nominate the 31st Class of Fellows, I ask that you thoughtfully consider how you will contribute meaningfully to our efforts to make the College even more reflective and representative of the diverse dimensions within our professional circles, including with reference to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, type of practice and geography.
The Board of Regents will be meeting this October during NCBJ in Washington, D.C. to nominate the Class 31 Fellows who will be inducted next March in Washington, D.C. We admit only the most worthy candidates – truly the best and brightest insolvency professionals and academics. I hope that many of you already are in the process of working on a nominating package, the deadline for completion of which 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.
As is our custom, before you begin work on a nomination, we ask that you reach out to the relevant Regent or Chair of the Judicial Nominating Committee or International Fellows Nominating Committee to preview your proposed nominee. After nomination packages are submitted to the Regent or 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 at:
https://www.americancollegeofbankruptcy.com/about/membership-information/.
We enthusiastically welcome your active participation in the nominating process. Nominees must possess a number of qualities to meet the exacting standards of the College. These are discussed below and 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 performance 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
It was wonderful to see such a fabulous turnout for the Annual Induction Weekend in sunny San Diego in March. We welcomed 36 new Fellows to the College and advanced our goal of enhancing the diversity of our ranks. As we now embark on the process to
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Class 31 Nominations
Stephen D. Lerner, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Chair, Board of Regents