2021 Annual Bankruptcy Institute

Tracy Brown Related seminars and products: 4

Law Office of Tracy Brown, P.C.

Tracy A. Brown’s office has been devoted exclusively to the Bankruptcy practice. She has extensive experience in representing individual debtors in Chapters 7 and 13. She has also represented corporations in Chapter 7 liquidations. Ms. Brown graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a B.S.B.A. degree in Accounting and moved to Houston, Texas to work in the financial accounting department of an oil and gas company. While working there, she obtained her CPA license in 1989. She left the accounting practice to attend law school at the University of Houston where she earned a J.D. degree. In 1995 she moved to St. Louis and shortly thereafter became immersed in the Bankruptcy practice. She was appointed to serve as a Bankruptcy Panel Trustee in 2003. She is admitted to practice in the US Tax Court, US Court of Federal Claims, District Courts in Texas and Missouri and the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.

Bonnie Clair Related seminars and products: 4

United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Missouri

Judge Bonnie L. Clair sits on the bench of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Judge Clair previously spent many years in private practice representing creditors and debtors in bankruptcy, commercial, and consumer finance matters; she also spent time in-house at a large financial institution and served in the Attorney General’s Honors Program of the United States Department of Justice as an attorney with the Office of the United States Trustee.

Judge Clair currently serves on the Conference News and Elections Committees of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges. Before taking the bench, she served on the Region X Disciplinary Committee for the Missouri Bar, mediated and investigated proceedings for the Missouri Bar’s Fee Dispute Resolution Committee, and contributed to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Seventh Circuit Volo updates. However, no one wants to talk about any of that once they find out that she was on Jeopardy! in 2006 and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? in 2002. 

Judge Clair received her law degree from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, where she was an articles editor for the Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law (now the Journal of Law & Policy) and a national competitor in the New York City Bar Moot Court Competition. She received her undergraduate degree from Duke University, where she served on the editorial and business boards of The Chronicle, debated varsity and camped in “Tent 2” in the Krzyzewskiville line during the 1989-1990 basketball season.

Wendee Elliott-Clement Related seminars and products: 4

SouthLaw, PC

Wendee Elliott-Clement is a senior attorney at SouthLaw, PC, a creditors firm located in Overland Park, KS. She received a BS from Vanderbilt University, and a JD from UMKC and currently practices bankruptcy law in Missouri (Western and Eastern District), Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa (Northern and Southern District).

Coleman Ellis Related seminars and products: 4

Ghafoor Cook LLC

Coleman Ellis is a partner at Ghafoor Cook Ellis LLC, where he focuses his work on representing debtors in bankruptcy proceedings. He received a JD and MBA from UMKC, and a BA from the University of Utah. He is licensed to practice in Missouri, Kansas and Utah.

Hon. Brian Fenimore Related seminars and products: 5

United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri

Before becoming a bankruptcy judge on August 31, 2017, Brian T. Fenimore led the bankruptcy team at Lathrop Gage LLP for more than 20 years, representing debtors, creditors, and many other parties in interest. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1988 with a degree in Agricultural Economics, and the University of Michigan Law School in 1990. After graduating from law school, he clerked for the Honorable Arthur B. Federman.

Amy Hatch Related seminars and products: 4

Polsinelli PC

Amy Hatch facilitates positive resolutions for her clients.  She focuses on debtor-creditor relations, while primarily representing banks, private lenders and loan servicers with enforcing their rights with respect to defaulted loans.  Amy has significant nationwide experience with commercial loans and routinely assists lenders with foreclosures, receiverships and other workout options, including forbearance agreements and loan sales.

Amy recognizes the value of understanding her clients’ ultimate goals and objectives and actively advocates and negotiates on behalf of her clients to meet their expectations.  For nearly 20 years, she has represented her clients in state and federal courts, including bankruptcy court.  In addition, when required, Amy has negotiated numerous loan workouts and other resolutions on behalf of her clients outside of the courtroom.

With experience assisting clients with loans secured by property in nearly every state, Amy has a comprehensive understanding of the challenges lenders and servicers face in handling defaulted loans in various jurisdictions.  She offers a unique perspective on the challenges lenders encounter with respect to costs and timelines and can help navigate clients to a solution that best meets their needs.

Hon. Cynthia Norton Related seminars and products: 4

United States Courthouse

Hon. Cynthia A. Norton received her law degree in 1984. She was appointed to the bench on February 1, 2013. She is the recipient of the Michael R. Roser Excellence in Bankruptcy Award, and the Robert L. Gernon Award for Outstanding Contribution to CLE.

Hon. Kathy Surratt-States Related seminars and products: 4

US Bankruptcy Court

Judge Surratt-States was sworn in as U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri on March 17, 2003 and appointed Chief Judge on February 1, 2013.

Judge Surratt-States received her B.A., cum laude, from Oklahoma City University and her J.D. from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.