Chair's Column
Education
During the past year, more than 100 Fellows participated in the activities of the College's Education Committee. It has organized
diverse programs on bankruptcy topics throughout the country. Among the programs administered by the committee was a law student bankruptcy negotiation competition among 11 law schools, which was hosted by the Ninth Circuit at the University of Southern California. In the Second Circuit, on October 27, 2015, six former and current bankruptcy judges spoke to Fellows about their judicial experience, comparing it to their work as legal practitioners. In February, 2015, the Fourth Circuit held a program in Washington evaluating the recent American Bankruptcy Institute Report on Chapter 11. Other Circuits have also scheduled symposia, seminars and social events on bankruptcy-related topics over the next few months.
The College also initiated a joint program with Bloomberg in New York on October 23, 2015, discussing recent Supreme Court decisions and other cases likely to be heard within the next term. Four of the five panelists were Fellows.
The International Committee has continued to provide an international insolvency class for 12 U.S. law schools. The course is led by Fellow Ray Warner of St. John's University School of Law. Faculty for this international insolvency course is made up of College Fellows who include law professors, judges and practitioners. The College is currently arranging for the inclusion of Canadian and Mexican law schools in this course. The committee also conducted a program with international Fellows on September 29, 2015 at the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges' annual meeting.
Fellows from all Circuits are currently engaged in updating the College's excellent Circuit Review series. Publication of the updated edition is expected in 2016.
Legacy
The College's Archives Committee currently has 73 oral histories from leading scholars, judges and practitioners. It has also undertaken a digitization project for papers it has received from those Fellows responsible for drafting the 1978 Bankruptcy Code and subsequent amending legislation. These papers deal with consumer bankruptcy law, international bankruptcy law and papers from the 1996-97 Bankruptcy Review Commission.
The College entered into an agreement with Bloomberg Law this past year that covers roughly half of the operating expenses of the College's Archives at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. The National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges also provides another $5,000 of funds for maintaining the Archives.
New Senior Fellow Committee
The College's board of directors approved the formation of a Senior Fellow Committee to keep senior professionals engaged in the work of the College. Because 70% of all Fellows are now at least 60 years old, we contemplate substantial participation from these senior Fellows in providing pro bono financial and legal services; conducting educational events; and mentoring younger Fellows.
Strategic Planning
The College has already implemented a number of the Strategic Planning Committee's March, 2015 recommendations on governance and admission of new Fellows. On September 28, 2015, many of the College's Officers, Directors and Regents met with the Committee for half a day to discuss the committee's recent survey of all Fellows regarding financial, international and branding issues. We intend to report soon on the committee's recommendations.
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Your support and participation have kept the College vital. Just as important, your contributions have maintained the College's excellence.