This is a calendar of events of interest to Los Angeles bankruptcy professionals. All start times are Pacific Time. If you would like an event to be posted on "the dog," please send your announcement to J. Scott Bovitz. Include the link to the registration page on your group's web site. Thank you.
March 6, deadline for entries (annual civics competition)
One of the many committees on which I currently serve is the District Court’s Community Outreach Committee, and one of the priorities of that committee is to ensure that kids—future jurors, future lawyers, future judges—get to see their federal courthouse at work and learn about the role the law and our Court plays in their lives and in their communities.
In furtherance of that goal, we are kicking off our annual civics competition. Students from around the Ninth Circuit send in submissions—either essays or videos—about a topic that we select each year. Winners at the local level receive cash prizes, and we sponsor the first-place winners of our local competition to attend a reception hosted by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan at the Ninth Circuit Judicial conference this summer. In addition, all those who submit an essay or video are invited to come to the federal courthouse and participate in a reception with our judges and lawyers.
This year’s topic is the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Students are asked to reflect on the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—why these rights were essential in 1776, what they mean today, and how we can protect them in the future.
I have also attached text below that you can forward to students, teachers, and student groups within your circle. We appreciate anything you can do to get the word out.
Thank you in advance!
/s/ Hon. Sheri Bluebond
The Ninth Circuit’s civics contest is underway! This year’s topic is “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Your Voice, Your Story, Your America.” The prompt is broad: “Choose one of these enduring rights—Life, Liberty or the Pursuit of Happiness—and tell us: (i) why this right was essential in 1776, (ii) how this right impacts you, your family or your community today; and (iii) what should we do to protect or improve this right moving forward.” The contest is open to all high school students in the Ninth Circuit. Winners receive cash prizes as well as an opportunity to attend the 2026 Ninth Circuit conference. The deadline for entries is March 6, 2026. Entries can be essays or videos. Contest rules and entry instructions available on the Ninth Circuit’s website: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/civicscontest
February 6, application deadline, Northern District
"The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit invites applications from highly qualified candidates for two Bankruptcy Judgeships for the Northern District of California."
February 10, hybrid
Financial Lawyers Conference. Entertainment Chapter 11 Bankruptcies. Ahdoot, Bernbrock.
February 12, application deadline, Central District
Opening for a Los Angeles bankruptcy judge.
February 13, hybrid
Financial Lawyers Conference. Issues in Entertainment Chapter 11 Cases. Bernbrock, Ahdoot. Los Angeles and Zoom.
February 16, deadline for comments
"The Judicial Conference Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure (Standing Committee) has proposed amendments to their respective rules and form and requested that the proposals be circulated to the bench, bar, and public for comment. The public comment period ends February 16, 2026. To view the proposed revisions, reports explaining the proposed changes, as well as information about submitting written comments or testimony at public hearings, please visit the Rules and Policies webpage on the U.S. Courts website at http://go.usa.gov/ypeJ."
KATHLEEN J. CAMPBELL
CLERK OF COURT
February 19, Zoom
Inland Empire Bankruptcy Forum. Basics of Chapter 7. Simons, Gouveia.
February 21, Zoom
cdcbaa. Avoiding conflicts of interest. Hon. Novack, Perry-Isaacson, Nicastro, Sall.
February 23, deadline for comments
Proposed minor, non-substantive revisions would clarify existing rules and align them with existing Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals practice.
If ultimately approved by the Court, these rules would become effective no sooner than June 1, 2026.
Thank you.
Susan V. Gelmis
Chief Deputy Clerk, Operations
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
February 25, noon, Zoom
Orange County Bankruptcy Forum. Creatures of the Bankruptcy Code. Kosmala, Rapoport, Seelig, Thompson.
March 6, deadline for nominations
Dear Judges, Attorneys, and Committee members,
The John P. Frank Award is presented annually at the Ninth Circuit Conference by the Court’s Advisory Board for “Outstanding Service to the Federal Courts of the Ninth Circuit.” The award recognizes a lawyer practicing in the Ninth Circuit who has “demonstrated outstanding character and integrity; dedication to the rule of law; proficiency as a trial or appellate lawyer; someone who promotes collegiality in the bench and bar; and who has given a lifetime of service to the federal courts of the Ninth Circuit.” The award is given in honor of John P. Frank, a renowned and respected Arizona lawyer who, among other notable accomplishments, served as an advisor to Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, helping to shape the argument in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case; represented Ernesto Miranda before the U.S. Supreme Court; and authored a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of 200 professors in Sweatt v. Painter, a challenge to segregation at the University of Texas Law School. You can find more details about John Frank’s extraordinary life and career in the Arizona State Law Journal Summer 2003 edition where the law school published an expansive biography and tribute to Mr. Frank, and in the New York Times tribute here.
The Ninth Circuit Advisory Board is currently seeking nominations for the 2026 John P. Frank Award. Please submit any nominations no later than March 6, 2026, by email to Advisory Board Chair Melinda Haag at mhaag@paulweiss.com. Nominations should include a biography or CV of the nominee, and a letter detailing the reasons for the nomination. We strongly encourage groups who support a particular nominee to submit a single joint letter signed by all of the supporters.
Best,
Susan Y. Soong
Circuit Executive for the Ninth Circuit
March 13-15, conference
Financial Lawyers Conference. 2026 Annual Seminar. Professor Vincent Buccola, University of Chicago. Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa.
March 20-21, induction and more
American College of Bankruptcy. Class 37 Induction Ceremony and Conference. San Antonio. (ACB Fellows.)
April 23-25, spring meeting
American Bankruptcy Institute. Spring meeting. Washington, D.C.
May 12, mediation lunch
U.S. District Court and U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Court appreciation lunch for mediators. Los Angeles (DoubleTree). Details to follow.
May 14-17, CBF
California Bankruptcy Forum. 38th Annual Insolvency Conference. Santa Rosa.
July 20-23, Ninth Circuit Conference
The 2026 Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference will be held in Bellevue, Washington—across Lake Washington from Seattle—from Monday, July 20 through Thursday, July 23. Judges and lawyer representatives are invited.