Senior Fellows from page 30
large automotive supplier cases and continued my love of crisis management in the “ just-in-time ” auto supply world . Having the opportunity to learn about and solve problems in so many different industries has always been one of the silver linings of this practice .
I would be negligent if I did not mention the challenges I faced as a young woman practicing at law firms and in the courts . The firms at which I was an associate or partner had a primarily white , male culture , and I was often the only female lawyer in the courtroom . There were few role models except for Melanie Cohen , who was fearsome and so smart that she knew every portion of the Bankruptcy Code by heart .
One of the places I met other female attorneys and supportive male attorneys and judges was in the American Bankruptcy Institute . There were abundant opportunities for writing , speaking , and leadership . My collection of colleagues who were available for consultation , collaboration , and referrals grew exponentially . The ABI became a professional family for me and remains so today . In 2015 , the Seventh Circuit appointed me to the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois . Becoming a judge expanded my bankruptcy family to include many judicial colleagues throughout the country . The bankruptcy bench is collegial , supportive , and cares deeply about providing access to justice , no matter whether the debtor before us is
a single mom struggling to pay her utilities and keep her car or a multibillion-dollar corporation .
Finally , I am grateful for my colleagues in the NCBJ . It is our “ union ,” representing our interests as bankruptcy judges , but also has been a great source of education and friendship . I had the privilege of serving as its president in 2021 through 2022 and learned even more about the value it brings to the bankruptcy system .
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