Blackshear Presidential Fellows
Who is Judge Blackshear and Why Does NCBJ Have a Fellowship Named After Him?
Deadline To Apply: May 30, 2025
The National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges is delighted to bestow on the Honorable Cornelius Blackshear, a dear friend and esteemed colleague, the distinction of naming their fellowship program, the Honorable Cornelius Blackshear Fellowship Program. This program will provide an annual stipend (up to 50% of eligible expenses, not to exceed $2,000) for up to five up-and-coming attorneys to attend its annual meeting each year.
NCBJ Blackshear Fellows will receive a copy of the proclamation, along with their stipend, to remind them of the illustriousness Judge Blackshear brought to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court bench as he distinguished himself by his renowned scholarship and development of bankruptcy jurisprudence.
Since 2005, there have been over 70 Blackshear Presidential Fellows selected, with three of them becoming bankruptcy judges: Hon. Charles Walker (M.D. Tenn.), Hon. Tiiara Patton (N.D. Ohio) and Hon. Magdalena Reyes Bordeaux (C.D. Ca.). Additionally, there are eight Blackshear Alumni who have also been invited to participate in the NCBJ’s Next Gen Program and twelve Blackshear Alumni who have been named 40 Under 40 by the American Bankruptcy Institute, including three who are both Next Gen Alumni and 40 Under 40 Alumni. The NCBJ stated at the time of the Proclamation in 2009 and anticipates that NCBJ Blackshear Presidential Fellows will continue to leave an extraordinary and illustrious legacy as inspired by Judge Blackshear, who dedicated himself to the betterment of the legal and judicial system throughout his career.
Please click below for the Blackshear Proclamation and the 2025 Fellowship Criteria & Application. Applications may only be submitted between May 1 and May 30, 2025 at 5 pm EST. The application and the supporting documents must be sent via e-mail to Judge Kathy Surratt-States at Kathy_Surratt-States@moeb.uscourts.gov. Early or late applications will not be accepted.
Blackshear Fellowship Proclamation
Blackshear Fellowship Criteria and Application for 2025
Blackshear Alumni