| 4th Quarter Newsletter, 2025 | Vol 12, Num 4
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Dear Friends,
As we reflect on the past year, we extend our sincere gratitude for your generous support of the ABI Endowment. Because of donors like you, we are able to invest in the future of the insolvency profession by expanding educational access, supporting meaningful scholarships, and fostering the next generation of leaders.
Your commitment has made a tangible difference — opening doors for professionals who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to participate in ABI programs and conferences. These experiences create a lasting impact not only for the recipients, but for the broader bankruptcy and restructuring community as a whole.
As we look ahead to the new year, we are inspired by the momentum your support has helped build. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and belief in our mission, and we look forward to continuing this important work together.
Thank you for being an essential part of the ABI Endowment community. We wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
With sincere appreciation,
Brad Sharp
Developments VP
DSI President & CEO
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Sheila Smith Scholarship Deadline
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Established by the ABI Endowment, the Sheila Smith Scholarship provides support for emerging women professionals to attend ABI’s Annual Spring Meeting and Winter Leadership Conference, expanding access to professional development, meaningful networking, and leadership opportunities within the insolvency profession. The scholarship honors the legacy of Sheila Smith, a trailblazer and dedicated mentor in the restructuring community. Through this scholarship, ABI continues Sheila’s commitment to mentorship, inclusion and excellence.
Application Deadline for the Annual Spring Meeting: February 6, 2026
All Sheila Smith Scholarship applications for this year’s Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., April 23-25 must be submitted by 11:59 PM (local time) on Friday, February 6, 2026, to be considered.
Notification Timeline
Scholarship recipients will be announced during the first week of March 2026.
To learn more and apply →
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2025 WLC Inaugural Sheila Smith Scholarship Honorees
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Pictured left to right: Annecca Smith (Robinson & Cole LLP; Hartford, Conn.), Bruce F. Smith (Murphy & King; Boston), Renée Kuperman (Robinson & Cole LLP; New York) and ABI President Hon. Bruce A. Harwood ret. (San Francisco).
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Veterans Task Force Update
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Hon. Mary Grace Diehl (ret.) and her team — particularly Standing Chapter 13 Trustee Melissa Davey — have partnered with We CARE Vet Fairs twice to date, and plan to continue this work in the future. These fairs, created and produced by United Military Care, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Georgia veterans, are open to veterans, current military, family members and caregivers, and focus on veteran benefits, legal services, health care, community, wellness, mental health, employment, housing, financial management and nutrition resources. Davey, who resides in Atlanta, led the program’s efforts locally.
With support from consumer attorneys affiliated with the Metropolitan Atlanta Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney Group, six volunteers staffed the Atlanta fair last fall in two-hour shifts. ABI provided a banner and table drape to highlight its participation.
Most questions from attendees centered on general financial issues, including credit and bankruptcy basics. Volunteers distributed a list of local consumer bankruptcy attorneys willing to provide free consultations. Georgia currently hosts four We Care Fairs — in Rome, Columbus, Savannah and Atlanta. Judge Diehl attended the Rome fair, where she was able to directly connect veterans with local attorneys. This hands-on engagement exemplifies effective “last-mile” service — ensuring that veterans can receive practical, accessible assistance. As part of this initiative, participating consumer attorneys also received training on how to communicate effectively with veterans.
In a complementary effort, Hon. Mary Jo Heston has collaborated with the Western District of Washington’s local bankruptcy pro bono group, CENTS, and a judicial extern to develop comprehensive training materials and a detailed PowerPoint presentation for consumer attorneys assisting veterans in that region. The program consists of 10 modules covering such topics as building trust with veterans, understanding military status and key financial documents, veteran-specific legal protections (including the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, the Military Lending Act and the HAVEN Act), venue and exemption choice-of-law issues, treatment of VA and DFAS overpayments, the impact of bankruptcy on security clearances, VA housing and foreclosure resources, and military- and veteran-focused scam reporting.
These materials were first presented on Dec. 3, 2025, during a free CLE presentation attended by more than 70 participants. On Jan. 7, 2026, the Western District of Washington hosted a free Zoom CLE for non-bankruptcy attorneys working with veterans at pro bono clinics, focused on identifying financial issues and available resources. On Jan. 30, local bankruptcy attorneys will be able to participate in a pro bono clinic at a veteran resource center to assist clients with financial concerns.
Anyone seeking additional information or copies of the training materials may contact Judge Heston directly at Mary_Jo_Heston@wawb.uscourts.gov.
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THANK YOU TO OUR MOST RECENT DONORS
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Alane Becket | Becket + Lee LLP
Peter Benvenutti | Keller Benvenutti Kim LLP
Geoffrey Berman
Development Specialists, Inc.
Hon. Janet Bostwick
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Mass.)
Paul Bran | Blank Rome LLP
Jason Brookner | Gray Reed LLP
Diana Carey | Karr Tuttle Campbell
Richard Carmody | Adams Reese LLP
J. Deasy
Douglas Foley | Kaufman & Canoles, PC
Elizabeth Green
BakerHostetler
Scott Hazen
Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP
Hon. Laurel Isicoff
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (S.D. Fla.)
Hon. Lee Jackwig
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (S.D. Iowa)
Soneet Kapila | KapilaMukamal, LLP
Barbara Katz
Mary Lane | Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
Stephen Lerner | Squire Patton Boggs
Dennis LeVine | Brock & Scott, PLLC
Hon. Catherine McEwen
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (M.D. Fla.)
Jill Nicholson
David Noel
David Norberg | FIU LAW School
Nancy Peterman | Greenberg Traurig LLP
Irving Picard | BakerHostetler
Craig Rasile | Winston & Strawn LLP
Patricia Redmond | Stearns, Weaver, Miller, Weissler, Alhadeff & Sitterson, PA
Robert Reynolds
Reynolds, Reynolds & Little, LLC
Hon. David Rice
U.S. Bankruptcy Court (D. Md.)
Rebecca Roof | AlixPartners LLP
Slade Family Foundation
Steven Strom | Odinbrook Global Advisors
Leon Szlezinger | Jefferies L LC
James Tiemstra | Tiemstra Law Group, PC
Richard Wasserman | Wilcox & Savage, P.C.
Greg Zarrin
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Diamond Level
Contributions of $80,000 and above
Platinum Level
Contributions of $65,000 – $79,999
Millennium Level
Contributions of $50,000 – $64,999
30th Anniversary Circle
Contributions of $30,000 – $49,999
Century Council Member
Contributions of $25,000 – $29,999
Visionary
Contributions of $20,000 – $24,999
Legacy
Contributions of $15,000 – $19,999
Lifetime Member
Contributions of
$10,000 – $14,999
Benefactor
Contributions of $5,000 – $9,999
Sustaining Member
Contributions of $2,000 – $4,999
Leadership Club
Contributions of $1,000 – $1,999
Donor
Contributions of $100 – $999
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Endowment Fund Development Committee
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Vice President—Development:
Bradley D. Sharp
Development Specialists, Inc.
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Committee Members:
Steven M. Berman
Emeritus Member
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Marchand Boyd
Axos Bank
Dawn M. Cica
Carlyon Cica Chtd.
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Ericka F. Johnson
Bayard, P.A.
Kristina M. Johnson
Jones Walker LLP
Rebecca Redwine Grow
Hendren, Redwine & Malone, PLLC
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