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ABI Roundtable Programs ERIC W. ANDERSON Eric W. Anderson is a partner in the bankruptcy group of Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs LLP in Atlanta, where he concentrates his practice in bankruptcy, workouts, financial restructuring and commercial finance. He represents lenders and other parties in bankruptcy and financial restructuring matters both in and out of bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession financing, purchase and sale of assets of distressed companies, and various related transactions. A frequent writer and speaker, Mr. Anderson is an ABI Board member and a past chair of the advisory board for ABI’s Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop, and he has contributed articles to the ABI Journal and other publications. He is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy and chairman of the College’s 11th Circuit Educational Programs Committee, and is a member of the boards of directors of the Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute and of Meritas, a worldwide law firm organization. He also served on the board of directors of the Atlanta Bar Association and is a past chair BUSINESS of the Atlanta Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Section. Mr. Anderson You Can Use § 363 was selected as one of Georgia’s Legal Elite in 2007-14, and has been for That? listed as a “Georgia Super Lawyer” in Atlanta Magazine. He is also recognized by Chambers USA as one of America’s leading lawyers for business, and by The Best Lawyers in America. In addition, he is a This panel will discuss uses of Master of the Bench in the W. Homer Drake, Jr. Georgia Bankruptcy § 363 other than in connection Inn of Court. Mr. Anderson received his undergraduate degree with with asset sales, such as first- distinction in 1982 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and day relief, entry into contracts, his J.D. cum laude in 1986 from the University of Wisconsin Law payment of fees of profession- School. als of ad hoc groups and other uses. Speaker Bios | 1 LISA G. BECKERMAN Lisa G. Beckerman is a partner with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in New York in its Financial Restructuring Group. She has more than 25 years of experience advising on corporate restructurings and creditors’ rights, working with clients across the country in a broad range of industries, including manufacturing, airlines, media, energy and real estate. She assists both in chapter 11 cases and out-of-court restructurings. Her clients in include official creditors’ committees, informal groups of creditors, hedge funds, private-equity funds and debtors. Ms. Beckerman has been recognized in Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, The Who ’s Who Legal and other key industry publications. She is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy and is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York, and before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York and the District of New Jersey. Ms. Beckerman received her B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago in 1984, her M.B.A. BUSINESS from the University of Texas at Austin in 1986 and her J.D. from You Can Use § 363 Boston University School of Law in 1989. for That? This panel will discuss uses of § 363 other than in connection with asset sales, such as first- day relief, entry into contracts, payment of fees of profession- als of ad hoc groups and other uses. Speaker Bios | 2 ALANE A. BECKET Alane A. Becket is an AV-rated attorney and managing partner of Becket & Lee LLP, a Malvern, Pa., law firm providing comprehensive nationwide representation of financial institutions in bankruptcy matters, with a focus on consumer lenders and debt-purchasers. In addition to client and industry relations, she focuses on litigation strategy, and Becket & Lee has been lead or co-counsel in some of the most influential decisions in consumer bankruptcy over the last 20 years. In addition to her duties at the firm, Ms. Becket is ABI’s President and formerly chaired its Consumer Committee and has served on its Board since 2009, most recently as Vice President- Publications. She is currently co-chair of the Bankruptcy Section and of the Professional Standards and Grievance Committees of the National Creditors Bar Association (NCBA), and is a member of the National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees (NACTT). Ms. Becket has written and lectured extensively on consumer bankruptcy issues for a variety of professional organizations, including ABI, the CONSUMER Federal Judicial Conference, NACTT, NABT, Norton Bankruptcy ABI Consumer Law Advisor, NCBA, the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, Commission: Part I and a host of local and regional organizations. She also served as a commissioner on ABI’s Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy. Ms. Becket graduated from Pennsylvania State University and received Members of the Commission her J.D. from Widener University School of Law. will report on its findings relat- ed to debt limits in chapter 13, the concept of a reserve fund, collateral and discharge viola- tions. Speaker Bios | 3 STEVEN M. BERMAN Steven M. Berman is a partner in the Tampa, Fla., office of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, specializing in the firm’s bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice group. He has more than 28 years of bankruptcy experience and focuses his practice on business bankruptcy litigation, representing creditors, investors, distressed- debt lenders, trustees, committees and business entities litigating disputes in bankruptcy court. Mr. Berman is Board Certified by the American Board of Certification in both Creditors’ Rights Law and Business Bankruptcy Law, and he is a member of the Florida, California, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (Federal) bars. He serves on the board of directors of the American Board of Certification and is a member of its Faculty Committee. He also serves on ABI’s Board of Directors, works on several committees and task forces, and routinely volunteers and speaks at seminars. On a local level, Mr. Berman is a member of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association, the Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern CROSS-OVER District of Florida, the Southwest Florida Bankruptcy Professionals Cutting-Edge Issues Association and the San Diego Bankruptcy Forum. He also guest in Avoidance Actions lectures for the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law. Mr. Berman serves as the Judge Advocate to the Coronado Yacht Club in Coronado, Calif., and volunteers in providing pro bono bankruptcy This panel of experts will dis- and insolvency services and training for U.S. Navy Judge Advocate cuss timely issues in avoidance General officers and staff, along with enlisted service families in actions, including the circuit need. He received his B.S. in multinational business operations from split regarding unpaid new Florida State University and his J.D. from the University of Florida value and other cutting-edge Levin College of Law. avoidance issues. Speaker Bios | 4 EDWARD C. BOLTZ Edward C. Boltz is a partner at the Law Offices of John T. Orcutt, P.C. in Durham, N.C., where he has represented clients in not only chapters 7 and 13, but also in related consumer-rights litigation, including fighting abusive mortgage practices and developing solutions for student loans. He is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, where he has been certified as a specialist in consumer bankruptcy law, and he is admitted to practice before the U.S. Districts Courts in both the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina. Mr. Boltz served as the president of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) from 2013-16 and remains on its board of directors and as co-chair of its Legislative Committee. He also serves on the Bankruptcy Council for the North Carolina Bar Association and was a commissioner of ABI’s Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy. Mr. Boltz is a frequent speaker on bankruptcy issues at both national and local seminars, including at NACBA conventions and workshops, past CONSUMER NCLC Workshops and the North Carolina Bankruptcy Institute. In ABI Consumer April 2008, he testified on behalf of NACBA in Congress regarding Commission: Part I the need for changes to the Bankruptcy Code to protect National Guard and Reservists from the harsh results of the means test, which was enacted as the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Act. Members of the Commission Mr. Boltz is president of the Monti, a North Carolina organization will report on its findings relat- that produces live storytelling shows; recordings of his and others ed to debt limits in chapter 13, tales can be heard at www.themonti.org. He received his B.A. from the concept of a reserve fund, Washington University in St. Louis in 1993 and his J.D. from George collateral and discharge viola- Washington University in 1996. tions. Speaker Bios | 5 JASON S. BROOKNER Jason S. Brookner is a partner with Gray Reed & McGraw, P.C. in Dallas and chair of its Corporate Restructuring and Bankruptcy Department, where he represents and advises companies, buyers, creditors, trustees, committees, lenders and other constituents in all aspects of distressed, insolvency and restructuring scenarios. He has broad experience representing debtors, trustees, committees, individual creditors and sellers/purchasers of assets. Mr. Brookner has obtained successful outcomes in complex cases in many industries ranging from oil and gas, manufacturing, distribution and health care to poultry- and meat-processing, metals-trading and restaurants (including fast casual and quick-service). He has been listed in Chambers & Partners USA as one of the leading bankruptcy/ restructuring lawyers in Texas every year since 2005. He also was recently recognized for his important role in the Life Partners Holdings, Inc. case, which was named the 2017 “Turnaround of the Year” in the large company category by the Turnaround Management BUSINESS Association.
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