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.
Central District announcement: LIMITED OPERATIONS DURING LAPSE IN APPROPRIATIONS
Due to the federal government shutdown, the Court was forced to implement limited operations beginning Monday, October 20, 2025. The federal judiciary nationwide exhausted all available non-appropriated and no-year funds and all Court employees have been placed into a non-pay status effective Monday, October 20. The Judiciary is required to abide by the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 1341 et seq.
Although Court staff are in an unpaid status, the Court will continue to hear and decide cases. The Clerk’s Office will accept and timely process all filings and collect and deposit fees and costs into the Treasury. The Clerk’s Office will not be able to issue Pay.gov refunds. The Court’s website will not be updated other than to provide notice of any changes to its operations. For specific hearing information, please check each judge’s individual web page and calendar.
An appropriate contingent of IT staff will keep the Judiciary’s systems functioning. Attorney Wi-Fi services in the courtrooms will remain available absent a system outage. Court security services, including security screening at all courthouses, will continue as usual. Staff will generally not be available to respond to inquiries that are not related to case administration, and the ability to provide other forms of customer service will be diminished.
The Administrative Office of the United States Courts has issued guidance that payment of bankruptcy trustees does not constitute an excepted activity during the shutdown. Trustee payments will be delayed until the lapse ends. Contractors have been notified of the Court’s inability to pay or enter into new financial obligations. With rare exceptions (for example, due to a life-safety issue), the Court will not be able to obligate funds for repairs and alterations of courtrooms or courthouses. Projects that were obligated in a previous fiscal year will proceed. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we navigate this unfortunate situation.
February 6, 2026, openings in 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." Deadline is February 5, 2026.
November 6, dinner
Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association. 2025 Calvin Ashland Awards Dinner, honoring M. Erik Clark. Universal City.
November 12, lunch
California Receivers Forum. War Stories: Blood, Sweat, and Receiverships. Blackler, Baker, Sheaffer, Bubman. Beverly Hills.
November 20, in person
Financial Lawyers Conference, also sponsored by Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum. Bankruptcy Transactional & Litigation Skills. Golubchik, Sahn, Winick, del Castillo. Century City.
November 21, in person and on Zoom
Federal Bar Association. 22nd Annual Bankruptcy Ethics Symposium, bagels, and coffee. Los Angeles (Roybal).
FOUR PROGRAMS:
1. AI Revolution: Transforming Legal Practice? Or Just Old-Fashioned Ethics?
2. Civility Through Their Eyes: Judges and Counsel in Conversation
3. The Ethics of Mediation: 30 Years of Lessons in Mediation
4. Insights on Implicit Bias: Statistics, War Stories, and Strategies
SPEAKERS:
• Honorable Sandra Klein, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California
• Honorable Barry Russell, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California
• Honorable Deborah Saltzman, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California
• Honorable Erithe A. Smith, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California
• Professor Nancy B. Rapoport, Garman Turner Gordon Professor of Law, Boyd School of Law, and Affiliate Professor of Business Law & Ethics, Lee Business School, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• J. Scott Bovitz, Bovitz & Spitzer
• Howard Ehrenberg, Greenspoon Marder
• Misty Perry Isaacson, MPI LAW, P.C.
• Dmitri Ragano, Director of Digital Platforms and Strategy, Hoag Health Systems
• Sharon Weiss, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
• Program Chair: Joseph Boufadel, Salvato Boufadel LLP
December 1, party
Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum, TMA SoCal Holiday Party, sponsored by Financial Lawyers Conference, Annual Holiday Party. Los Angeles (Drago).
December 8, Zoom
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California. Central Guide Informational Sessions.
December 11, party
OCBF. Annual Holiday Party. Irvine.
January 29-30, 2026
California Receivers Forum. Loyola XI seminar. Long Beach (Hyatt).
February 2
Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum. Distinguished Speaker Program. Lawyer, Jailer, Ally, Foe: Complicity and Conscience in America's World War II Concentration Camps. Prof. Eric Muller.
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
May 14-17, CBF
California Bankruptcy Forum. 38th Annual Insolvency Conference. Santa Rosa.