Join the Fellows of the Seventh Circuit for their annual Seminar on October 24, 2025. The seminar is free for all attendees and will be held at the Jenner & Block Conference Center at 353 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL 60654.
The program will consist of five panels: the National Year in Review; Bankruptcy and the Rule of Law; When Bankruptcy Crosses International Borders; Consumer Crystal Ball: What’s Next?; and Navigating the Ethical Problems Arising in the Small World. Lunch will be provided and will feature keynote speaker Professor Jennifer Nou of the University of Chicago Law School.
CLE & CPE Credit: We will be applying for CLE accreditation in the 7th Circuit states only - Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. CPE credit will be issued to those who request it.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (All times are listed in Central Time)
Registration (8:30 - 9:00 AM)
Welcome and Introduction (9:00 - 9:15 AM)
National Year in Review (Plenary, 9:15 - 10:15 AM)
Chad Husnick, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Chicago, IL (Moderator)
Judge Janet Baer, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Chicago, IL
Catherine Steege, Jenner & Block LLP, Chicago, IL
John Hauber, Chapter 13 Trustee, Indianapolis, IN
Break (10:15 - 10:35 AM)
Bankruptcy and the Rule of Law (Plenary, 10:35 - 11:50 AM)
Prof. Diane Lourdes Dick, Univ. of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, IA (Moderator)
Prof. Douglas Baird, Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Prof. Adrian Walters, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, IL
Robert Lawless, University of Illinois College of Law, Champaign, IL
Lunch and Keynote Speaker (12:00 - 1:15 PM)
Prof. Jennifer Nou, University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, IL
When Bankruptcy Crosses International Borders (Breakout, 1:15 - 2:15 PM)
Richard Mason, Mason Pollick & Schmahl LLC, Chicago, IL (Moderator)
Matthew Warren, Paul Hastings, Chicago, IL
James Sprayregen, Hilco Global, Chicago, IL
Consumer Crystal Ball: What’s Next? (Breakout, 1:15 - 2:15 PM)
John Hauber, Chapter 13 Trustee, Indianapolis, IN (Moderator)
Ainat Margalit, Legal Aid Chicago
Judge James M. Carr, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Indianapolis, IN
Break (2:15 - 2:30 PM)
Navigating the Ethical Problems Arising in the ‘Small World’ of Bankruptcy (2:30 - 3:30 PM)
Kevin Krakora, Getzler Henrich & Associates, Chicago, IL (Moderator)
Judge Deborah Thorne, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Chicago, IL
Peter Roberts, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Chicago, IL