Creditor-Debtor Section
Announcements
Dear Section Members,
On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Creditor-Debtor Section of the WSBA, we are honored to inform you that Ian Ledlin of Spokane was the recipient of the 2007 Sidney C. Volinn Award. The Volinn award is awarded on a discretionary basis to a bankruptcy professional in our state at the Northwest Bankruptcy Institute. The award recognizes outstanding services to the bankruptcy bar and the community. Past recipients have been Joe Barreca, Willard Hatch, Mary Jo Heston and the Honorable John A. Rossmeissl.
Thank you for your nominations and participation in this matter. Please note that the nominee names will be kept on file for consideration of future Volinn awards.
Jim Hurley and John Rizzardi
Executive Committee Members
TARRTF Report
Please read the following information from the final findings of the Trust Account Responsibilities and Retainers Task Force Report to the Board of Governors, dated July 10, 2007:
For the Bankruptcy Bar's information, two rules have been proposed by the United States Trustee and are out for public comment. They are attached below. One relates to the procedures and criteria for the approval of the credit counseling agencies and the second relates to the forms for the final reports by the trustees in the asset cases. The procedures for submitting comments are described in the rules, and the deadline for comments is April 1, 2008, for credit counseling and April 4, 2008, for the trustee final reports.
Gary W. Dyer
Attorney for the United States Trustee
U.S. Department of Justice
920 W. Riverside Ave., Rm 593
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 353-2999
Gary.W.Dyer@usdoj.gov
The proposed rules, along with the final report forms, may be viewed on the new “Proposed Rulemaking” page of the Program’s Internet site, http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/proposed_rulemaking/index.htm, or on the Federal Register’s Web site, http://www.regulations.gov/search/index.jsp. The citation for the credit counseling rule is 73 Fed. Reg. 6062 – 6073 (Feb. 1, 2008). The trustee final reports rule may be located at 73 Fed. Reg. 6447 – 6451 (Feb. 4, 2008).
Upcoming Events
Click here for upcoming events!
2003-2004 Case Law Supplement to: Bankruptcy Case Law Digest for Washington State (3d ed.)
WSBA-CLE Publications and the WSBA Creditor-Debtor Section proudly present the long-awaited 2003-2004 case law update to this valuable resource. This two-volume set with searchable CD contains summaries of bankruptcy cases (U.S. Supreme Court, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit BAP, 9th Circuit District Courts, and the Washington Bankruptcy Courts) from 1996 through 2004, with a linked topical index, case list, code, and rules. The Digest is published by the Creditor-Debtor Law Section and the Washington State Bar Association. For more information, or to order, click here or call the WSBA Service Center at 800-945-WSBA or 206-443-WSBA.
Grant Program
The practitioners of the Creditor-Debtor Law Section recognize the importance for all individuals to have access to legal services. Many section members are actively involved in providing expertise to legal services for low-income individuals, both through direct representation and/or educational programs. While financial constraints and/or other limitations may impede individuals in seeking legal services, it is recognized that community services exist to assist with legal issues. The purpose of the established Creditor-Debtor Law Section grant program is to financially assist in the on-going operation of these community service programs.
The Creditor-Debtor Section offers its members numerous opportunities to stay current on relevant legal issues, influence legislation, and participate in pro bono activities.
The Section publishes a newsletter, digest, and directory, and sponsors several Continuing Legal Education programs and meetings each year. Much of the substantive activity and interaction with practitioners in the field occurs through committees that have been instrumental in influencing legislation and disseminating information.
The Creditor-Debtor Section has a long-standing tradition of co-sponsoring, with our counterpart Oregon section, the Annual Northwest Bankruptcy Institute. It is the Pacific Northwest's premier seminar for insolvency counsel. Our section and its members are active in providing financial and professional support to pro bono and community legal service organizations such as the Debtor-Creditor resource Project and the Spokane County Bar Association Volunteer lawyers Program. Our section is preparing to make available an updated digest of bankruptcy court decisions in the Ninth Circuit.
As the only institution with a statewide membership involved in creditor-debtor practice, the section is routinely consulted for comment on proposed legislation, court rules, and administration of the courts. Members have been active in drafting and proposing legislation in areas such as garnishment, exemptions, and receiverships.
Our members represent individuals and businesses who are Debtors, Debtors-in-Possession, Creditors, Creditors' Committees, Trustees, and Examiners in all facets of Creditor-Debtor Law, including:
- Liquidations (Chapter 7)
- Commercial Bankruptcy Reorganizations (Chapter 11)
- Consumer Bankruptcy Reorganizations (Chapter 13)
- Farm Reorganizations (Chapter 12)
- Out-of-Court Insolvency Workouts, Restructuring and Turnarounds
- Loan Documentation
- Receiverships and Foreclosures
- Bankruptcy Litigation
- Bankruptcy Repossessions/Recoveries
- Collection Proceedings
- Security Interests
- Purchases out of Bankruptcy Estates
For more information
For more information, please contact the current Section Chair:
William L. Hames, Chair 2006-2007
PO Box 5498
Kennewick, WA 99336-0498
Phone: 509-586-7797
Fax: 509-586-3674 fax
E-mail: billh@hawlaw.com
Section Members: To join the section list serve and receive information about section activities and other section-related matters, please send your e-mail address and Bar number to questions@wsba.org.
