Our Seminars
Our annual Fall Consumer Bankruptcy Seminar is made possible by sponsors and exhibitors who are acknowledged on our home page and at the seminar to show our appreciation.
Planning our seminars is an ongoing process!
Please submit any comments and suggestions for speakers or topics below.
Prior Seminars:
2026 Annual Meeting and Winter Seminar
Via Zoom
Friday, March 6, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Annual Membership Meeting
- Members in good standing invited and encouraged to attend to vote on Board Members.
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Chapter 13 Deserves Better:
Speakers: Jenn Lee, Esq.
- Chapter 13 is not failing consumers. The business model surrounding it is failing lawyers.
- This program looks the reasons for the quiet exodus of experienced attorneys.
- This program challenges traditional explanations of Ch13 as an option for clients and confronts the expectations of attorneys to have a conversation about why and how to fix Ch13.
10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. BREAK
10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Federal Bankruptcy Rule 3002.1:
Speakers: Chapter 13 Trustees Edward A Bailey and Faye D English, and Molly Simons, Esq., The Manley Law Firm
- What creditors and debtors’ attorneys need to know about the amended FRBP 3002.1 that became effective December 1, 2025.
2.50 total CLE hours
2024 Fall Consumer Bankruptcy Seminar
Friday, October 18, 2024
6.5 total CLE hours.
Agenda
Opening Remarks (8:25 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.)
Michael A. Cox, Esq. CEC President
Case Law Update (8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.)
John W. Kennedy, Esq., Strip, Hoppers, Leithart, McGrath & Terlecky Co., LPA
Nationwide overview of significant bankruptcy decisions over the past two years, covering cases from US bankruptcy courts, US district courts, US courts of appeal, and the US Supreme Court
AI & Ethics (9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.)
Merisa K. Bowers, Esq., Ohio Bar Liability Insurance Company
Kiran Bellubbi, CEO and Co-Founder of Noodle
Athena Inembolidis, Esq. (Moderator), Athena Legal, LLC
The panel will discuss bankruptcy-specific AI software and the ethical considerations for attorney who use AI in their practice
BREAK (11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.)
Bad Paper: Chasing Debt from Wall Street to the Underworld (via Zoom) (11:15 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.)
Jake Halpern, Best-selling Author and Journalist
Author discussion about the secret world of consumer debt collectors
LUNCH -PROVIDED (12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
SBA Loans (1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Bethany J. Hamilton, Assistant U.S. Attorney
Phillip K. Stovall, Esq., Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP
Panel discussion on representing clients with SBA loans in and out of bankruptcy, and how to effectively work with the SBA
Nationwide TSF (2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.)
Patrick K. Schaefer, Founder and CEO Nationwide TFS
BREAK (2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.)
Hot Topics (2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.)
Faye D. English, Standing Chapter 13 Trustee
Edward A. Bailey, Standing Chapter 13 Trustee
Stephen R. Franks, Esq., Manley Deas Kochalski
Michael R. Jones, Esq., The Jones Law Firm, LLC
The panel will discuss current case trends and issues: Mortgage Maturity Dates: Prepetition vs. During the Case, Long-term Car Loans, Upcoming Changes to FRBP 3002, Preparation by Attorneys and Debtors for 341 Meetings, Attorney Fees on Motions for Relief from Stay
2023 Fall Consumer Bankruptcy Seminar
Friday, September 29, 2023
6.75 total CLE hours
Agenda
Coffee and Continental Breakfast (8:00 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.)
Opening Remarks (8:25 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.)
Courtney A. Cousino, Esq. CEC President
Case Law Update (8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)
Thomas D. DeCarlo, Esq., Osipov Bigelman, PC (Southfield, MI)
Nationwide overview of significant bankruptcy decisions over the past two years, covering cases from US bankruptcy courts, US district courts, US courts of appeal, and the US Supreme Court
BREAK (10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.)
Chapter 7 Case Trends and Options for the Small Business Debtor (10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.)
Jim Coutinho, Esq., Allen Stovall Neuman & Ashton
Myron Terlecky, Esq., Strip, Hoppers, Leithart, McGrath & Terlecky Co., LPA
David Whittaker, Esq., Isaac Wiles
Chapter 7 Trustee panel discussion of current asset case trends and options for the small business debtor.
LUNCH -PROVIDED (11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.)
Gambling -Professional Conduct (12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.)
Michael Burke, Director at NCPG
‘Never Enough: One Lawyer’s True Story of How He Gambled His Career Away’
How to Deal with the Gambling Client (1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.)
Andrew R. Vara, United States Trustee, Regions 3 and 9
Michael Cox, Esq., Guerrieri Cox & Associates
Stacey O’Stafy, Esq., Staff Attorney, Chapter 13 Trustee Faye D. English
Differences between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 treatment of gambling debts and preparing your client’s case for the best possible outcome.
BREAK (2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.)
PPP Loans & Business Debtors (2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.)
Edward “Ted” Cahill, Esq., Asst. U.S. Trustee
Pamela Arndt, Esq. Office of the U.S. Trustee
Jeff Pfriem, Bankruptcy Analyst, Office of the US Trustee
Student Loan Update (3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.)
Joseph M. McCandlish, Esq., Asst. U.S. Attorney
Matthew Thompson, Esq., Nobile & Thompson Co., L.P.A.
2024 Winter Seminar
Via Zoom
Friday, March 1, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Annual Membership Meeting
- Members in good standing invited and encouraged to attend to vote on Board Members.
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Divorce and Bankruptcy:
Speakers: Paul Bryson, Sondra Bryson, Edward H. Cahill & Brian Wood
- In depth look at divorces and the ways they can impact a bankruptcy
- Pre- and post-petition transfers in Chapter 13 cases
- Paying debt pursuant to a divorce decree
- United States Trustee investigation and involvement related to domestic orders
10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. BREAK
10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Chapter 13 Update:
Speakers: Chapter 13 Trustees Edward A Bailey and Faye D English
- Emerging issues in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
- Recent procedural changes and recommendations for successful confirmation
- Zoom 341 Meetings – Best Practices
2.00 total CLE hours
2023 Winter Seminar
Friday, March 10, 2023
Held via Zoom.
2.00 hours CLE instruction.
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM National Data Center: Offering Essential Tools to Facilitate Plan Completion and Discharge
- How debtor-clients are benefiting today with higher case completions using the NDC system
- How to save money using tools and data only available on NDC
- How to use the Trustee electronic document distribution and warehouse system on NDC
- How to utilize reports to detect and avoid dismissal
- How NDC reports can aid in organizing your Trustee disbursements/payments
- How your clients can self-help with NDC
- How to easily register your clients for NDC access
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM BREAK
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM Sponsorship Remarks: Karoline Ross
- Special Finance & Compliance Director, Germain Automotive Partnership
11:00 AM – 12:00 AM CertificateofService.com: Offering Essential Tools to Ensure Proper Service
- What CertificateofService.com offers
- How CertificateofService.com works
- How CertificateofService.com saves you time and money
- How CertificateofService.com ensures compliance with Rules 7004 & 2002
- What is a “professional” under §327(a), §363(b) or Rule 2014, and why CertificateoService.com is not categorized as a “professional.”
2025 Frank M. Pees CEC Fall Seminar
The Cove at WatersEdge
4643Trueman Blvd
Hilliard, OH 43026
October 10, 2025
8:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Reception Following
Approved by Ohio Supreme Court for 6.25 CLE hours including 1.0 hour Professional Conduct
AGENDA
8:00-8:20 Continental Breakfast
8:20-8:30 Opening Remarks by Molly Hartnell, CEC President
8:30-9:30 Case Law Update by John Kennedy, Esq. and Peter W. Stoecklein
9:30-10:30 Unusual Liens by Andrew Stimmel, Esq., Cynthia Jeffrey, Esq. and Michael A. Cox, Esq.
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-11:45 Not-So-Common Exemptions by Bill Logan, Esq., Kenneth Richards, Esq. and Katy Brewer, Esq.
11:45-12:45 Lunch Provided (Buffet)
12:45-2:15 Business Bankruptcy by Christal Caudill, Esq., David Powell, Esq., Molly Hartnell, Esq. and Nanette Dean, Esq.
2:15-3:00 Resources Available to Debtors by Sondra Bryson, Esq. and Tyler Cope, Esq.
3:00-3:15 Break
3:15-4:15 A View from the Bench (Professional Conduct) by Chief Judge Beth A. Buchanan, Judge John E. Hoffman, Jr., Judge Mina Nami Khorrami, and Judge Tyson A. Crist
4:15-6:00 Post-Seminar Reception (cash bar)
2025 Annual Meeting and Winter Seminar
Via Zoom March 14, 2025
Approved for 2.5 CLE hours, revised to 1.0 CLE
Registration free with $50 dues for 2025 CEC Membership
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Annual Membership Meeting (2024 members only)
- Members in good standing invited and encouraged to attend and vote for election of Board Members.
9:10 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. Notices of Mortgage Payment Changes:
Speakers: Scott Ciupak, Esq. (RAS Legal Group); Paul Bryson, Esq. (LASCO)
- Filing, reviewing, and objecting to notices of mortgage payment changes.
- Challenging Tax Valuations