Class 30 Nominations
Stephen D. Lerner, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Chair, Board of Regents
already in the process of submitting a nominating package for a worthy individual in order to ensure that the College continues to admit the best and the brightest new Fellows. The deadline for submissions is June 11th. Completing the nominations materials takes a lot of work and the process is strictly confidential -- candidates must not know that they are being considered.
Nominations packages are submitted to the Regents for each of the Circuits and the Chairs of the Judicial Nominating Committee and International Fellows Nominating Committee. The members of each Circuit Admissions Council and the two Nominating Committees undertake the important and arduous task of reviewing and vetting the nominations. They will be contacting many of you on a strictly confidential basis for your input about potential nominees. Each year, more than 100 College Fellows are involved in the nominations process. The list of Regents, members of the Circuit Admissions Councils and the Chairs and members of the two Nominating Committees can be accessed on the College website here.
We hope that you will actively participate in the nominating process. Nominees must possess a number of qualities to meet the exacting standards of the College. These are set out in the bylaws of the College (found in the About section of the College website at the URL noted above).
Per the bylaws, the College honors those professionals whose sustained performances in the practice of their profession exemplify the highest standards of professionalism among bankruptcy specialists by granting them membership as Fellows. Fellows consist of bankruptcy professionals, including lawyers, judges, law professors, accountants, appraisers, auctioneers, officers of the government, officers of lending institutions, reorganization, workout and liquidation specialists and others who are dedicated to the improvement of the bankruptcy process and the enhancement of the professional quality of and public respect for the insolvency and bankruptcy practice.
Membership is by invitation to honor those individuals who have proven to their peers, and to the bar, bench and public, through long, continuous performance in their bankruptcy specialty that they possess:
• the highest professional qualifications and ethical standards
• that high level of character, integrity, professional expertise and leadership which demonstrates the likelihood that they will continue to contribute to the enhancement of bankruptcy scholarship, continuing education, and the bankruptcy process
• a commitment to fostering and furthering the objectives of the College
• sustained, exceptionally high quality professional services to clients, bar, bench, and public
• significant evidence of scholarship, teaching, lecturing, and/or distinguished published writings on bankruptcy practice, procedure, philosophy, improvements and reforms which demonstrates a consistent contribution to the enhancement of bankruptcy literature, education, practice and process.
Nomination applications will be reviewed and thoroughly vetted by the relevant Circuit Admissions Councils and Nominating Committees between June 11th and August 16th. They will then vote to determine their recommended candidates and send me their nominating packages. The Regents will then undertake a second round of due diligence. The
Before you know it, the Board of Regents will be meeting this October during the NCBJ in San Antonio to nominate the 30th Class of Fellows who will be inducted in always sunny San Diego next March during our Annual Induction Weekend. I hope that many of you are
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