Judge Hackett attended Wayne State University and received an A.B. degree in 1949 and his LL.B degree in 1952.

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1 The Honorable Harry G. Hackett was appointed to the Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Michigan on July 1, He was the first African American appointed as a Federal Bankruptcy Judge. He retired from the bench at the end of his term in June, Judge Hackett attended Wayne State University and received an A.B. degree in 1949 and his LL.B degree in Prior to his appointment to the federal bench, he served as Law Clerk in the United States District Court in Detroit from 1954 until He served in the United States Army from 1943 until 1946 in the rank of Second Lieutenant. Judge Hackett passed away in March, 1987 at the age of 64. A courthouse was dedicated in honor of Judge Hackett in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Honorable Edward B. Toles was appointed a United States Bankruptcy Judge by the United States District Court Judges in the Northern District of Illinois on December 18, Judge Toles became the first African American to serve on the bankruptcy bench in Chicago. He retired from the bench on September 30, In his seventeen years as a Federal Bankruptcy Judge, he presided over some of the Northern District of Illinois' largest cases. They include the reorganization of the Executive Hotel, Warshawsky & Co auto parts company, the Gaslight Clubs and Meister Brau Brewery. In 1932, Judge Toles received his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois. He remained at the University of Illinois for the next two years, where he attended law school. In 1936, he completed his law school studies and graduated from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence. In the late 1950s, Judge Toles embarked on a vigorous campaign to secure more judicial positions for African Americans. In 1961, he became the president of the Cook County Bar Association and increased the organization's efforts in the campaign for more African-American judges. During his tenure as president of the Cook County Bar Association, he met with then-mayor Richard J. Daley and the late president John F. Kennedy to discuss this issue. In addition, Judge Toles wrote a letter to the editor of the Chicago Tribune, emphatically urging the appointment of an African American to the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois. He declared: "Negro lawyers and particularly Chicago Negro lawyers should be included among the judges selected. Recent events in America and the world offer compelling reasons why Negro judges should participate in the federal administration of justice." By the end of Judge Toles' two-year term, the number of African-American judges doubled from four to eight. Judge Toles' passionate drive to fight for the civil rights of African Americans spans far beyond his

2 active membership in the Cook County Bar Association and the National Bar Association. In 1938, while an associate at the law offices of Edward H. Morris (the fifth black lawyer admitted to the Illinois bar), Judge Toles represented three black University of Illinois students. The students had been denied service in a campus restaurant. Although the jury did not rule in favor of the students, the next school year all restaurants, movie houses and barber shops were open to black students. From 1939 to 1940, Judge Toles was appointed Assistant Attorney with the United States Housing Authority in Washington, D.C.. In 1941, he served as Assistant General Counsel for the publisher of the Chicago Defender. From 1943 to 1945, Judge Toles was the War Correspondent for the Chicago Defender, covering black troops in World War II. As a result of his efforts as War Correspondent, Judge Toles was presented the "award for outstanding and conspicuous service as an accredited war correspondent serving with our armed forces in an overseas theater of combat" by the Secretary of the United States War Department. In 1953, he represented Dr. and Mrs. Falls, a black couple who were trying to build two homes in Western Springs, Illinois, which at the time was an all-white suburb of Chicago. Judge Toles fought against and won the condemnation action which had been sought to prevent blacks from building in the town. Judge Toles also contributed to the development of the African-American legal community as the official historian for the National Bar Association. He has been an invaluable source of statistical and historical information on African-American lawyers and judges, much of which has been recorded in publications and congressional documents. Judge Toles passed away in December The Honorable Rafael A. Rivera-Cruz was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Puerto Rico on December 31, Judge Rivera-Cruz was the first full-time bankruptcy judge in Puerto Rico. Judge Rivera-Cruz earned his bachelor s degree from the University of Puerto Rico in At the time of his graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army, and later received an Honorable Discharge in He enrolled in the University of Miami School of Law in 1946 and graduated with his Juris Doctor in Judge Rivera-Cruz began his law practice in the city of Miami in 1950, where he remained until In 1963, he returned to Puerto Rico and joined the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, where he served first as an assistant secretary of justice in charge of opinions and then as an assistant secretary of justice in charge of litigation, until his appointment as Solicitor General for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. As the attorney for the government of Puerto Rico, he was able to represent the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and before the United States Supreme Court on various occasions. During his time at the Department of Justice, Judge Rivera-Cruz also volunteered to lead the Puerto Rico League Against Cancer.

3 In 1968, Judge Rivera-Cruz returned to the private practice of law until his appointment to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Puerto Rico on December 31, At the time of his appointment, his duties as a bankruptcy judge only required him to work for two days per week. Shortly after his appointment, he was appointed as the first full-time bankruptcy judge for Puerto Rico. Judge Rivera-Cruz retired from the bench on February 29, He returned to the private practice of law litigating various class action cases, including a case that resulted in the elimination of talc as an additive in the rice sold in Puerto Rico. Judge Rivera-Cruz practiced law until his passing, on June 1, Judge Rivera-Cruz had a passion for antiques, agriculture and for his family. Judge Rivera-Cruz had two children: Julian Rafael and Maria Soledad. The Honorable Benjamin E. Franklin was appointed Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas in 1976, and was the first African-American Article I judge in Kansas. In 1983 he was appointed Chief Judge, and continued to serve until his passing in April From 1954 to 1956, Judge Franklin engaged in the private practice of law. From 1957 to 1961 he served as an Assistant Wyandotte County Counselor, and engaged in private practice as a member of the law firm of Meeks, Gray, Franklin, Smith & Whyte, in Kansas City, Kansas. In 1961 he was appointed an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas. During his seven years in the U.S. Attorney's office he gained national attention as a masterful prosecutor. In 1968, he received the John Marshall Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Department of Justice. In 1968 he was appointed U.S. Attorney, the first African American to hold this office in Kansas and the third in the nation. In 1969, Judge Franklin returned to private practice as a partner in the law firm of Harding, Lowder & Franklin. He also served as attorney for the Board of Public Utilities, and later as its Chief Counsel. Judge Franklin was also a lecturer at the University of Kansas School of Law. His life of public service included his work in many professional and community organizations. He was a lifetime member of the NAACP and served as president of the Wyandotte County Bar in Judge Franklin was known as a "people's judge." On the bench, he exuded compassion and sensitivity, tempered with objectivity and fairness. He put litigants at ease and motivated lawyers to practice with professionalism and civility. The Honorable Antonio I. Hernandez-Rodriguez was appointed by the First Circuit as Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Puerto Rico in 1976, where he served for ten years. Judge Hernandez- Rodriguez received a special appointment as bankruptcy judge for two federal district locales, and divided his time on the bench between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

4 Judge Hernandez-Rodriguez received his bachelor s degree from the University of Puerto Rico in 1956, and his L.L.B. from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in He retired from the bankruptcy bench in 1986, and is currently engaged in the private practice of law. The Honorable Odell Horton was appointed Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee in He served as a bankruptcy judge until 1980, at which time he was appointed to the District Court. With this appointment, Judge Horton became the first African American to be appointed to the United States District Court in the State of Tennessee. He served as Chief Judge from 1987 until 1994 and was the first African American to hold this position. He assumed senior status in 1995 and served in that capacity until his death in February Judge Horton received his bachelor's degree from Morehouse College in He received his LL.B. from Howard University School of Law in Prior to law school, Judge Horton served in the United States Marine Corps from 1945 to 1946 and 1951 to Upon graduation from law school, he was in private practice in Memphis, Tennessee from 1957 to He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1962 to He was a judge on the Shelby County Criminal Court, Tennessee from 1969 to He served as President of LeMoyne-Owen College from 1970 to He was a Director for the Community Health Services, Mid-South Medical Center Council, Memphis Tennessee from 1974 until The Honorable Jon Chinen was first appointed as a bankruptcy referee in He was the first judge appointed to the newly created Bankruptcy Court for the District of Hawaii in 1984 and was reappointed in Judge Chinen retired in 1992, but was recalled as a bankruptcy judge in 1993 and served in that capacity until He passed away on April 14, Judge Chinen received his undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii in He then enlisted in the Army during World War II and served in Italy with the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, earning a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. After his military service, Judge Chinen earned his law degree from the University of Michigan. He returned to Hawaii and began serving as Deputy Attorney General in 1953, specializing in land problems. From 1960 to 1976, he served as a State District Judge and later entered private practice. Judge Jon Chinen was well-regarded in Hawaii for his expertise in bankruptcy law and real property law. As a member of the Ninth Circuit Conference of Chief Bankruptcy Judges, he authored numerous publications. His additional publications include two books on property law: The Great Mahele: Hawaii's Land Division and Original Land Titles in Hawaii.

5 Upon Judge Chinen's retirement from the bench in 2000, a fund was established in his honor at the University of Hawaii Foundation. The fund was designed to support The Judge Jon J. Chinen Award, a monetary award for student externs from the University of Hawaii working with the Bankruptcy Court. The Honorable James R. Dooley was appointed as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Central District of California on November 1, 1976 and served on the bench until his retirement on January 31, He was the first African-American bankruptcy judge in the Ninth Circuit. Judge Dooley passed away on April 27, Judge Dooley graduated magna cum laude from Benedict College in South Carolina and the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois. Judge Dooley was awarded numerous honors and prizes, including election to the Order of John Marshall. Judge Dooley also received the Bobbs-Merrill Prize for highest standing in his Senior Year and the Illinois Constitutional Law Prize. Judge Dooley had a distinguished military career, serving actively in the United States Army during World War II and the Korean War. He rose to the rank of 1st Lieutenant in 1942, and served in the reserves from 1945 to Judge Dooley was admitted to the Illinois Bar in November of 1950 and to the California Bar several years later. He practiced privately for a short period until December 14, 1953, when he joined the U.S. Department of Justice in Los Angeles as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. During his years of service in the U.S. Attorney's Office, Judge Dooley continued to earn high praise from his colleagues. On June 25, 1965, he received an award from the Attorney General of the United States for meritorious service. From 1962 until 1976, Judge Dooley served as First Assistant Chief of the Civil Division in the U.S. Attorney's Office until his appointment to the bench in During his tenure as a judge, he authored numerous published bankruptcy decisions and adjudicated some of the largest and most complex bankruptcy cases in California. Among the many honors and tributes commemorating his retirement, Judge Dooley received a salute in the Congressional Record of the United States House of Representatives. The Honorable Grady L. Pettigrew, Jr. was appointed as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of Ohio on June 22, He retired from the bench on July 31, Judge Pettigrew, Jr. graduated from the Ohio State University in 1965 and the Ohio State University College of Law in He was an Adjunct Professor of Law at Capital University Law School from 1976 until 1985.

6 Judge Pettigrew began his legal career with the law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP, where he worked from 1971 until his appointment to the bankruptcy bench in From 1999 until 2006, Judge Pettigrew was with the firm of Cox, Stein & Pettigrew Co., LPA. Thereafter, he was a principal in the law firm of Pettigrew & Associates, LLC, where his practice included bankruptcy reorganizations, civil litigation, general business, personal injury, tax defense, and other legal areas. After 39 years of practice, Judge Pettigrew retired from the active practice of law in July Judge Pettigrew currently serves as President of the Civil Service Commission for the City of Columbus, Ohio. Judge Pettigrew was designated as one of the best lawyers in America from 1987 through In addition to his legal work, he is a lecturer and author of two books on bankruptcy law. He has spoken to lawyers, bankers, and business leaders and for organizations such as the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, the Credit Union Executive Society, the Ohio CLE Institute, the Columbus Bar Association CLE Institute and numerous community and professional organizations across the country, in Puerto Rico and in Canada. The Honorable Charles N. Clevert, Jr. was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin in He was nominated by President Clinton to sit on the District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin in 1996, where he continues to serve as Chief Judge. Judge Clevert earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Davis and Elkins College in He attended law school at Georgetown University Law Center and was awarded a Juris Doctor in After graduation from Georgetown, Judge Clevert worked as an Assistant District Attorney for Milwaukee County until 1975, when he became Wisconsin s first African-American Assistant U.S. Attorney, working in the Eastern District. He was also appointed as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois in Later in 1977, Judge Clevert was appointed to the bankruptcy bench in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Not only was he the first African American in Wisconsin to receive this appointment, but, at 30 years old, he was also one of the youngest to be appointed to this position. He acted as chief bankruptcy judge for ten years, and served on the bankruptcy court until Judge Clevert represents the Milwaukee Bar Association in the ABA House of Delegates and sits on the National Conference of Federal Trial Judges Executive Committee, the ABA s American Jury Project, and the Board of Directors of the Justice at Stake Campaign, a non-profit organization to ensure that courts are fair and impartial. He also chaired the Federal Judicial Center s Advisory Committee on District Judge Education and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges Endowment for Education. Judge Clevert was past president of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and the Thomas

7 E. Fairchild American Inn of Court. He also served on the ABA s Federal Judicial Improvements Committee, the Budget Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States, the American Judicature Society s Board, and the Board of Transitions Men of Tomorrow, Inc. Throughout his distinguished legal career, Judge Clevert has received many awards for his substantial community contributions, including the Milwaukee Times Black Excellence Award, the Eastern District Bar Association s Nathan A. Fishbach Founder s Award and the Greater Milwaukee Federal Executives Association s Federal Employee of the Year Award. The Honorable Ray Reynolds Graves was appointed by the Sixth Circuit to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit in 1982, where he served as Chief Judge from 1991 to He retired from the bench in January, Judge Graves was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama and graduated from Trinity College in He then attended law school at Wayne State University School of Law, earning his law degree in Judge Graves began his legal career by serving as a Deputy Defender in the Detroit Defender s Office. From the Defender s Office, he went into private practice and became a partner in the Detroit law firm of Lewis, White, Clay & Graves. In 1981, Judge Graves became a staff attorney for the Detroit Edison Company. _ The Honorable Manuel D. Leal was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in Judge Leal retired from the United States Bankruptcy Court in 2004, after more than twenty years of service. He is currently a professor at Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, Texas. Judge Leal earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Houston. He graduated with a Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law and then continued in his study of law to earn his LL.M. from New York University School of Law. Following graduation, Judge Leal was an Associate Attorney in Civil Trial Practice at the Law Offices of Gus J. Zgourides from 1976 to He was an Associate Professor at South Texas College of Law for two years before becoming a Judge in the 308th State District Court, Harris County, Texas. In 1983, he became an Assistant U.S. Attorney. During this time, Judge Leal also served as a Judicial Master for the 246th District Court and the 308th District Court, Family Trial Divisions, Harris County, Texas, intermittently from 1979 to Judge Leal was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in He was also Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Texas, for three

8 years from 1993 to During his time on the bench, Judge Leal also served as an Adjunct Professor for South Texas College of Law from 1990 to 1991 and for Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law from 1989 to In 2004, Judge Leal retired from the bench and became a full Professor at Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Judge Leal has received a number of awards throughout his career, including the Robert B. McKay Distinguished Alumni Award from New York University School of Law and the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Hispanic Bar of Houston. He has served as the President of the Hispanic Bar of Houston, the Treasurer of the Mexican American Bar Association, and President and Founder of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Honorable Cornelius Neil Blackshear was appointed Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York in 1984, and remained on the bankruptcy bench until his retirement in Judge Blackshear was raised in Florida, but moved to New York City following his high school graduation in He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1959, and following an honorable discharge, became a member of the New York City Police Department. While employed by the NYPD, Judge Blackshear earned degrees from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 1971 and then from the Fordham University School of Law in After seventeen years of service, Judge Blackshear left the NYPD in 1979 to serve as Assistant U.S. Trustee, and then, four years later, as U.S. Trustee for the Southern District of New York. Judge Blackshear holds the distinction of being the first African American to be appointed a U.S. Trustee. Judge Blackshear was appointed to the bankruptcy bench for the Southern District of New York in 1984, where he served for more than 20 years. During his judgeship, Judge Blackshear received many awards and professional recognitions, including the Executive Office of the U.S. Trustee s Award, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives New York Chapter s Lloyd George Sealy Award, the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Fourth Annual Lloyd G. Sealy Lecture African American in the Judicial System Award, an award from the Macon B. Allen Black Bar Association, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the New York Institute of Credit s Leadership in Education Award. Among other honors and achievements, Judge Blackshear was also appointed by Chief Justice Rehnquist to the Committee on Court Security for the Federal Judicial Conference, and served on the Administrative Office of the United States Courts Bankruptcy Court Advisory Council. The National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges has named a scholarship for Judge Blackshear to encourage minority lawyer participation at its conference. The Honorable Randolph Baxter was appointed by the Sixth Circuit as Bankruptcy Judge for the

9 Northern District of Ohio in 1985, where he served until his retirement in August, Judge Baxter is a native of Columbia, Tennessee, and graduated with honors from Tuskegee University and then from the University of Akron School of Law in Prior to law school, Judge Baxter served with distinction as an Army tank company commander in the Vietnam War, and was awarded, among other things, the Bronze Star for Valor. After law school, Judge Baxter was in private practice before serving as an assistant U.S. Attorney in Ohio. He also served as Deputy Director of the Akron, Ohio Department of Public Services. He was appointed Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Ohio in 1985, where he served for 25 years. During his service to the Bankruptcy Court, Judge Baxter acted as Chief Judge and also served as a visiting judge in New York, Michigan, Tennessee and Florida. During his tenure on the bankruptcy bench, Judge Baxter acted as national secretary for the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, and as an adjunct professor at both Kent State University s College of Business and the University of Akron s law school. In 1995, Chief Justice Rehnquist appointed Judge Baxter to the Federal Judicial Center s Bankruptcy Education Advisory Committee to develop training programs for bankruptcy judges. Judge Baxter also served for two years on the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Sixth Circuit. Since his retirement in August, 2011, Judge Baxter has continued to serve the Akron community, performing with the Cleveland Clinic Orchestra and doing volunteer work. The Honorable David H. Coar was appointed by the Seventh Circuit to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois in He was appointed to the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 1994, where he served until retirement in December, Judge Coar was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and received his B.A. from Syracuse University in He attended Loyola University Chicago School of Law, earning his J.D. in 1969, and then went on to earn his LL.M. from Harvard Law School in He was a U.S. Marine Sergeant in 1965, and a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Sergeant from 1965 to After law school, Judge Coar worked as a legal intern for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund in New York City, then went into private practice in Alabama from 1971 to He acted as an Associate Professor and Associate Dean of DePaul University College of Law from 1974 to 1979, and 1982 to From 1979 until 1982, Judge Coar served as the first U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee in the Northern District of Illinois. He was also a visiting professor for the College of William and Mary, Marshall- Wythe Law School in 1985.

10 While sitting as a District Court Judge, Judge Coar handled numerous complex commercial, employment and mass tort suits, hearing and settling hundreds of cases. He has traveled world-wide as a consultant on judicial and economic issues, and has participated in educational programs in China, Russia, Nigeria and the Cameroons, the National Center for State Courts, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. State Department. Judge Coar is currently working as an arbitrator, mediator and special master for JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services) Chicago Resolution Center. The Honorable Enrique S. Lamoutte was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Puerto Rico on November 7, He currently serves as Chief Judge. Judge Lamoutte earned his bachelor s degree in economics from Boston College in He earned his Juris Doctor from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law in After his graduation from law school, Judge Lamoutte served as a law clerk for the United States District Court for two years, followed by four years as clerk at the United States Bankruptcy Court. Judge Lamoutte worked at the U.S. Attorney s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, as Chief of the Civil Division from 1983 to Judge Lamoutte served as Chief Bankruptcy Judge in the District of Puerto Rico from 1986 to 1998 and from 2009 to present. Judge Lamoutte also serves on the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the First Circuit, and was Chief Judge of the Panel from 2004 to The Honorable Sara E. DeJesus was appointed by the First Circuit to the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Puerto Rico in San Juan in She served as Chief Judge from 1998 to Judge de Jesus earned her bachelor s degree from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. in 1968, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico Law School in She then went on to earn her LL.M. from the University of Miami in Judge de Jesus served as bankruptcy judge until her retirement in 2011, and is currently engaged in the private practice of law. The Honorable R. Guy Cole, Jr. was appointed by the Sixth Circuit to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio in He was nominated by President Clinton to a seat on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1995, where he continues to serve today. Judge Cole was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He earned his bachelor s degree from Tufts University in 1972, and his law degree from Yale University in Judge Cole began his legal

11 career at the law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease in Columbus, Ohio, where he practiced until taking a job in the commercial litigation branch of the U.S. Department of Justice in He then returned to private practice at Vorys, Sater in 1980, and was named the firm s first African- American partner in Judge Cole was appointed as a bankruptcy judge for the Southern District of Ohio, where he served from 1987 until After leaving the bankruptcy bench, he went back into private practice at Vorys, Sater until 1995, when he was nominated to sit on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Throughout his distinguished legal career, Judge Cole has earned many awards and commendations. In 1985, he was named as one of the Emerging Leaders for Columbus by The Columbus Dispatch, and Commendations for outstanding achievements from the Ohio House of Representatives, and the th th 115 and 120 General Assemblies. Judge Cole has been active in community service during his professional career, serving such organizations as the Children s Hospital, the I Know I Can College-Bound Program of Columbus City Schools, the University Club, the YMCA, the Neighborhood House, the March of Dimes of Central Ohio, Buckeye Boys Ranch, and the Worthington Educational Foundation. The Honorable Bernice Bouie Donald was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee in She is currently a judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Judge Donald is a woman of many firsts: she was the first female African American to become a judge in the state of Tennessee, to serve as a United States Bankruptcy Judge, to be appointed to the United States District Court in Tennessee, and to sit on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Judge Donald received her Bachelor of Arts from Memphis State University in She earned her Juris Doctor in 1979 from Memphis State University School of Law. Following her graduation from law school, Judge Donald worked briefly as a solo practitioner before accepting a position as a staff attorney at Memphis Area Legal Services in Judge Donald then worked as an Assistant Public Defender for the Shelby County Public Defender s Office from 1980 to In 1982, Judge Donald was elected to the Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court, making her the first female African-American judge in the history of the state of Tennessee. Similarly, Judge Donald became the first female African-American bankruptcy judge when she was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee in Throughout this period of her legal career, Judge Donald also worked as an Adjunct Professor, first at Shelby State Community College from 1981 to 1984, and then at the University of Memphis School of Law from 1985 to In 1995, Judge Donald was nominated by President Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. She received her commission on December 26, 1995,

12 and served as a district court judge for fifteen years. Judge Donald was the first female African- American judge appointed to the District Court in Tennessee. Judge Donald also became the first female African-American judge appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. In 2010, she was nominated by President Obama to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The nomination was confirmed on September 6, 2011 and Judge Donald received her commission on September 8, Throughout her career, Judge Donald has received over 100 awards for professional, civic and community activities. Judge Donald was named the Justice Joan Dempsey Klein Honoree of the Year by the National Association of Women Judges in She received the President s Award for service to the profession from the National Bar Association in 2006 and the Liberty Award for promoting diversity in the profession from the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association in Judge Donald was also a recipient of the Martin Luther King Community Service Award, the Presidential Award from the National Bar Association, the Hero in the Law and Benjamin F. Hooks Awards from the Memphis Bar Association, and the Civil Rights Trailblazer Award from the University of Tennessee. In 2010 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Suffolk University. In 2011, Judge Donald received the Spirit of Excellence Award from the American Bar Association in recognition of her efforts to promote a more racially and ethnically diverse legal profession. Judge Donald has also served the community in various capacities. She is an active member of the American Bar Association, having served on its Committee of Governance, on its Board of Governors, and as Secretary for a three-year term. She also devotes time to various community organizations, including the Memphis Literacy Council, the University of Memphis Alumni Board, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Calvary Street Ministry, and the YWCA. The Honorable Donald E. Cordova was appointed to the Unites States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado in 1990, and was appointed as Chief Bankruptcy Judge in He was serving the final year of his term as a federal bankruptcy judge when he passed away on February 16, 2003 at the age of 65. During his thirteen years on the bench, he had a reputation for being fair, open-minded and professional. Chief Judge Cordova graduated from Regis College in He went on to attend the University of Colorado School of Law where he earned his Doctorate of Jurisprudence in Prior to becoming a judge, Chief Judge Cordova served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado from 1964 to He was with the firm of Zarlengo, Mott and Zarlengo from 1968 to 1982, specializing in insurance defense and civil litigation. From 1982 until 1988, he operated as a sole practitioner focusing on civil litigation, health law and products liability, and was the senior partner in the law firm of Cordova, DeMoulin, Harris & Mellon, P.C. from 1988 to 1990.

13 Chief Judge Cordova served as President of the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association and Denver Bar Association. He was the Vice President of the Colorado Bar Association and a member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association. He was a Fellow of the American and Colorado Bar Foundations and was the former president of the University of Colorado Law Alumni Board and the Law Club of Denver. In 2002, the Law Club of Denver presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Honorable Charles M. Caldwell was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio on May 26, He was reappointed for an additional term on May 26, 2007, and became Chief Judge one year later, on May 15, Judge Caldwell graduated from the University of Evansville in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science in public administration. He earned his Juris Doctor in 1979 from Northwestern University School of Law. Following graduation, Judge Caldwell clerked for the Honorable Edward Bernard Toles, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. During his legal career, Judge Caldwell served as a staff attorney in the Bankruptcy Division of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts from 1986 to Judge Caldwell was an Assistant U.S. Trustee in the Department of Justice United States Trustee Program for the Southern District of Ohio from March 7, 1988 until his appointment to the bench in He currently serves as Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The Honorable Ernest M. Robles was appointed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on June 12, 1993 as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for Central District of California. He was reappointed on June 12, Judge Robles obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science (with distinction) from the University of California at Berkeley in He attended the University of Michigan Law School for his Juris Doctor from 1978 to He was admitted to the California Bar in Judge Robles practiced with Musick, Peeler and Garrett from 1981 to 1982; Hancock, Rothert and Bunshoft in San Francisco, California from 1982 to 1987; and Kornblum and McBride in San Francisco, California from 1987 to Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Robles was an Assistant U.S. Trustee for the Office of the United States Trustee in San Jose, California from 1988 to He co-authored (with Linda Curtis), "United States Trustee's Role in Bankruptcy," Chapter 9 in Business Lawyer's Bankruptcy Guide.

14 The Honorable Julie A. Robinson was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas in She is currently a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. Judge Robinson was the first African-American United States District Judge in the state of Kansas. Judge Robinson earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Kansas in 1978 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law in Judge Robinson later worked at her alma mater from 1989 to 1990 as an adjunct instructor in trial practice for the law school and served as President of its Board of Governors. After law school, Judge Robinson was a law clerk for United States Bankruptcy Judge Benjamin E. Franklin from 1981 to She then worked at the U.S. Attorney s Office for over ten years, first as an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1983 to 1992 and then as Senior Litigation Counsel from 1992 to In 1994, Judge Robinson was appointed a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Kansas, filling the vacancy created by the passing of Judge Franklin. During her time on the bench of the United States Bankruptcy Court, Judge Robinson also served as a judge for the United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Tenth Circuit from 1996 to Judge Robinson joined the United States District Court in 2001, following her nomination by President George W. Bush. Judge Robinson was the first African-American United States District Judge in Kansas. Judge Robinson is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and received the Distinguished Public Service Award from Baker University. Judge Robinson is also Chair of the Court Administration and Case Management Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. The Honorable Erithe A. Smith was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California on May 2, Judge Smith was the first African-American woman to serve as a bankruptcy judge in the Ninth Circuit. Judge Smith earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Loyola Marymount University in She received her Juris Doctor from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley in After graduating from law school, Judge Smith clerked for Justice Marcus Kaufman of the California Court of Appeal from 1982 to She then clerked for United States Bankruptcy Judge Peter Elliott from 1983 to 1985 before entering private practice. She was an Associate at McKittrick, Jackson, DeMarco & Peckenpaugh for two years before joining Lobel, Winthrop & Broker, where she became a partner prior to her appointment to the bench.

15 Judge Smith was first appointed a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Central District of California on May 2, 1994, and was the first African-American woman to serve as a bankruptcy judge in the Ninth Circuit. Judge Smith served on the Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel from 2004 to She was reappointed for a second term at the Bankruptcy Court on May 2, Judge Smith is a member of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, a Judicial Advisory Council Member for the Orange County Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, and Associate Editor of the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Journal. The Honorable Gerardo Carlo-Altieri was appointed United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Puerto Rico on August 29, He was elevated to Chief Judge on March 1, Judge Carlo-Altieri also served as an Appeals Judge on the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston from 1996 to In 1962, he received his bachelor's degree from the University of Puerto Rico. He remained at the University of Puerto Rico for law school and received his Doctorate of Jurisprudence in He continued his studies at Boston University Law School, Graduate Tax Program, where he received his LL.M. in taxation in In 2004, he earned a PhD in Latin American history from the Universidad de Sevilla. Prior to his appointment to the bankruptcy bench, Judge Carlo-Altieri worked in the Department of the Treasury in 1969 where he was Chief of the Intelligence Division. From 1969 until 1973, Judge Carlo-Altieri served as Director of the Income Tax Bureau for the Department of the Treasury of Puerto Rico. From 1973 until 1979, he was a partner in the Law Offices of Trias, Francis, Doval, Colorado & Carlo. From 1977 until 1979, he served as Special Counsel to the Governor of Puerto Rico. In 1983, he was appointed by the Governor as Secretary of Justice of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. From 1983 through August 1994, he was a Senior partner of the Law Firm of Carlo & Troncoso. Judge Altieri served as Director of the Puerto Rico Health Services (Blue Cross Blue Shield) from 1979 until 1981 and as Director of the Puerto Rico Legal Aid Society from 1976 until Judge Carlo-Altieri has been a frequent lecturer at several universities. He lectured at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law from 1970 through 1976, the University of Puerto Rico School of Business Administration from 1973 through 1976, and the University of Puerto Rico, Graduate School of Business from 1975 until He also was a panelist on tax and bankruptcy seminars including American Bankruptcy Institute, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees conferences and the Commercial Law League. Judge Carlo-Altieri was honored by the Jaycees with Distinguished Young Man of the Year Award In Government in He received a National Leadership Service Award in1993 from the Federal Bar Association and an Award for Distinguished Services from the Puerto Rico Senate in1994.

16 The Honorable Arthur J. Gonzalez was appointed by the Second Circuit as Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of New York in 1995, where he served until his retirement in A native of Brooklyn, New York, Judge Gonzalez graduated from Fordham University with a degree in accounting in 1969, and went on to earn a masters degree in education from Brooklyn College in He was a teacher in the New York City School System for thirteen years. In 1982, Judge Gonzalez received a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, and then earned an LL.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law in After graduation from law school, Judge Gonzalez worked as an attorney for the Manhattan District Counsel Office of the I.R.S., where he earned the Chief Counsel s Special Achievement Award for three consecutive years. In 1988, he left the I.R.S. position to go into private practice. In 1991, Judge Gonzalez was appointed Assistant U.S. Trustee for the Southern District of New York, and was subsequently appointed U.S. Trustee for the Second Circuit in 1993, where he served until appointed to the bankruptcy bench for the Southern District of New York in During his 17-year tenure as a bankruptcy judge, Judge Gonzalez earned the distinction of presiding over three of the largest and most complex bankruptcy cases in recent history Enron, Worldcom, and Chrysler. Judge Gonzalez served as Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court from 2010 until his retirement on March 1, He is currently a full-time law professor at the New York University School of Law. The Honorable Jeffrey P. Hopkins was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio in April, Judge Hopkins received his undergraduate degree in Government and Anthro-Sociology from Bowdoin College in He earned his Juris Doctor in 1985 from the Michael E. Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University. Following law school, Judge Hopkins clerked for the Honorable Alan E. Norris for three years, including one year at the Ohio Court of Appeals and two years at the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Judge Hopkins then worked for three years in private practice at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in Columbus, Ohio in the labor, litigation and corporate departments of the firm. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Hopkins worked at the U.S. Attorney s Office. He was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for three years before becoming Chief of the Civil Division in March of He was appointed a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Southern District of Ohio during April of Since 1998, Judge Hopkins has also periodically taught as an adjunct professor at the

17 University of Cincinnati College of Law. Judge Hopkins has assumed leadership positions in numerous professional organizations. He was President of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges for the term. He was appointed by the United States Supreme Court Chief Justice to several committees, including the Judicial Conference of the United States Judicial Branch Committee, the Judicial Conference of the United States Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules, the Ad Hoc Committee on Federal Judicial Salaries, and the Federal Judicial Center s Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Judge Education. He also currently serves as Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association Business Bankruptcy Committee Subcommittee on Rules and as Director and Co-Chair of the Legislative Committee for the American Bankruptcy Institute. In addition, Judge Hopkins is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, a member of the American Law Institute, and on the Board of Directors for the American Bankruptcy Institute. Judge Hopkins is also active in the Cincinnati community. His volunteer work includes serving on the boards of Working in Neighborhoods, Inc., the Queen City Foundation, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The Honorable Laura Taylor Swain was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York on November 1, Judge Swain is currently a judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Judge Swain received her undergraduate degree from Harvard-Radcliffe College in She earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in Following law school, she clerked for the Honorable Constance Baker Motley, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, before entering private practice. From 1983 until 1996, Judge Swain worked at the firm Debevoise & Plimpton in the areas of employee benefits, ERISA, employment law and related litigation. Judge Swain also served as one of the five members of the New York Board of Bar Examiners for ten years prior to her first judicial appointment. She was the first woman and the first person of color to serve as a member of that Board. On November 1, 1996, Judge Swain was appointed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York. She served as a bankruptcy judge for four years until her appointment to the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, on July 11, Judge Swain s community volunteer work has included service as a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Coalition for Consumer Bankruptcy Debtor Education and a board member of Episcopal Charities, Inc. Judge Swain was also a founder and the first Board Chair of the Community Partnership Charter School in Brooklyn, New York. Judge Swain is currently a member of the board of managers of the Havens Relief Fund Society. In 2008, she received the Servant of Justice award from the Guild of St. Ives of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.

18 The Honorable Manuel Barbosa was appointed as a judge in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois on March 23, In 1969, Judge Barbosa received his bachelor's degree from St. Procopius College (now Illinois Benedictine University). In 1977, he completed his law school studies and graduated from John Marshall Law School with a Doctor of Jurisprudence. From 1977 to 1979, Judge Barbosa was an assistant state's attorney in Kane County. He went into private practice in 1979 with Miller, Feda & Barbosa and was a solo practitioner from 1984 until From 1980 to 1998, Judge Barbosa was Chairman for the Illinois Human Rights Commission while maintaining his private practice. Judge Barbosa was a 2000 honoree of the Northern Illinois University College of Law's Hispanic Law Association and in 2002 was honored as Founder at the 25th Anniversary of Guadalupano Club Scholarship Banquet. In 2004, Judge Barbosa received a Recognition Award for his contributions to the Hispanic legal community. He was honored by the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois with an Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2004 and the Vanguard Award in From November 2007 through February 2008, Judge Barbosa took three months off as part of the federal judge calendar adjustment program. He traveled to Mexico, worked with a university to mentor aspiring lawyers, lectured, researched, wrote, and addressed major pending issues in his case load. The Honorable Coleman Ray Mullins became the first African-American Bankruptcy Court Judge in the Eleventh Circuit. He was appointed on February 28, 2000 by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Judge Mullins earned his bachelor s degree in business administration in 1974 and his Master of Business Administration in 1977 from Bowling Green State University. He graduated with his Juris Doctor (magna cum laude) from the University of Toledo College of Law. Judge Mullins was a member of the Law Review and Order of the Coif. After graduation, Judge Mullins joined the Toledo firm of Cooper, Straub, Walinski & Cramer, where his primary focus was civil litigation. While in practice, Judge Mullins taught trial practice as an adjunct professor at the University of Toledo. Judge Mullins moved to Atlanta in 1987, when he joined the Financial Restructuring Group of Kilpatrick & Cody, one of the oldest and largest Atlanta law firms (now known as Kilpartick

19 Stockton). In 1993, Judge Mullins became just the second African-American partner in the firm's history. From 1995 to 2000, he served as a member of the Trustee Panel for the Northern District of Georgia. The Honorable Jacqueline P. Cox was appointed as a judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois on February 3, Judge Cox attended Cornell University College of Arts and Science for her bachelor s degree in 1971 and Boston University School of Law for her Juris Doctor in Judge Cox previously served as a Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County from 1988 to 2003; four years of that service was as a Presiding Judge for the 1st Municipal District. Judge Cox has also held positions in the Public Defender's Office, Mercer County, New Jersey from 1976 to 1977; the Office of the Cook County State's Attorney from 1978 to 1984; the City of Chicago Law Department from 1984 to 1988; and the Chicago Housing Authority Law Department in The Honorable Kathy A. Surratt-States was the first African American to be appointed as Bankruptcy Court Judge in the Eighth Circuit. She was appointed in March 2003 to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Judge Surratt-States earned her law degree from Washington University School of Law in She was appointed to the Panel of Bankruptcy Trustees for the Eastern District of Missouri in She also served as the Chapter 7 Trustee for Family Company of America (National Foods), then the third-largest grocery chain in St. Louis. Judge Surratt-States practiced as a partner in the Husch & Eppenberger insolvency practice group until her appointment as a United States Bankruptcy Court judge. Judge Surratt-States is active in several organizations. She was honored in 2007 with the Distinguished Young Lawyer Award. Additionally, she received the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis President's Outstanding Service Award in She is also a member and past president of Altrusa International of St. Louis, which is an organization of professionals dedicated to community service. The Honorable Brenda T. Rhoades was appointed by the Fifth Circuit as Bankruptcy Judge for the

20 Eastern District of Texas in She was named Chief Judge in 2010, and continues to serve in that position today. She is the first Asian American appointed to the Bankruptcy Court in the Fifth Circuit. Judge Rhoades is a native of Seoul, Korea, and immigrated with her family to the United States. She was awarded a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University in 1986, and earned her Juris Doctor from Arizona State University College of Law in She was engaged in private practice at several law firms before her appointment to the bankruptcy bench, including Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld in Dallas, Texas from 1989 to 1991, Weil, Gotschal & Manges in Dallas, Texas and Miami, Florida from 1991 to 1994, Boyle & Gates, P.L.L.C. in Anchorage, Alaska from 1994 to 1996, and Baker Botts, L.L.P. in Dallas, Texas from 1996 to Judge Rhoades has been active in many organizations during her professional career, including acting as Vice President of Membership for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Council Member for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity in association with the ABA Fund for Justice and Education, a member of the Board of Directors of the Dallas Bar Association, President of the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, Chair of the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the Texas State Bar, Sustaining Fellow of the Dallas Bar Association, Master of the John C. Ford Inns of Court, Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and as Board Member of the Korean American Coalition. Judge Rhoades is also a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges. Throughout her distinguished career, Judge Rhoades has earned numerous honors and awards, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Counsel on Legal Education Opportunity, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Trailblazer Award, the Greater Dallas Asian- American Chamber of Commerce Judicial Excellence Award, the Peter W. Gray Public Service Award from Baker Botts, the Asian Pacific Interest Section State Bar of Texas David Wellington Chew Award, the Diversity Award from the DFW Asian American Citizen Counsel, the Chambers USA Award for Excellence, and she was named one of D Magazine s Best Lawyers in Dallas. The Honorable Robert A. Gordon was appointed as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Maryland on June 19, Judge Gordon earned his bachelor s degree in 1978 from Colgate University and obtained his Juris Doctor in 1982 from the University of Maryland School of Law. He was also admitted to the Maryland Bar in Judge Gordon was a partner with Tydings & Rosenberg LLP in Baltimore for twelve years before coming to the bench in June Judge Gordon has been, and continues to be, active in professional and community service organizations throughout Maryland. He was a member and Chair of the Maryland State Bar Association's Lawyers Assistance Program, dedicated to aiding lawyers with substance abuse problems. He is also a Director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency,