Bankruptcy Indiana

Twenty-three years represents a big chunk of a person's life, and for me, those years represent my professional life practicing and teaching bankruptcy law in the state of Indiana.  When I introduced this Indiana bankruptcy blog two years ago this month, I introduced myself to readers.  I explained how a bankruptcy attorney gets certified by the American Board of Certification.  At the time, I pointed out, I was one of only fifteen lawyers in Indiana that were board certified as Consumer Bankruptcy Specialists.  (Today, the ABC website lists only twelve of us with that distinction.) As this being written, I received a congratulatory letter saying that, for the tenth consecutive year, I had earned
certification.

On its website, the American Board of Certification tells what certification means: "The certified attorney has met rigorous, objective standards and has demonstrated knowledge in bankruptcy." To get and remain certified, we must prove that at least 30% of our work time is spent handling bankruptcy matters (make that 100% for me!). We must prove we've kept up with changes in the law by taking at least 60 hours of ongoing education coursework every three years (I do a whole lot more, and teach many of those courses). Lastly, the Board wants its attorneys to participate in bankruptcy proceedings at least thirty times every three years (I do many, many times that number)  to show bankruptcy is not merely a sideline.

Just last week I got a super surprise in the form of a letter from the editors of the publication "Super Lawyers", congratulating me on having placed in the 2010 Indiana Super Lawyers Top 50 list.  This honor, the letter explained, is based on research about my practice, nominations, and review of my work by legal peers.

I'm really proud of my certification from the American Board, because we're expected to provide a higher standard of care for our clients, and taking care of bankruptcy clients is what it's really all about for me.  But having legal colleagues recognize my contribution to the profession - well, that feels pretty super, too!