A message from the Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section chair as written by Abagale Steidl in the ACBA Lawyers Journal on March 25, 2022
Chairing the Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section in the second year of a world-wide pandemic has had its own set of unique challenges. However, those challenges have allowed us to grow as a section and give generously to people in need. This issue of the Lawyers Journal shines a spotlight on a section that, while large, may not be well known. It contains a diverse and dynamic set of articles from parties with specialties throughout the section.
The section funds its own scholarship which is awarded on a yearly basis to a student from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Duquesne University School of Law. Our previous scholarship, the Gerald K. Gibson Memorial Award, was retired after more than 30 years and was reborn as the Bankruptcy Judges Memorial Scholarship Fund of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation. This scholarship, in both of its iterations, has provided scholarships to more than 100 recipients, this chair included. In addition, the success of our Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Symposiums in 2020 and 2021 allowed us to generate the most revenue of any symposiums to date, which was particularly impressive in the middle of COVID.
The section was able to pivot from a program that had been held in person with significant attendance for more
than 30 years, to a fully web-based program in 2020, and back to an inperson program in 2021. The proceeds generated from the symposium have allowed the section to give its largest contribution ever to Attorneys Against Hunger and will allow for continued contributions to Neighborhood Legal Services. Our section prides itself on our ability to work together and to work well with others, which is further demonstrated through our successes over the last year. In addition, with the return of an in-person Bench-Bar Conference in 2022, this section will once again be hosting our hospitality suite to encourage comradery and networking. The section is also looking at a return of a family-oriented picnic at the end of summer or beginning of fall 2022.
Our section meets the third Friday of each month, and we are always happy to see new faces. We are also hoping for the return of our quarterly happy hour events and hope to see you there.