section updates
Bankruptcy Section
The Bankruptcy Section has been busy during September and October , offering a two-part CLE on the retention and compensation of professionals in bankruptcy cases . The first in the series , Retention of Professionals , was a breakfast meeting on September 13th , graciously hosted by Nelson Mullins . This program focused on the issues , best practices , and pitfalls of retaining professionals . The panel consisted of Will Geer ( Rountree Leitman Klein & Geer LLC ), Tamara Miles Ogier ( Ogier , Rothschild & Rosenfeld , P . C .), and Lindsay Kolba ( U . S . Department of Justice , Office of the U . S . Trustee ), and was moderated by The Honorable Paul M . Baisier ( U . S . Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia ). For the second CLE in the series , the Bankruptcy Section partnered with the Litigation Section and presented on the topic of Compensation of Professionals . Burr & Forman LLP hosted the lunch program on October 25th where attendees enjoyed a healthy lunch from Zoe ’ s Kitchen . The attendees heard from an esteemed panel comprised of Michael Holbein ( Smith , Gambrell & Russell , LLP ), Michael Bargar ( Rountree Leitman Klein & Geer LLC ), and Jonathan Adams ( U . S . Department of Justice , Office of the U . S . Trustee ), and moderated by the Hon . James R . Sacca ( U . S . Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia ). This program covered the issues , best practices , and pitfalls of compensating professionals . These programs included time for networking , where everyone enjoyed mingling and getting to catch up .
Fall Social
To celebrate the change of season , the Bankruptcy Section , Litigation Section and the Estate Planning & Probate Section of the Atlanta Bar teamed up to host a joint Fall Social on October 27th at New Realm Brewing Co . The event was very well attended and the weather was perfect . Members of all sections enjoyed chatting with one another and noshing on a wide array of heavy hors d ' oeuvres while enjoying New Realm ’ s specialty brews and hard seltzers .
Upcoming Events :
• Holiday Party – We are looking forward to gathering for our annual holiday party . This will be held December 1 , 2022 at the Lawyer ’ s Club of Atlanta . More details to follow .
• Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Year in Review – This will be held February 9 , 2023 . Details to follow .
Estate Planning & Probate Section
The Estate Planning & Probate Section headed into the 2022-2023 Bar year full steam . We were virtual throughout the pandemic , but since May 2022 we ’ ve been live and in-person for all of our events , including our monthly breakfasts at the Buckhead Club . We ’ ve had great turnout for our breakfast meetings and everyone was happy and relieved to be able to see their friends and colleagues up close and personal again .
The EP & P Section also co-hosted a social with the Litigation and Bankruptcy Sections at New Realm Brewery on October 27 , 2022 . Everyone had a great time sipping New Realm ’ s delicious brews on their beautiful patio overlooking the Beltline .
On November 3 , 2022 , the Section presented a panel discussion entitled “ When the Trust is Gone , Trusts May Be the Answer : Trusts and Divorce .” The Family Law Section was also invited to the event , and the attendees enjoyed a lively and informative conversation about the advantages and pitfalls of those instruments as it relates to divorce .
We are all looking forward to our December 14 , 2022 , Section breakfast meeting with presenters Julia Fisher Strauss , Esq ., and Anna Thomas , MS , of the Forensic Special Initiatives Unit , speaking on “ What Estate Planning Attorneys Need to Know About Elder Law Abuse ,” as well as our January 11 breakfast meeting where Jeffrey L . Williamson , Esq ., of J . L . Williamson Law in Savannah will be speaking on “ Revenue Rulings Every Estate Planning Attorney Should Know .”
We are all very glad to be back to relative-normal and happy to be able to spend time with our fellow member of the Atlanta Bar Association again .
KEVIN T . SULLIVAN Cohen Pollock Merlin Turner , PC KOSullivan @ cpmtlaw . com
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ALEXANDRA “ CC ” SCHNAPP Law Clerk to Chief Bankruptcy Judge Wendy L . Hagenau alexandra _ schnapp @ ganb . uscourts . gov
KELLY E . WAITS Burr Forman LLP kwaits @ burr . com
DOROTEYA N . WOZNIAK James Bates Brannan Groover LLP dwozniak @ jamesbatesllp . com
Dispute Resolution Section
On September 15 , 2022 , the Dispute Resolution Section held its kickoff event for the 2022-23 program year , a virtual breakfast meeting . The interactive gathering included an introduction of new Section and Board members , discussion of current ADR trends and issues , and an overview of upcoming Section events .
On October 20 , 2022 , the Dispute Resolution Section proudly
28 October / November 2022