ABI/NCBJ Joint Mock Trial: Smooth Sailing through Evidentiary Issues in Subchapter V Non-Dischargeability Trials
Friday, October 9th, 2026 – 8:45 AM – 10:00 AM
San Diego Ballroom – B
Description:
This interactive mock trial simulates a non-dischargeability adversary proceeding, in which a merchant cash advance company seeks to except its debt from discharge in a subchapter V small business bankruptcy case. Through a live courtroom demonstration with audience polling, panelists will tackle key evidentiary challenges including the admission of summaries, business records, judicial notice, and hearsay and hearsay exceptions. Attendees will vote on how the court should rule on each evidentiary objection before the presiding judge issues her ruling in real time.
Panelists:
Hon. Corali Lopez-Castro, United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida
Alissa B. Castaneda, Partner, Dorsey & Whitney LLP (Phoenix, AZ)
Marguerite L. DeVoll, Partner, Watt Tieder Hoffar & Fitzgerald LLP (Mclean, VA)
Sarah L. Fowler, Partner, Blackwell Burke Fowler & Rossow, P.C. (Indianapolis, IN)
Jarret P. Hitchings, Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP (Charlotte, NC)
An Nguyen, Partner, Nguyen Law, PLLC (Austin, TX)
Bios:
On May 30, 2023, Judge Corali Lopez-Castro was sworn in as a bankruptcy judge for the Southern District of Florida’s Miami Division, making history as Florida’s first Hispanic bankruptcy judge.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico to Cuban parents, Judge Lopez-Castro moved to Miami at the age of seven. Judge Lopez-Castro received a degree in Business Economics from Brown University, and her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. At Miami Law, Judge Lopez-Castro was an Articles and Comments editor for the Inter-American Law Review—the journal that in 2021 presented her with the Lawyer of the Americas Award for her outstanding service in the field of international law.
After law school, Judge Lopez-Castro joined Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton as a commercial litigation and bankruptcy associate, where she built her successful career over the course of three decades. At KTT, Judge Lopez-Castro served as managing partner on three occasions and earned national recognition for her work in bankruptcy matters by Chambers USA and Florida Trend’s Legal Elite.
In 2006, Judge Lopez-Castro served as the Cuban American Bar Association’s President—only the second woman president in the organization’s history. Judge Lopez-Castro was also involved in the ABA Business Law Section’s Business Bankruptcy Committee, serving as Chair of numerous subcommittees and Chair of the Florida Bar Business Law Section’s Bankruptcy/UCC Committee. In 2011, she was presented with the Kathryn R. Heidt Memorial Award by the ABA Business Law Section’s Business Bankruptcy Committee for her service in the ABA and dedication to the bankruptcy profession.
In 2014, she was also inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Bankruptcy, an organization that recognizes individuals for their professional excellence and contributions to the field of restructuring and insolvency. In 2017, Judge Lopez-Castro was also invited to be a Fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in recognition of her ability in trial practice.
Alissa Castañeda is a partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP in Phoenix, Arizona. Alissa focuses her practice on bankruptcy, creditors’ rights litigation and enforcement, and commercial litigation. Alissa advises banks, lending institutions, landlords, and other creditors and corporate clients in chapter 11 bankruptcies, loan workouts and restructuring, receiverships, and other enforcement, foreclosure, and deficiency actions. In addition to her restructuring practice, Alissa also represents clients in commercial litigation matters in both state and federal court.
Marguerite is a partner with Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, LLP in McLean, Virginia. Her practice focuses on business restructurings, bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, and complex commercial litigation. Prior to private practice, Marguerite served as a law clerk to the Honorable William R. Sawyer of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Alabama. She is admitted to practice in Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, along with multiple federal district and bankruptcy courts. Marguerite is active in several professional and community organizations, including the Maryland Bankruptcy Bar Association for which is the Treasurer and recently elected President-Elect. In addition, Marguerite was selected to the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges’ NextGen Class of 2021 and the American Bankruptcy Institute’s 2024 “40 Under 40” Class.
Sarah L. Fowler is a shareholder at Blackwell, Burke, Fowler & Rossow, P.C. in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she represents financial institutions, debtors, and trustees in both in and out of court restructuring matters and serves as a Chapter 7 Trustee for the Southern District of Indiana.
Jarret P. Hitchings is a member of the firm’s Corporate and Finance Transactions Department, with expertise in restructuring, insolvency and special situations. In particular, Jarret’s practice focuses on distressed asset and bankruptcy litigation, including federal bankruptcy and state court liquidation proceedings.
An Nguyen is a solo bankruptcy practitioner in Austin, Texas, where he primarily represents debtors in Subchapter V and Chapter 7 bankruptcies. He is a 2015 graduate from the University of Illinois College of Law and previously served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Christopher G. Bradley in the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas.