I hope all of you and your families are doing well and are safe.
Having endured what we hope is the worst of the coronavirus situation, we are now ready to embark on something more
enjoyable – the nomination process for the 32nd Class of Fellows.
While we missed seeing the Induction of Class 31 in Washington, D.C. in March 2020, we can look forward to seeing their Induction along with Class 32 in Washington, D.C. in March 2021. In the meantime, Stephen Lerner our distinguished immediate past Chair of the Board of Regents, offered a few perspectives about the members of Class 31. Since we were not able to hear Stephen Lerner describe Class 31 at the 2020 Induction ceremony in March, here are a few remarkable attributes of the members of Class 31. The members include:
• conferees of the National Bankruptcy Conference;
• former President of the American Bankruptcy Institute;
• a member who argued and won unanimously in the US Supreme Court;
• a member who performed pro bono work for retired NFL players;
• two past Presidents of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees;
• a member who served as a Chapter 7 Trustee in more than 14,000 cases;
• volunteers for legal aid society;
• longest serving President of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Clerks; and
• many, many more accomplishments.
The members of Class 31 are accomplished scholars who have spoken in virtually every major city in our country in which the coronavirus has appeared. They support charitable endeavors benefitting veterans, the homeless, the disabled, and minority groups. They come from numerous states and Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Puerto Rico, Israel and the United Kingdom. They are described as highly ethical, consummate professionals, unselfish dedicated servants, paragons of civility, and are tremendously well liked. We can all admire the outstanding attributes of the members of Class 31 and applaud their accomplishments.
As we engage in the nomination process for Class 32, 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 October 14, 2020 during NCBJ in San Diego, CA to nominate the 32nd Class of 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 have already undertaken the process of working on a nominating package, the deadline for completion of which is June 19th. 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
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Class 32 Nominations
Charles A. Beckham, Jr., Haynes and Boone, LLP
Chair, Board of Regents