we have many connections through which we have had the opportunity to meet younger professionals in the insolvency field – many of them diverse . Many of those younger people work for you ; others you may meet through your various professional associations . The next time you need a speaker for a panel , or you are looking for a co-writer for an article , or you are attending an event with other people of influence , invite one of these young professionals to join you . Invite them to join your team on a case or project . Your invitation becomes their opportunity , and from there , they can grow . By expanding your Rolodex , you could be nurturing the growth and development of a future College Fellow while you make the bankruptcy community more diverse . Besides that , you will get far more personal satisfaction , and potential business ( stay tuned for our next College Columns article ) from your new relationship with a diverse lawyer or restructuring professional than you will ever contribute as you watch that person sprout wings and take flight .
Richardo ’ s journey to bankruptcy started when Professor Larry King took Richardo under his wing . Richardo credits his development as a bankruptcy practitioner to the mentoring he received from Professor King . Richardo ’ s bankruptcy career began in 1984 when he joined a small firm in Detroit . An initial assignment was to handle the docket of the Hon . George Brody who , for some particular reason , took an interest in Richardo as a young practitioner and manifested that interest by making Richardo brief every substantive issue that he brought before the judge . Realizing that Richardo did not have the same resources as existed at the larger firms Judge Brody introduced Richardo to Lawrence ( Larry ) King a visiting professor from NYU who was teaching at Wayne State University . Prof . King assisted Richardo in understanding and interpreting the Bankruptcy Code . Prof . King also introduced Richardo to many national figures including the Hon . Ralph Kelly from Tennessee and Judge William Norton . The education and insights that Richardo gained through Professor King ’ s continued on page 32
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