A week after the NACBA convention, I’ve almost caught up on practice paperwork, continuing education reporting, and sleep.
Now’s the time for some reflection on the experience as a whole.
Here’s my list of big-picture ideas and to-do’s .
- Need to be on top of state law
- Need for comprehensive and verifiable client disclosures about choices and consequences
- Myriad of ways to defeat preferences beyond waiting
- Potential in the new mortgage claim rules
- Stern v. Marshall may not cut as wide a swath as we feared
- The AG’s settlement may have real benefits for my clients if I can figure out how to access those benefits
- The issue of bankruptcy crimes and client failures to disclose are real, complex, and pervasive
- Reaffirmations are problematic, messy and need more of my attention
- Friends and other lawyers are almost as valuable as convention speakers as a source of learning.
- I need a 36 hour day
How about you? What stood out for you at NACBA if you were lucky enough to be there?
Image courtesy of zutaten.
Number 10 especially. Thanks for reporting Cathy! Good insights. Speaking of staying on top of state law, I’m interested in your thoughts on Wolfe v. Jacobson decided by the 9th on April 23, 2012 regarding the homestead exemption and proceeds after sale. Do debtors’ counsel need to think about filing a motion to compel abandonment in more cases to clear this issue up early?
I’ve just been through it once so need to dig a bit deeper. My first thought is: use the automatic homestead exemption, not the recorded homestead exemption.
There’s a petition for rehearing pending, so I’m hopeful that the 9th will revisit its decision before we are stuck with this lemon.
Better learn to make lemonade.