Bankruptcy Section
Labor & Employment Section
Litigation Section
section updates
Bankruptcy Section
The Bankruptcy Section held its annual Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Year in Review CLE on February 9 , 2023 at the Capital City Club , and true to form , it provided a complete and succinct summary of the most important bankruptcy and commercial law case developments from the last year . The event was very well attended by over 60 members who enjoyed the opportunity to hear from the distinguished panelists . The morning session focused on recent developments in bankruptcy law and included Hon . Mary Grace Diehl ( Ret ., U . S . Bankruptcy Court , Northern District of Georgia ), Hon . Paul W . Bonapfel ( U . S . Bankruptcy Court , Northern District of Georgia ), and Hon . Jeffery W . Cavender ( U . S . Bankruptcy Court , Northern District of Georgia ), and Beth Anne Harrill ( law clerk for Hon . Paul W . Bonapfel , U . S . Bankruptcy Court , Northern District of Georgia ). The afternoon session focused on developments in commercial law and was presented by Eric W . Anderson ( Parker , Hudson , Rainer & Dobbs LLP ) and Bryan E . Bates ( Parker Hudson Rainer & Dobbs LLP ).
Annual Spring CLE Program and David Pollard Award Luncheon – The Bankruptcy Section ’ s Spring CLE Program and Luncheon wasbe held on May 11 , 2023 , at the Capital City Club . This year ’ s Program featured a two-part panel entitled The Honorable W . Homer Drake Jr . Professionalism & Ethics Panel Discussion and will focus on what Hon . Drake expected of the attorneys appearing before him . Panelists included : Hon . C . Ray Mullins ( Ret ., U . S . Bankruptcy Court , Northern District of Georgia ), Gus H . Small ( Small Herrin LLP ), Grant T . Stein ( Alston & Bird LLP ), M . Regina Thomas ( U . S . Bankruptcy Court , Northern District of Georgia ), and Jonathan S . Adams ( U . S . Department of Justice , Office of the U . S . Trustee ). The program was followed by a luncheon where the Board of Directors of the Bankruptcy Section of the Atlanta Bar Association presented the 2023 David W . Pollard Achievement Award to Hon . Wendy L . Hagenau ( U . S . Bankruptcy Court ). The award is presented each year to “ a member of the Atlanta Bar Association who best exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in the bankruptcy practice .” More information about the award and past recipients can be found at atlantabar . org .
Summer Soiree and Send-Off Celebration in honor of M . Regina Thomas – The Atlanta Bar Bankruptcy Section will join with other local bar organizations to celebrate M . Regina Thomas ’ upcoming retirement as Clerk of the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia . The event is scheduled for June 22 , 2023 , from 5:30 – 7:30 p . m . at the Wild Leap Atlanta Brewery , 125 Ted Turner Drive SW , Atlanta , 30313 . All Bankruptcy Section Members are invited to attend to honor and recognize Thomas on this momentous occasion . RSVP information to follow .
KELLY E . WAITS Burr Forman LLP kwaits @ burr . com
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Labor & Employment Section
The Labor and Employment Section has had a busy Spring . In March , we hosted our Advanced Employment Law CLE , our annual all-day seminar which we convened in-person at Jones Day for the first time since the pandemic . The program was very well attended and featured excellent presentations , including a panel discussing trial techniques and strategy , featuring Hon . Leigh Martin May ( U . S . District Court Northern District of Georgia ), as well as panels discussing mediation strategy , the Federal Trade Commission ’ s proposed noncompete ban , a labor law update , perspectives from in-house counsel , and the Supreme Court ’ s seminal decision in Bostock .
After the program concluded , attendees enjoyed a happy hour sponsored by Miles Mediation and beautiful views on Jones Day ’ s patio . In April , our Section led a service event at the Nicholas House , a homeless shelter for families in transition . Section members served dinner and assisted residents with resumebuilding . The attendees found the event very rewarding , and the residents were very grateful for our support .
NEAL F . WEINRICH Berman Fink Van Horn PC NWeinrich @ bfvlaw . com
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Litigation Section
The Atlanta Bar Association Litigation Section sprung into spring with several great educational , networking , and community service events . On March 10 , 2023 , the Litigation and Workers ’ Compensation Sections hosted a joint breakfast meeting where panelists Karlise Grier ( Chief Justice ’ s Commission on Professionalism ), R . Matthew Martin ( Dentons ), Hon . Emily K . Richardson ( Superior Court of Fulton County ) and Michael Rosetti ( Swift Currie ) participated in an interesting and informative discussion on professionalism led by moderators Seslee Smith ( Morris Manning & Martin ) and Blake Williams ( Lewis Brisbois ). For the April breakfast meeting , the Litigation Section co-hosted a discussion on “ Trends in Intellectual Property Prosecution & Litigation ” with the Intellectual Property Section . The panelists Lisa N . Collins ( BakerHostetler ), Wab Kadaba ( Kilpatrick Townsend ), Peter G . Pappas ( Eversheds Sutherland ), and Cara Regan ( Finnegan ) along with moderators Dr . Kimberlynn B . Davis ( Kilpatrick Townsend ) and James M . Sherman ( Stanley , Esrey & Buckley LLP ) covered a wide array of hot topics including design protection in anti-counterfeiting and the impact of artificial intelligence like ChatGPT .
54 April / May 2023