For Immediate Release

	June 21, 2004 NBA BANKRUPRTCY LAW SECTION HONORS UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY JUDGE HONORABLE CORNELIUS BLACKSHEAR Members of the dais are photographed before the Awards Gala and Ceremony: They are:(rear l to r) NBA Exec. Dir. John Crump, Hon. Jeffrey Hopkins, Board of Governor's Robert Hagans, Hon. Stuart Bernstein, Hon. Laura Swain, Rev. Adolphus Lacey, (front row l to r) NBA VP Reginald Turner, Arlene Gordon Oliver, Hon. Cornelius Blackshear and NBA VP Rodney Moore. More than 800 members from the bankruptcy bar and bench and other distinguished guests from the judiciary joined the National Bar Association Bankruptcy Law Section (NBA-BLS)in honoring United States Bankruptcy Judge Cornelius Blackshear during a special AwardsGala and Ceremony held at New York City’s Marriott Marquis on May 27, 2004. The event was hosted by Arlene Gordon Oliver, Esq., NBA BLS Chair, who conceptualized the dinner and was the key organizer for the event. “ It was a great honor to pay tribute to a jurist who I consider a “trail blazer” for African American lawyers and an individual who means so much to so many people,” said Ms. Gordon Oliver. “This was evidenced by the number of distinguished guests and organizations from around the nation and Canada who have joined the NBA Bankruptcy Law Section to honor Judge Blackshear.” More than 50 firms and organizations participated as event sponsors, with 30 law firms partnering at the Platinum Level. The NBA Bankruptcy Law Section received over $218,000.00 in funds from its sponsors in support of the event. National Bankruptcy Law Section Chair Arlene Gordon Oliver, Esq. And NBA VP Rodney Moore present award to Judge Blackshear. The Honorable Laura Taylor Swain, District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York was the keynote speaker at the Gala Awards Dinner. The Honorable Stuart M. Bernstein, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York was also a speaker at the event. In addition to the presentation of the award by the NBA’s Bankruptcy Law Section, the Gala’s also included several special presentations from acclaimed bar groups. Among the participants were the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ), who was represented by the Honorable Jeffrey Hopkins, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of Ohio Western Division and also Chair of NBA/NCBJ Liaison Committee. Judge Hopkins presented an award to Judge Blackshear and announced the establishment of a scholarship by the NCBJ in Judge Blackshear’s name. In addition, President Michael P. Richman of the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) spoke on its behalf and Vice President Richard Toder of the American College of Bankruptcy gave its remarks. The NBA Vice Presidents Rodney Moore and Reginald Turner along with Executive Director John Crump and board member Robert F. Hagans of the Old Dominion Bar Association were dais guest. Michael Richman makes presentation on behalf of American Bankruptcy Institute. Judge Blackshear was sworn in as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York in November 1985 after serving as the second appointed United States Trustee for the Southern District of New York for a two-year period, a position to which he was appointed in 1983 by Attorney General William French Smith. Some of Judge Blackshear’s high-profiled caseloads include: Pan Am, Alexander’s Department Store, McCrory Corp., The Wiz, Spiegel and Eli Jacobs. Jacobs was the owner of the Baltimore Orioles, which, in August 1993, was auctioned by Judge Blackshear for a record $173 million. Ms. Gordon Oliver, Esq. is a member of the law firm of Rattet, Pasternak and Gordon Oliver, LLP. In August 2001, Ms Gordon Oliver was elected as the Chairperson for the Bankruptcy Law Section of the National Bar Association for a two-year term. She was re-elected for an additional two (2) year term at the 2003 Annual Convention. Mr. Richard Toder congratulates Judge Blackshear with award from the American College of Bankruptcy after his presentation. During her term as Chair of the Bankruptcy Law Section, Ms. Gordon Oliver gained the support of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, one of the nation’s premier organizations of bankruptcy judges and practitioners, for its support of the goals and objectives of the NBA. As a result of her efforts, the NCBJ established a scholarship fund in the name of the Honorable Cornelius Blackshear. The purpose of the scholarship is to fund the expenses of “The Blackshear Scholar(s)” to attend the annual conference of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges. The goal of this scholarship is to increase the diversity in the bankruptcy bar by making it possible for an increased number of African American attorneys to attend this very important annual conference of bankruptcy practitioners and judges. As a result of the widely supported award dinner in honor of Judge Blackshear, recognition for the NBA Bankruptcy Law Section has increased significantly. Ms. Gordon Oliver envisions that the national and international law firms with insolvency departments will gain and see the benefit of increasing diversity in their bankruptcy departments. In addition, she also envisions that there will be increasing support for and interest in membership to the NBA by the African American bankruptcy practitioners of these prestigious law firms. Her mission during the remainder of her term as Chair of the section will be to elevate the NBA’s Bankruptcy Law Section to the status of a nationally recognized association of prestigious bankruptcy practitioners.