District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

“Given the current state of global economic affairs, I hope that attorneys will avail of this training and embrace professional opportunities to assist debtor and/or creditor clients navigate through the financial upheaval caused by this pandemic,” said Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands.

PURPOSE
The District Courts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, in partnership with the Guam and CNMI Bar Associations, are pleased to host a virtual and in-person Bankruptcy Seminar Series. During these unprecedented times where the prospect of looming  bankruptcy actions is amplified by the global pandemic and economic turmoil facing the islands and the world, the Bankruptcy Seminar Series assists federal and local bar members and the business and banking communities on Guam and the CNMI with how to  address bankruptcies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of the Bankruptcy Seminars is to provide our island bar members with the bankruptcy knowledge and skills necessary to assist both debtors and creditors with the influx of the anticipated wave of bankruptcy filings. In addition, the seminars aim to provide valuable information and guidance to the business and banking community.

VIRTUAL SEMINAR PART 1
“Building a Bankruptcy Practice”

The first virtual Seminar in the series launches on September 24, 2020 from 8:00 am to 10:00 a.m. (GMT +10) and is only open to members of the Guam and CNMI Bar Associations. Bar members who register with the CNMI Bar Association and attend this two-hour series will receive 2 Continuing Legal Education Credits (CLE) and will be eligible to attend the second part of the series at no additional cost.

This presentation, moderated by Chief Judge Emeritus Daniel P. Collins from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona, will focus on educating and providing bar members with necessary skills and tools.

This presentation will include the following distinguished panelists:

The Honorable Judge Daniel P. Collins is a Bankruptcy Judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona. Chief Judge Collins was appointed as a bankruptcy judge on January 18, 2013, and served as Chief Judge from March 17, 2014 to March 17, 2018. Previously, he was a partner with the Law Firm of Collins, May, Potenza, Baran & Gillespie, P.C., in Phoenix, Arizona, specializing in the practice areas of bankruptcy, commercial litigation and commercial transactions. Chief Judge Collins served on the State Bar of Arizona’s Subcommittee on the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act and chaired the Bankruptcy Section of the State of Arizona from 1995- 1996. He is currently a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, American Bankruptcy Institute, Arizona Bankruptcy American Inns of Court, Federal Bar Association, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, State Bar of Arizona and the Maricopa County Bar.
 

Professor Anthony J. Casey, Deputy Dean, Professor of Law, and Faculty Director at the Center on Law and Finance, University of Chicago is an expert on business law, finance, and corporate bankruptcy. His research has been published in the Yale Law Journal, the Columbia Law Review, the Supreme Court Review, and the University of Chicago Law Review. Prior to entering academics, Professor Casey was a partner at Kirkland and Ellis, LLP and an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. His legal practice focused on corporate bankruptcy, merger litigation, white-collar investigations, securities litigation, and complex class actions. Professor Casey also served as a law clerk for Chief Judge Joel M. Flaum of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
 

Attorney Anupama Yerramalli is counsel with Latham & Watkins LLP of New York and represents debtors, official and ad hoc committees, bondholders, lenders, and other creditors and investors in some of the market’s most complex and multifaceted bankruptcies and restructurings. Her practice encompasses a range of bankruptcy cases, out-of-court restructurings, and other distressed situations, with a particular focus on company-side representations. Attorney Yerramalli complements her company-side practice with her experience representing creditors, including banks, special situation lenders, and asset acquirers. After graduating from law school, Attorney Yerramalli clerked for United States Bankruptcy Judge Donald H. Streckroth of the District of New Jersey
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VIRTUAL SEMINAR PART 2
“Cutting Edge Bankruptcy Issues”

The second virtual Seminar kicks off on October 30, 2020 from 8:00 am to 10:00 a.m. (GMT+10). This presentation will focus on “Cutting Edge Bankruptcy Issues” and is designed to provide information and guidance to the legal community, and to the business and banking community on our islands. Topics for discussion during this second Bankruptcy Series will include a presentation of the Marianas region’s current real estate market, COVID-19 issues facing its business and banking industry, and current bankruptcy issues post-COVID.

LOCAL AND OFF ISLAND PRESENTERS FOR SEMINAR 2 WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

Potential presenters for Seminar 2 will include: Siska Hutapea, President of Cornerstone Valuation of Guam Inc.

FURTHER VIRTUAL SEMINARS AND ON-ISLAND TRAINING WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMING MONTHS

• Further virtual seminars and dates will be announced shortly.
  
  
• On island training will be held once the COVID-19 pandemic situation improves. We anticipate having Arizona Chief Bankruptcy Judge Daniel Collins, Hawaii Chief Bankruptcy Judge Robert Faris, our Bankruptcy Trustees, Curtis Ching and Howard Hu, along with other distinguished bankruptcy experts hold a one-week intensive Bankruptcy Academy both on Guam and the CNMI.

WHO MAY REGISTER

The first Virtual Seminar Series is open to Bar members who are interested and may register to attend this first Seminar with the CNMI Bar Association. Registration fee is $50.00 per session. Bar members who register and attend the first part of the series are eligible to attend the second part of the series at no additional cost and will receive 2 Continuing Legal Education Credits (CLE) for attending each Series for a total of 4 CLE Credits. The Second Virtual Series is open to both Bar members and interested members of the business and banking community and may register with the CNMI Bar Association.

For more information and details regarding the virtual and in-person Bankruptcy Series seminars, please contact the CNMI Bar Association by phone at (670) 285-7990 or email at cnmibar@gmail.com, or the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands’ Lawyer Representative, Vincent Seman at (670) 323-2115, or email at admin@semanlaw.com.