Total Credits: 7.2 MCLE, 1.2 Ethics
Exact times may change
9-10 a.m. | Case Law Updates and Recent Developments
This panel will address several recent decisions and other developments that impact bankruptcy professionals in the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas.
Learning objectives:
Speakers: Hon. Brian T. Fenimore, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District, Kansas City; Vanessa Kamberis, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Kansas City; Jordyn M. Hill, Licata Bankruptcy Firm PC, Springfield
10-10:05 a.m. | Break
10:05-11:05 a.m. | Debtors on the fringe: Strategies for dealing with vulnerable clients
Looking at problems where debtor is incompetent, powers of attorney, victims of scams, and undocumented immigrants.
Learning objectives:
Speakers: Rachel L. Foley, Foley Law PC, Independence; Kimberly S. Athie, Castle Law, Kansas City
11:05-11:10 a.m. | Break
11:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m. | Lien-o-rama: Everything you always wanted to know about liens but were afraid to ask
This practical session demystifies the complex world of liens in both state law and bankruptcy practice. We’ll walk through how liens are created, perfected, prioritized, enforced, and ultimately affected by a bankruptcy filing. Using real-world examples and leading cases, the session equips practitioners with a clear framework for spotting lien issues, understanding creditor rights, and navigating the pitfalls that commonly arise in litigation, transactions, and insolvency proceedings.
Speakers: Miranda S. Swift, Stinson LLP, Kansas City; Nicolette L. Robovsky, Reed Law PC, Jefferson City; Michael P. Gaughan, Lewis Rice LLC, Overland Park, KS; Eric L. Johnson, Spencer Fane LLP, Kansas City
12:10-12:40 p.m. | Lunch
12:40-1:40 p.m. | Evidence: Adventures with expert witnesses
Speakers: Christa B. Moss, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Kansas City; Zachary R. Fairlie, Spencer Fane LLP, Kansas City
1:40-1:45 p.m. | Break
1:45-2:45 p.m. | Chapter 13 hot topics
The panel will discuss various topics including Rule 3002.1 procedures, Local Rules, discharge issues, Tenancy by the Entireties, and practical practice tips.
Speakers: Holly N. Malone-Zukaitis, Chapter 13 Trustee's Office, Kansas City; Wendee N. Elliott-Clement, SouthLaw PC, Overland Park, KS; Jason A. Norbury, Jeppson Law Office, Gladstone
2:45-2:50 p.m. | Break
2:50-3:50 p.m. | Who DOES that?: Forty years of ethics adventures
A look at pressing ethical issues over the last forty years, including changes in ethics guidelines, standards, and the profession.
Learning objectives:
Speaker: Hon. Cynthia A. Norton, United States Courthouse, Kansas City
3:50 p.m. | Adjourn
Opinions and positions stated by presenters of MoBarCLE programs are those of the presenters and not necessarily those of The Missouri Bar. This program is intended as information for lawyers in Missouri, in conjunction with other research they deem necessary, in the exercise of their independent judgment.
Wendee Elliott-Clement is a senior attorney with SouthLaw, P.C. and has been with the firm since 2008. She currently practices bankruptcy law in Missouri (EDMO/WDMO), Kansas, Iowa (NDIA/SDIA) and Nebraska. Wendee received her undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University and her J.D. from the University of Missouri- Kansas City.
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.
Rachel Foley began her bankruptcy career with the United Auto Workers representing GM and Ford employees in Chapter 13 and 7’s. Rachel was the only bankruptcy attorney for the Missouri auto workers and it was not unusual for her to manage 3 – 4 times the regular attorney caseload at any given time. This provided a vast array of case scenarios, experience and knowledge that Rachel continues to pull from today. Where ever the client was located, the Union ensured the auto worker would have representation, including but not limited to being incarcerated in Leavenworth Federal Prison.
Rachel has been recognized for her constant commitment to the representation of debtors. Rachel is the inaugural winner of the K. Colleen Nunnelly Award by the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and recognized by her peers as being the Best of the Kansas City Bar in the area of bankruptcy. These recognitions are in addition to being named to the Pro Bono Wall of Fame by the Missouri Bar Association.
With 43 years of experience in creditors’ rights and commercial litigation, Mike Gaughan’s practice focuses on protecting the rights of national banks, auto lenders, and subprime lenders. Mike joined Lewis Rice in 2019. Outside of the office, he enjoys spending time with his 19 grandchildren (and counting!).
Jordyn received his Bachelor's of Science degree in Political Science from Kansas State University in 2013 and his J.D. from the University of Arkansas in 2016.
In 2017, Jordyn moved to Springfield, Missouri and began practicing exclusively in consumer bankruptcy law and has remained a debtor’s attorney ever since.
Eric is a partner at Spencer Fane LLP where he serves as the practice group leader for the bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights group and co-practice group leader of the firm’s banking and financial services group. Eric represents clients in bankruptcy, non-bankruptcy insolvency proceedings, such as receiverships, and other related insolvency matters.
Eric is a fellow of The American College of Bankruptcy and serves on the board of directors for the American Bankruptcy Institute, one of the leading organizations for insolvency professionals. Eric was recently named by Best Lawyers in America as a 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Kansas City, Missouri for bankruptcy litigation and bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law.
Eric received his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa, where he currently serves on the board of managers for the alumni association.
Vanessa Kamberis is an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Missouri specializing in civil litigation. She routinely defends the United States and its agencies in federal district courts on matters ranging from employment discrimination, defensive torts, and bankruptcy. Prior to working at the Department of Justice, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Brian C. Wimes in the Western District of Missouri and to the Honorable Anna Helen Demacopoulos in the General Chancery Division in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Vanessa received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago and her JD from DePaul University College of Law, where she served as the Editor in Chief of the Journal for Social Justice.
Holly Malone-Zukaitis is a Staff Attorney for Richard V. Fink, the standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the Western District of Missouri. She has been with the trustee’s office since March 2008. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and her J.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Christa Moss, Missouri Bar Board of Governor for the Southern District, currently serves as a Civil Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. She was formerly a law Clerk for the Federal Chief Magistrate Judge, David Rush, as well as a civil defense litigator in a mid-size firm in Tulsa, OK, and an Assistant City Attorney for the Kansas City, MO, City Attorney's Office. Christa received her Bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Ok, and earned her J.D. from the College of William and Mary in 2012. Christa is an alumna of the Missouri Bar Leadership program and previously served on the Missouri Bar YLS Board. She is actively involved in the state and local bars as well as community activities, serving on a number of civic and non-profit boards.
Jason is an attorney at Jeppson Law Office in Gladstone, Missouri. He focuses on consumer bankruptcy representation, lending his 25 years of experience in debtor’s practice to help clients navigate Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases.
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Cynthia A. Norton was appointed to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the W.D. of Missouri on Feb. 1, 2023. She currently serves as Chief Judge and as a member of the Eighth Circuit's Bankruptcy Appellate Panel. Judge Norton is a frequent speaker and writer on ethics topics. |
Nicolette Robovsky is a partner at Reed Law, P.C. in Jefferson City, Missouri where she practices mainly consumer bankruptcy law.
Miranda Swift is an associate with Stinson LLP. She is based in the firm’s Kansas City, Missouri office, where she is a member of the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group. Miranda assists clients in bankruptcy proceedings and litigation, receiverships, foreclosures and restructurings.
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Tue, Apr 21, 2026 - 9:00 AM to 3:50 PM CDT
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Thu, May 28, 2026 - 9:00 AM to 3:50 PM CDT
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