addition to his work with the judiciary, Chaplain is an adjunct professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he teaches bankruptcy law. In that role, he has given presentations on both bankruptcy and judicial clerkships for other classes and at larger events for the law school to spark interest in bankruptcy practice and clerking. Chaplain is passionate about consumer bankruptcy issues and serves as a coordinating editor for the ABI Journal’s “On the Edge” column. He has also published articles for the ABI Journal as well as ABI’s Consumer Committee newsletter. Further, he grades briefs for the Duberstein Moot Court Competition and is involved with his local CARE chapter. Chaplain received his J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2013 and his B.A. cum laude in classical languages and literature from Dartmouth College in 2007.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

###

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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

Kara E. Casteel of ASK LLP Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Kara E. Casteel of ASK LLP (St. Paul, Minn.) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Casteel is the managing partner of ASK LLP’s Bankruptcy Litigation practice and represents trustees, committees and debtors in possession in preference analysis and the litigation of avoidance actions. She has successfully litigated preference and fraudulent transfer matters in multiple jurisdictions, including the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Delaware, Southern District of New York, Southern District of Texas and the Southern District of Indiana. Casteel is a Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor, and is especially passionate about raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through fundraising with the Man & Woman of the Year campaign. She also runs races with Team in Training, for which she serves on its Executive Leadership Committee and volunteered to be a training coach. In addition, she enjoys mentoring and training upcoming associates. Casteel received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2008 and her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin in 2005.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

###

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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

Amber Carson of Gray Reed & McGraw LLP Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Amber Carson of Gray Reed & McGraw LLP (Dallas) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Carson is a partner-elect with Gray Reed & McGraw LLP and guides debtors, creditors, official committees and other parties through every phase of commercial bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters before courts in Texas and across the country. She also handles bankruptcy-related litigation involving fraudulent transfers, preference actions, contract disputes and many more. Carson is committed to helping young lawyers succeed and to building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive future for the insolvency legal community. She leads the TAG Subcommittee of ABI’s Diversity & Inclusion Working Group (DWG) and the Pipeline Programs Subcommittee of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee for the Bankruptcy Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (BLS), and she serves as Member Relations Director for ABI’s Young and New Members Committee. She also serves on Gray Reed’s DEI committee. Carson was awarded the 2021 Romina Mulloy-Bossio Achievement Award by the State Bar of Texas’s BLS, and has been recognized as a “Best Lawyer Under 40” by D Magazine, a “Rising Star” by Texas Super Lawyers and a “One to Watch” by The Best Lawyers in America. She received her J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 2012 and her B.B.A. cum laude in marketing from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2009.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

###

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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

Justin R. Bernbrock of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP (Chicago) Selected as One of ABI's 2022 "40 Under 40"

Alexandria, Va. ABI announces that Justin R. Bernbrock of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP (Chicago) has been selected as one of ABI’s “40 Under 40,” ABI’s annual program that recognizes 40 of the top insolvency industry professionals under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony on Dec. 9 at ABI’s 2022 Winter Leadership Conference at the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif.

Bernbrock is a partner with Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP and concentrates his practice on all aspects of corporate restructuring, bankruptcy and financial distress. He represents clients across a wide range of matters, including debtor and creditor representations. Bernbrock has substantial experience in out-of-court and in-court restructurings, primarily in the Southern District of New York, Eastern District of Virginia, District of Delaware and Southern District of Texas. He has been recognized among Lawdragon’s 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers for 2022, selected as an “Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer” by Turnarounds & Workouts for 2021, and honored by the Turnaround Management Association’s (TMA) Chicago/Midwest Chapter with the 2021 “Large Company Turnaround of the Year” award for his team’s role as lead restructuring counsel to Alpha Media Holdings LLC and certain of its affiliates in their successful chapter 11 cases filed in the Eastern District of Virginia. He also was named to Crain’s Chicago Business’s 2021 list of Rising Stars in Law. Bernbrock believes that his strong desire to seek and serve the needs of others accounts for his success in the military and as a lawyer. He served as the inaugural chairperson of the Advisory Committee to the Board of the National Veterans Legal Services Program, and in his capacity as a member of a P-3C Orion combat aircrew, Bernbrock was routinely responsible for the welfare and safety of his crewmembers, including while in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. He received his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2012 and his B.A. summa cum laude in political science from Southern Illinois University in 2008.

“The 2022 honorees continually display the acumen, energy and passion in both their careers and communities to demonstrate that they are the future leaders of the insolvency profession,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “This year’s class, like those in years past, brings together a widely diverse collection of young leaders who we fully expect will propel ABI and the insolvency community forward.”

The “40 Under 40” winners are distinguished by professional achievements and service and were selected by a group of experienced professionals from ABI’s current leadership. Now in its sixth year, the goal of ABI’s “40 under 40” initiative is not simply to create a one-time ceremony, but to fully engage those selected as future leaders in the insolvency profession and to build on the initiative each year.

Click here to view the full list of the 2022 “40 Under 40” honorees.

###

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 10,000 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.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.

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