Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Bankruptcy Reform
February 24-25, 2006

On April 20, 2005, President Bush signed into law the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, the most sweeping bankruptcy reform legislation to be passed by Congress in over a quarter of a century. This legislation has become the subject of contentious debate among academics, bankruptcy judges, and practitioners. Some argue that this reform legislation threatens to undermine the bankruptcy system itself. This symposium examines bankruptcy reform by gathering experts from various fields, including law, psychology, and the judiciary. Addressing topics ranging from the role of race in bankruptcy reform, to using social science research to test the assumptions underlying bankruptcy reform, to the impact of means testing on the bankruptcy system, the goal of this symposium is to afford greater insight into the future of bankruptcy. The Symposium Presenters (PDF)
Friday, February 24
8:45 a.m. |
Symposium WelcomeDean R. Lawrence Dessem and Professor Michelle Arnopol CecilUniversity of Missouri-Columbia School of Law |
9:00 a.m. |
Panel Discussion |
| Presenters | Professor Melissa B. Jacoby University of North Carolina School of Law Bankruptcy Reform and the Cost of Sickness: Exploring the Connections Dean Daniel L. Keating Washington University School of Law Why the Bankruptcy Reform Act Left Labor Legacy Costs Alone Professor Richard L. Wiener University of Nebraska Department of Psychology Testing the Assumptions in the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005: The Role of Social Science Research |
| Commentators | Professor John A. E. Pottow University of Michigan Law School Professor Katherine M. Porter University of Iowa College of Law |
1:00 p.m. |
Nelson Lecture WelcomeDean R. Lawrence DessemUniversity of Missouri-Columbia School of Law |
1:15 p.m. |
Keynote AddressProfessor James J. WhiteUniversity of Michigan Law School Changing Incentives: Changing Law |
2:15 p.m. |
Wine and Cheese Reception |
3:00 p.m. |
Panel Discussion |
| Presenters | Professor A. Mechele Dickerson University of Texas School of Law Race Matters in Bankruptcy Reform Hon. Eugene R. Wedoff Chief Bankruptcy Judge, Northern District of Illinois The Impact of Means Testing on the Bankruptcy System Professor Michelle Arnopol Cecil University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law Bankruptcy Reform: What's Tax Got To Do With It? |
| Commentator | Professor Wilson Freyermuth, Jr. University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law |
Saturday, February 25
8:30 a.m. |
Roundtable DiscussionThe Future of Bankruptcy |
| Moderator | Michelle Arnopol Cecil |
| Participants | A. Mechele Dickerson Wilson Freyermuth, Jr. Melissa B. Jacoby Daniel L. Keating Katherine M. Porter John A. E. Pottow Eugene R. Wedoff James J. White Richard L. Wiener |
General Information
Directions to the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law
From Interstate 70, exit at Providence Road and turn south. After approximately 1.5 miles, turn left onto Stewart Road. Turn right onto Sixth Street where Stewart Road ends. At the intersection of Sixth Street and Conley Road, go straight into the Turner Avenue Parking Garage. Visitor parking is available on levels 3, 6, and 7. From the garage, proceed two blocks east to John K. Hulston Hall, located on the corner of Conley and Missouri Avenues.Lodging, Dining & Recreation in Columbia, Missouri
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