2025 Bankruptcy and Restructuring Forum
Date: Oct 10, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick, and Online
Member Price: $203.00
Non-Member Price: $254.00
Section Price: $0.00
Areas of Law: Bankruptcy
Earn up to 6.7 credits! (More Information)
Keynote
- Hon. Christine M. Gravelle, U.S.B.J.
- Chief Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey
Moderator
- Jeffrey Bernstein, Esq.
- McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP, Newark
- Rebecca K. McDowell, Esq.
- Saldutti Law Group, Cherry Hill Township
- Rebecca L. Rakoski, Esq.
- Co-Chair, New JerseySBA Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Law
XPAN Law Partners LLP, Marlton - Joseph M. Shapiro, Esq.
- Partner, Middlebrooks Shapiro, P.C., BelmarJoseph M. Shapiro is a Partner in Middlebrooks Shapiro, P.C. in Springfield, New Jersey. He concentrates his practice in commercial bankruptcy, individual bankruptcy, creditor/debtor representation and bankruptcy litigation.
Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York, and before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Mr. Shapiro was appointed to the New Jersey State Bar Association Cannabis Law Committee in 2019 and has been a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and the Turnaround Management Association. In 2012 he served as a volunteer attorney with the Honorable Morris Stern Bankruptcy pro bono project (the Rutgers-Newark Bankruptcy Pro Bono Project).
A lecturer for ICLE, Mr. Shapiro is a former Barrister of the Bankruptcy American Inn of Court and teaches business law to undergraduate students as an Adjunct Professor at Union County College. He has served as a continuing legal education presenter with Marino Legal CLE and as a Judge in the Vincent J. Appruzzese Mock Trial Competition.
Mr. Shapiro received his B.F.A., magna cum laude, from the Savannah College of Art & Design and his J.D. from Seton Hall University Law School. While a law student, he served as a research assistant to Professors Carl H. Coleman and Gaia Bernstein.
Presenters
- Hon. Mark E. Hall, U.S.B.J.
- United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of New Jersey
- Hon. Vincent F. Papalia, U.S.B.J.
- United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of New Jersey
- Hon. John K. Sherwood, U.S.B.J.
- United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of New Jersey
- Sarah Weiyang Chen, Esq.
- Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, New York
- Jeffrey A. Cooper, Esq.
- Rabinowitz, Lubetkin & Tully LLC, Livingston
- Andrew Finberg
- Standing Chapter 13 Trustee, Cherry Hill
- Jessica Lewis Kelly, Esq.
- Special Assistant To the Administrative Director, Administrative Office of the Courts
- Steven T. Knipfelberg, Esq.
- Deputy General Counsel, Head of Legal for the Americas
OKX, New York - Gaston P. Loomis, Esq.
- McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP, Wilmington
- Abigail Medenciy
- Senior AI Solutions Consultant, Thompson Reuters
- Melinda D. Middlebrooks, Esq.
- Middlebrooks Shapiro, PC, Belmar
- Karen Painter Randall, Esq.
- Connell Foley LLP, Roselandis founder and Chair of the Cybersecurity, Data Privacy and Incident Response Group at Connell Foley LLP in Roseland, New Jersey. Formerly Certified as a Civil Trial Attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, she represents clients in complex litigation, and regulatory compliance and defense matters involving cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, social media and professional liability; and provides counsel and advocacy in federal and state courts for both professionals and businesses across a broad range of industries.
Admitted to practice in New Jersey and before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court, Ms. Randall is a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and serves as Co-Chair of its New Jersey KnowledgeNet chapter. She received three ABA presidential appointments to serve on the Cybersecuity Legal Task Force and the Standing Committee on Lawyer’s Professional Liability, and is the co-founder and Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Cybersecurity Legal Task Force. Ms. Randall has also served as Chair of the USLAW Network Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group and co-chaired the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM) 2016 NYC Cyber Liability Summit, and the University of South Carolina School of Law selected her to serve as Director of the Cybersecurity Institute. A Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, she was appointed by Chief Justice Rabner to serve on the Board on Civil Trial Certification.
Ms. Randall was selected by Bloomberg BNA to serve as its New Jersey Contributing Editor on cyber and privacy issues for Bloomberg Law: Privacy & Data Security, focusing on the
regulatory and compliance landscape of data protection laws in the U.S. and around the world. She has lectured for the American Bar Association, the AICPA and other professional organizations, and is the author and co-author of articles which have appeared in New Jersey Lawyer, USLAW Magazine and other publications. She is the recipient of several honors.
Ms. Randall received her B.A. and M.A. in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina and her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She completed the Advanced Legal Management Program at Montclair University’s School of Business and clerked for the Honorable J. Emmet Cassidy, JSC.
(8/23) - David H. Stein, Esq.
- Wilentz Goldman & Spitzer, Woodbridge
Presented in Cooperation with the NJSBA Bankruptcy Law Section
The popular Bankruptcy and Restructuring Forum returns for 2025 with a special keynote speaker and four panels on cutting-edge topics vital to your practice!
Whether you are a judge, a trustee, creditor’s counsel or debtor’s counsel, you will end the day with information that you can immediately put to use in your practice.
The day includes breakfast, lunch and a wine and cheese reception following the program.
Program Agenda:
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9:00 | Welcome - Joseph M. Shapiro, Esq.
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9:05 | Keynote Speaker - Hon. Christine M. Gravelle, U.S.B.J.
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9:35 | Merchant Cash Advances - Litigation and Regulation Updates
Merchant Cash Advances (MCAs) continue to generate significant litigation as state and federal courts wrestle with whether these arrangements are true sales of receivables or disguised high-interest loans. This session will dissect the latest caselaw affecting MCA agreements. Attendees will gain practical insights into litigation and defending MCA disputes, challenging the enforceability of MCA claims, obtaining authorization to utilize cash collateral in the face of pledged assets provided to MCA lenders and addressing confirmation issues affecting Chapter 11 plans of reorganization in the face of tiered MCE claims. This session will equip you with the tools and strategies to handle one of the most contentious and rapidly evolving area of commercial finance litigation.
Moderator:
Rebecca K. McDowell, Esq.
Speakers:
- Hon. Mark E. Hall, U.S.B.J.
- Jeffrey A. Cooper, Esq.
- David H. Stein, Esq. -
10:55 | Break
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11:05 | Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets-Regulatory Evolution and the GENIUS Act
The intersection of bankruptcy law and digital assets is no longer a future concern — it’s here. From crypto exchange collapses to NFT portfolios being pulled into bankruptcy estates, attorneys are increasingly called on to handle complex, high-stakes questions about ownership, valuation, and recovery. This session will break down the latest developments in cryptocurrency regulation, spotlight key litigation trends, and explain how pending federal legislation could change the game. You’ll leave with the knowledge and practical tools to confidently address these emerging issues in your practice.
Moderator:
Jeffrey Bernstein, Esq.
Speakers:
- Hon. Vincent F. Papalia, U.S.B.J.
- Sarah Weiyang Chen, Esq.
- Steven T. Knipfelberg, Esq.
- Gaston P. Loomis, Esq. -
12:20 | Lunch
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1:15 | Emerging Technology and Bankruptcy - Examining AI Issues
Artificial intelligence is transforming the practice of law – and bankruptcy is no exception. Join our expert panel as we explore how AI is reshaping case administration, legal research and financial analysis in cases and proceedings. The panel will discuss practical applications, ethical pitfalls and cybersecurity risks every bankruptcy petitioner needs to know. Whether you’re curious leveraging AI for efficiency or concerned about its impact on professional responsibility, this session will equip you with the insights to navigate the rapidly evolving intersection of technology and bankruptcy law.
Moderator:
Rebecca L. Rakoski, Esq.
Speakers:
- Hon. John K. Sherwood, U.S.B.J.
- Jessica Lewis Kelly, Esq.
- Abigail Medenciy
- Melinda D. Middlebrooks, Esq. -
2:35 | Break
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2:45 | Data Privacy in Bankruptcy - Examining the 23andMe Bankruptcy Data Sale
What happens when a bankruptcy estate includes millions of consumers’ most personal information – their DNA? This session will explore the legal, ethical, and practical challenges of handling sensitive personal data in bankruptcy cases and proceedings. Our speakers will unpack the 23andMe case, analyze the intersections of the Bankruptcy Code and privacy laws, and share strategies for navigating sales of consumer data. From the role of a consumer privacy ombudsman to cross-border GDPR complications, this panel will prepare bankruptcy practitioners to spot issues, mitigate risks, and advise clients when data becomes the asset at the center of the case.
Speakers:
- Andrew B. Finberg
- Rebecca L. Rakoski, Esq.
- Karen Painter Randall, Esq.
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4:00 | Adjourn
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