ABI Developments

3RD QUARTER 2024

VOL. 11, NO. 3

DEVELOPMENTS
From the ABI Anthony H.N. Schnelling Endowment Fund

New Veterans’ AND Servicemembers’ Affairs Task Force Co‑Chair Appointed

Hon. Mary Jo Heston (U.S. Bankruptcy Court (W.D. Wash.); Tacoma) has been appointed as a new co-chair of ABI’s Task Force on Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Affairs. The task force’s Legislative Committee is actively seeking projects for the year, while its Financial Education (FinEd) team is collaborating with the National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium. Additionally, the task force’s Pro Bono Committee is partnering with the Warrior Scholarship Project. To get involved in the task force’s activities, contact any of the task force’s members, who can be found at veterans.abi.org/taskforce-members.

Grants Committee Report

ABI’s Research & Grants Committee will have a busy Q3 and Q4, as several long-term ABI-funded research projects are nearing their final stages, including Prof. Lois Lupica’s Financial Distress Research Project, which will examine whether financial education and counseling and/or assistance from a lawyer definitively improves the financial health of the unemployed, the under-employed, the working poor, and others who cannot meet their financial obligations. Prof. Lupica is on the faculty of the University of Maine School of Law and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Also in its final phases is a study by Profs. Brook E. Gotberg (Brigham Young University School of Law) and Michael D. Sousa (University of Denver Sturm College of Law) of the impact, if any, of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion on consumer bankruptcies. Prof. Jared A. Ellias (Harvard Law School) is very close to publishing the results of his research examining whether employees flee companies that seek chapter 11 protection and whether corporate debtors in possession alter their recruitment policies. ABI also recently funded a new research project, to be undertaken by Prof. Joe Schomberg (Drake University Law School), that will examine whether a discharge in bankruptcy results in a psychological “fresh start” by prompting significant changes in consumer financial behavior and habits. And finally, ABI continues to provide financial support for the Duberstein Moot Court Competition, the Corporate Restructuring Competition, and Brooklyn Law School’s Young Scholars Workshop.

Generation Showdown Update

The ABI Endowment Fund thanks everyone who donated to the inaugural Generation Showdown Competition, held over the summer! Baby Boomers took the top spot in donation dollar amounts, followed by Generation X, then Millennials. Those who took part in the competition surpassed our goal of $10,000, raising $32,248 for the Endowment. All Endowment donations support the Duberstein Moot Court Competition, the Task Force on Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Affairs, ABI’s Resident Scholar Program, and the numerous research projects funded by the Endowment. We are grateful for our members’ continued support, not only in this campaign but throughout the year.

35 for 35 Campaign Announced

2024 marks the 35th anniversary of the Anthony H.N. Schnelling Endowment Fund, and we are thrilled to kick off our year-end giving campaign starting this October! Established in 1989 to advance insolvency research and education, the ABI Endowment Fund has since provided $1.8 million in grants to benefit the insolvency community via the following programs and studies:

ABI’s Resident Scholar Program
Task Force on Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Affairs
Conrad B. Duberstein Moot Court Competition
Ethics Task Force
Major Research Initiatives, such as:
- Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11
- Study on the Effectiveness of Financial Education
- Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy
- Studies on the Impact of BAPCPA
- and many more!

New Donors over the Last Quarter

The ABI Endowment is grateful to the following new donors over the last quarter: Hon. Lisa G. Beckerman of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (New York); Geoffrey L. Berman of Palm Desert, Calif.; Hon. Hannah L. Blumenstiel of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California (San Francisco); Patrick A. Clisham of Engelman Berger, PC (Phoenix); Hon. Bruce A. Harwood (ret.) (San Francisco); Hon. Michelle M. Harner of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland (Baltimore); David W. Houston IV of Burr & Forman LLP (Nashville, Tenn.); Erika F. Johnson of Bayard, PA (Wilmington, Del.); Kristina M. Johnson of Jones Walker LLP (Jackson, Miss.); Nick Kaluk of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP (New York); Jayna Partain Lamar of Maynard Nexsen PC (Birmingham, Ala.); Richard S. Lauter of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith (Chicago); Jerry M. Markowitz of Markowitz Ringel Trusty & Hartog, PA (Miami); Jennifer M. McLemore of Williams Mullen (Richmond, Va.); Barry E. Mukamal of KapilaMukamal, LLP (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.); Hon. C. Ray Mullins of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta); Hon. Daniel S. Opperman of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (Bay City); David M. Poitras of BG Law LLP (Woodlands, Calif.); Brandy M. Rapp of Whiteford Taylor Preston LLP (Roanoke, Va.); Hon. Maureen A. Tighe of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California (Woodland Hills); Scott Van Meter of HKA (Houston); Steven L. Victor of Development Specialists, Inc. (Chicago); Christopher A. Ward of Polsinelli (Wilmington, Del.); David A. Wender of Eversheds Sutherland LLP (Atlanta) and Donald A. Workman of Workman Attorney at Law (McLean, Va.).

Endowment Awards to Be Presented at Winter Leadership Conference

Every year during ABI’s Winter Leadership Conference, the ABI Endowment acknowledges those who reach new donation levels. There is still time to reach your new donation level. If you would like to know where you are in your donation level and would like to level up, please reach out to Erin Green at egreen@abi.org.

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Levels of Support

Diamond Level
Contributions of $80,000 and above

Platinum Level
Contributions of $65,000 – $79,999

Millennium Level
Contributions of $50,000 – $64,999

30th Anniversary Circle
Contributions of $30,000 – $49,999

Century Council Member
Contributions of $25,000 – $29,999

Visionary
Contributions of $20,000 – $24,999

Legacy
Contributions of $15,000 – $19,999

Lifetime Member
Contributions of $10,000 – $14,999

Benefactor
Contributions of $5,000 – $9,999

Sustaining Member
Contributions of $2,000 – $4,999

Leadership Club
Contributions of $1,000 – $1,999

Donor
Contributions of $100 – $999

Endowment Fund Development Committee

Vice President—Development:
Bradley D. Sharp
Development Specialists, Inc.

Committee Members:
Steven M. Berman
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP

Marchand Boyd
Axos Bank

Dawn M. Cica
Carlyon Cica Chtd.

Eric J. Fromme
Pacheco & Neach, P.C.

Erika F. Johnson
Bayard, P.A.

Kristina M. Johnson
Jones Walker LLP

Donald A. Workman

Regional Endowment Chairs

Mid-Atlantic
Chair: Donald A. Workman
Kara Hammond Coyle –
Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP
Charles Forman – Forman Holt
Neil B. Glassman – Bayard, P.A.
Matthew B. Harvey – Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP
Michael R. Herz – Fox Rothschild LLC
Warren Martin – Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, PC
James E. Van Horn – Barnes
& Thornburg LLP

Midwest
Chair: Lisa Vandesteeg – Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC
Daniel A. DeMarco – Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP
Richard S. Lauter – Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP
James A. Lodoen – Spencer Fane LLP
Claire Ann Richman – Richman
& Richman LLC
Sheryl L. Toby – Dykema Gossett PLLC

New England
Chair: Jeffrey T. Varsalone – G2 Capital Advisors, LLC

New York Metro
Co-Chair: Marchand Boyd – Axos Bank
Co-Chair: Elyssa S. Kates – BakerHostetler

Rocky Mountain
Co-Chair: Annette W. Jarvis – Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Co-Chair: Lynne Long – Riveron Consulting, LLC

South
Chair: Kristina M. Johnson –
Jones Walker LLP
Laura Ashley – Jones Walker LLP
Craig M. Geno – Craig M. Geno, PLLC
James R. Irving – Dentons Bingham Greenebaum
Derek F. Meek – Burr & Forman LLP
Emily Taube – Burr & Forman LLP
Mary Tipton Thalheimer –
Rose Law Firm, PA

Southeast
Chair: Steven M. Berman – Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Terri L. Gardner – Gardner Law, PLLC
Neil C. Gordon – Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
Jerry Markowitz – Markowitz, Ringel, Trusty + Hartog, P.A.
Jennifer McLemore – Williams Mullen
Jennifer M. Meyerowitz – SAK Management Services, LLC
Edward J. Peterson, III – Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler, PA
Lynn Lewis Tavenner – Tavenner & Beran, PLC
Glenn Thompson – Hamilton Stephens Steele & Martin, PLLC

Texas & Southwest
Co-Chair: Jason S. Brookner – Gray Reed & McGraw, LLP
Co-Chair: Scott Van Meter – B. Riley Advisory Services
Jordan A. Kroop – Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP
John D. Penn – Perkins Coie LLP
Thomas J. Salerno – Stinson LLP

West
Chair: Randye B. Soref – Polsinelli
Dawn Cica – Carlyon Cica Chtd.
Larissa Gotguelf – FTI Consulting, Inc.
Victor Owens – East West Bank