Save The Date
Registration opens in March 2025. Stay tuned for details to come.
President’s Message
An Invitation to the Windy City from the NCBJ President
My hometown of Chicago is the site of the NCBJ 2025 Annual Meeting and Conference, and I hope to see you all there. The Conference will be held on September 17-20, 2025 at the beautiful Marriott Marquis located just south of downtown next to the McCormick Place Convention Center and Wintrust Arena, home of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.
The NCBJ Annual Meeting and Conference is the largest annual gathering of insolvency professionals. We look forward to presenting you with some top-notch educational programming which will be both thought provoking and stimulating; presented in what we hope to be some fun and interactive formats. We will also have a Trial Skills program for younger professionals, held at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, and taught by Bankruptcy, District and Circuit Court judges.
Opportunities to enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of Chicago will likewise be available to you. As I will modestly boast, Chicago has it all. A river walk with fun restaurants and many recreational opportunities, Lake Michigan with its beautiful walking paths and sandy beaches, Millennium Park with “The Bean” and Pritzker Pavilion, blues, jazz, pizza, hot dogs, Italian beef, and foodie restaurants galore. Plus, of course, there is Chicago’s famous architecture and the Cubs, the White Sox, Da Bears, the Sky, the Fire and many world class museums.
Plan to take advantage of the outstanding high quality, creative and ethnically diverse Chicago restaurants. Registered attendees can sign up for one of our many “Dine-Arounds” to enjoy a special meal, hosted by judges. There will also be opportunities to visit some of the local jazz and blues clubs that make Chicago’s fabric so rich. Attendees and judges will enjoy the chance to socialize with each other in informal discussions, plenary sessions and simply over coffee. The Education Committee is planning engaging, insightful, and cutting-edge programs. As usual, the Conference will provide opportunities to hear judges, academics and the very best of the best in professionals addressing vital issues facing all insolvency professionals in today’s practice. There will be plenty of programs of interest to all commercial as well as consumer professionals.
As part of your NCBJ registration, attendees will also have the opportunity to attend first class programming sponsored by our affiliate friends, the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA) and the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors (AIRA). In addition, pre-conference sessions will be available, sponsored by the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) and the American College of Bankruptcy (ACB).
The NCBJ Annual Meeting and Conference is the THE restructuring event of the year, and you will not want to miss this one. Chicago is a very convenient location, easy to get to by drive for many with two major airports flying hundreds of flights daily for those of you further away. The Marriott Marquis is easily accessible from both airports on the famous Chicago EL system. And, frankly, there is not a nicer time to visit our beautiful city than mid-September!
We look forward to seeing you in Chicago and spending several days together with the wonderful insolvency community.
Hon. Janet S. Baer
Norther District of Illinois – Chicago
Education Chair’s Message
The Sky’s the Limit is the theme for the 2025 National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges Annual Conference, September 17-20. The lofty title combines Chicago’s unique architecture with the product of the conference:– the highest quality education programs paired with fantastic networking opportunities. To accomplish this, 17 professionals from across the country – judges, lawyers, financiers, and a representative from academia – began planning early this year; a full 18 months before the conference date.
The 2025 Conference is back to the regular model, an opening reception Wednesday evening, followed by education and networking over the next 2.5 days. Bankruptcy court and other judges and esteemed professionals will deal with the latest legal theories, changes in the law, and hot topics.
Our affiliates, including the American Bankruptcy Institute, the American Bar Association, the Consumer Law League of America, and the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors will sponsor additional education sessions. IWIRC and the American College of Bankruptcy, among other groups, use the opportunity to host meetings, education, and networking on the days leading up to the Conference kickoff.
It is no surprise the NCBJ Annual Conference is the largest annual gathering of restructuring and insolvency professionals. Each year we strive to top the prior years, and September 2025 is no exception. Do not miss it.
Hon. Gregory R. Schaaf
Eastern District of Kentucky