A Letter from the Chair
By Andy Tarr
Dear Members of the Bankruptcy Section:
I am excited to have the privilege of serving as Chair of the Bankruptcy Section during this new North Carolina Bar Association year. A second-generation member of this Section, I have long admired the contributions this Section has made to the practice of bankruptcy law in this state. Many of you have served as role models for me, teaching me strong client advocacy and complex problem solving, while practicing the highest standards of integrity and collegiality. We will continue to promote these high standards among our Section this year.
These are challenging times we face. The Section will have to do things differently this year. But your Section council and committee chairs are ready for these challenges. We already are discussing ways the Section can meet your needs and elevate the profession.
While we are limited in the in-person events we can hold for the next few months, the Section’s networking committee is continuing to find creative ways for Section members to connect. For example, the Section recently sponsored a trivia night, emceed by our Bankruptcy Administrators, which provided a great opportunity to connect and to learn more about the history of the bankruptcy practice in this state. Be on the lookout for notice of upcoming networking events.
The Section will also put on the Annual Bankruptcy Institute this year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCBA has determined that all CLE events will be virtual for the remainder of the year for the safety of its members. This means that, for the first time in 43 years, our Annual Bankruptcy Institute will be virtual. While we would prefer to meet in person, Hillary Crabtree, Michael Martinez, and our CLE committee and speakers are putting together a top-notch virtual program, including presentations on e-signatures, the CARES Act, healthcare bankruptcies, operation of a bankruptcy debtor practice, the new NC receivership statute, and developments in Subchapter V cases. The virtual CLE will be held on December 10. More details will be available soon, but please save the date.
Under the NCBA’s dues structure, each member receives one section membership in the base price. I encourage you to renew your membership to the Section before the September 30 deadline. I also encourage you to invite those who may not be members of the Section to use the included section membership to join the Bankruptcy Section. Finally, a great way to become more involved in the Section is to join one of the Section’s committees. You can click here to access the Bankruptcy Section Committee sign-up sheet.
Again, it is a pleasure to serve you this year. Please contact me with any questions.
Andy Tarr