THE  CLLA NATIONAL CONVENTION

LEGISLATIVE FORUM
ROOM: Alpine (Lucerne Level)

PANELISTS:: Conor Kelly, Webster Chamberlain & Bean, LLP, Washington, DC; Daniel C. Kerrick, Hogan McDaniel, Wilmington, DE; Jeffrey N. Schatzman, Schatzman & Schatzman, PA, Miami, FL; Gilbert M. Singer, Marcadis Singer P.A., Tampa, FL

CLLA panelists will provide a review of CLLA legislative and government affairs efforts during the past year, inform members about the political make-up of the current Congress and possibilities for legislation impacting the commercial law, and educate attendees about the legislative process; including drafting legislation and policy positions for consideration by members of Congress and aligned interested parties and organizations.

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WELCOME/ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
ROOM: Alpine (Lucerne Level)

SPEAKER: Ted Hamilton, Wetherington Hamilton, P.A.

COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS UNDER THREAT: NAVIGATING THE CALIFORNIA ROSENTHAL ACT AND DEFENDING THE IMPENDING SURGE OF LAWSUITS
ROOM: Alpine (Lucerne Level)

PANELISTS: Timothy Grimes, BARR Credit Services, Tucson, AZ; Regina Slowey, Barron & Newburger, PC, Troy, MI; Lorna Walker, Sweet & Walker, PC, San Francisco, CA

The panel will address the expansion of the California Rosenthal Act to include commercial claims, propose modifications to comply with the new regulations, and explore defenses to manage the expected surge in lawsuits.

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HOT TOPICS IN BANKRUPTCY CASE LAW 
ROOM: Lucerne 3 (Lucerne Level)

SPEAKER: Ronald Peterson, Of Counsel at Jenner & Block, LLP, Chicago, IL

This session will be a summary of important bankruptcy cases decided through March 31, 2025, including recently decided U.S. Supreme Court cases.

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VALUATION IN BANKRUPTCY OR AVOIDANCE
Examining Valuation Methods, Evidentiary Requirements and Other Considerations for Both Debtors and Creditors in Bankruptcy
ROOM: Lucerne 3 (Lucerne Level)

PANELISTS: Kirk B. Burkley, Bernstein-Burkley, PC, Pittsburgh, PA; Peter M. Gannott, Gannott Law Group, PLCC, Louisville, KY; Randall Woolley, Darcy & Devassy, PC, Chicago, IL

The panelists will discuss handling valuation disputes from both the debtor’s and creditor’s perspective and provide tips for preparing for evidentiary hearings and expert witness testimony, as well as prehearing discovery and negotiations. The panelists will also delve into the different valuation methods and relevant dates for assessment. The panel will further discuss recent case law addressing valuation disputes, including with respect to cryptocurrency and intellectual property.

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DRONE LAW: LOOK UP IN THE SKY… IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE, IT’S A DRONE!
ROOM: Alpine (Lucerne Level)

SPEAKER: Robert G. Kirk, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, Washington, DC

The presentation will provide an overview of the various regulatory requirements applicable to the commercial operation of drones, including, for example, using drones for verifying collateral or finding assets to advance collections as well as delivery or even service of documents in collections litigation, as well as registration requirements, operational limitations, privacy protections. Attendees will learn how to properly incorporate drones into their business plans without running afoul of federal and state laws and regulatory requirements.

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SIMMERING ISSUES IN CHAPTER 11: THE NEW FRONTIER
ROOM: Lucerne 3 (Lucerne Level)

PANELISTS: Hon. Judith K. Fitzgerald (ret.), Tucker Arensberg, Pittsburgh, PA; Candice L. Kline, Saul Ewing, LLP, Chicago, IL; Prof. Bruce A. Markell, Northwestern University, Pritzker School of Law, Chicago, IL; Prof. Ralph Brubaker, Univ. of Illinois, College of Law, Champaign, IL

The panelists will discuss handling valuation disputes from both the debtor’s and creditor’s perspective and provide tips for preparing for evidentiary hearings and expert witness testimony, as well as prehearing discovery and negotiations. The panelists will also delve into the different valuation methods and relevant dates for assessment. The panel will further discuss recent case law addressing valuation disputes, including with respect to cryptocurrency and intellectual property.

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GOOD FORWARDERS GO BAD – PART 2
ROOM: Alpine (Lucerne Level)

PANELISTS: Robert Ash, Radius Global Solutions, Fair Lawn, NJ; Michael Hynum, Hynum Law, Harrisburg, PA; Don B. Scott, Wright Holmes Law List, Katonah, NY

Join us for a practical discussion between a panel of agencies and attorneys as we talk about how to handle cases and clients/creditors in a variety of situations, but it’s what you do for a good client! We’ll be discussing some dos and don’ts on handling those situations and best practices for the relationships. This session will touch on agency-creditor, attorney-agency and the liaisons between all three combined.

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A PRIMER ON THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
ROOM: Alpine (Lucerne Level)

PANELISTS: Ben H. Farrow, Anderson, Williams & Farrow, LLC, Montgomery, AL;
Theodore J. Hamilton, Wetherington Hamilton, Tampa, FL

The practice of law is demanding in many ways, one of which is the need to comply with the rules of professional conduct for lawyers. The ethics rules are intended to protect the public and maintain the integrity of the legal profession. Accordingly, attorneys must be familiar with the applicable ethics rules and guide their professional conduct with them in mind. This course will cover some of the critical professional conduct rules that affect lawyers daily.

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TRUSTING LAWYERS’ TRUST ACCOUNTS – ETHICAL DILEMMAS
ROOM: Alpine (Lucerne Level)

SPEAKER: June D. Coleman, Messer Strickler Burnette, Ltd., Sacramento, CA

There are so many ethical rules regarding trust accounts, which are complicated by client demands for immediate payment. During this session, learn about trust accounting issues that raise ethical concerns that could lead to discipline. What are the requirements for naming your trust account. Who can access your trust account. Should the account be a trust account if it is opened for an individual client? How does IOLTA work? Can state bar associations obtain your bank records on your trust account? When should an attorney tender money received from a debtor to his client? What if the debtor payment “bounces”?

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