NCBJ Opening Plenary Session: 88 MPH to Confirmation: Landmark Cases That Changed the Ride
Thursday, October 8th, 2026 – 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Moderator:
Hon. Jason Burgess
Speakers:
Hon. Aubrey Thomas
Hon. Tiffany Geyer
Hon. Bruce Harwood
Eyal Berger
Alexandra Dugan
Eugene H. Johnson
James V. Block
Description:
Great Scott! What happens when we put bankruptcy law in a time machine? This panel takes participants on a fast-paced journey through the cases and statutory developments that transformed modern restructuring practice. Along the way, the discussion will connect past innovations to today’s most contested issues- and offer predictions about where bankruptcy is headed when the clock hits 88 miles per hour again.
Bios:
Hon. Jason A. Burgess is a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division, appointed in March 2022. While in private practice, he became a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator and the only attorney in North Florida to be Board-Certified in both business bankruptcy and consumer bankruptcy. While in law school and for a time following graduation, Jason practiced in the creditors’ rights area, representing many of the nation’s largest financial institutions. He later became the managing partner of The Law Offices of Jason A. Burgess, LLC, where he concentrated on Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases and complex bankruptcy litigation. He was often called upon as a Chapter 11 consultant for complex debtor and creditor bankruptcy cases and was also appointed as a Subchapter V Chapter 11 Trustee for both the Middle and Northern Districts of Florida. Jason received his LL.M. in Business Transactions magna cum laude from The University of Alabama School of Law and was named to the 2021 American Bankruptcy Institute’s 40 Under 40.
Hon. Aubrey L. Thomas was sworn in as a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Texas (San Antonio) on April 6, 2026. Prior to joining the bench, Judge Thomas served as the Assistant United States Trustee in San Antonio, and before that, was in private practice in Arizona, representing debtors and creditors in chapter 7, 13, and 11 bankruptcies.
Hon. Tiffany Geyer is a Bankruptcy Judge in the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division. She graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1998 and earned her J.D. at the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2000. She previously was a partner with Baker Hostetler, LLP, representing debtors and other parties in interest in complex chapter 11 cases.
Hon. Bruce A. Harwood (ret.) served as Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire from 2013 until his retirement in August, 2024. He also served on the First Circuit’s Bankruptcy Appellate Panel. Before taking the bench, he practiced bankruptcy and insolvency law at Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green in Manchester, NH, and served as a chapter 7 panel trustee. He is Immediate Past President of the American Bankruptcy Institute, and a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy. He received his B.A. from Northwestern University, and his J.D. from Washington University School of Law.
Eyal Berger focuses his practice on complex business reorganizations, out-of-court debt restructuring, representation of Creditor Committees, assignments for the benefit of creditors, corporate dissolutions, Article 9 transactions, and the enforcement of creditors’ rights. He also protects the interests of financial institutions and lessors as secured and unsecured creditors in a myriad of insolvency proceedings by assisting them in preserving, liquidating, or repossessing their collateral.
Alex Dugan has experience with both debtor and creditor representation in bankruptcy, out-of-court workouts and restructurings, and bankruptcy-related litigation. She also represents commercial lenders and mortgage servicers in federal court litigation. Alex also provides guidance to bank and non-bank clients on consumer bankruptcy-related compliance and litigation matters.
Eugene Johnson is a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee in the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division and regularly represents creditors and other Chapter 7 Panel Trustees in contested matters dealing with exemptions, turnover, avoidance, and dischargeability issues throughout the Middle District of Florida.
Jim is a partner at Krautkramer & Block LLC, in Wausau, Wisconsin. He represents clients in bankruptcy, foreclosure, and collection matters. Since 2012, Jim has served as a Chapter 7 panel trustee. Jim earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School. He serves since 2025 as the elected Vice-Chair of the Wisconsin State Bar’s Bankruptcy, Insolvency, and Creditors’ Rights Board. In 2023, the American Bankruptcy Institute named Jim to its Top 40 Under 40 Class. Outside of his legal career, Jim is an Eagle Scout and volunteers as a Cub Scout den leader, teaching values like community service and leadership.